Colorado State University Prssa Wins First Place in National Organ Donor Awareness Competition

The Colorado State University chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) has been awarded first place in the Ninth Annual National Organ Donor Awareness Competition (NODAC), sponsored by Rowan University.

"Everything about Colorado State’s entry – [its] presentation, research, tactics and accompanying materials – blew away the judges," said Arianna Stefanoni, NODAC chairperson from Rowan University. "We were thrilled to see such a wonderful event presented in such a beautiful, organized manner."

To make organ donation "real" to Colorado State students, the March 2005 campaign employed the slogan "How Was Class?" A series of fact posters displayed across campus related important organ donation statistics to the typical 90-minute class period; for example: "While you were in class…one person died from lack of an organ."

Colorado State University PRSSA members held a 5-kilometer run/walk, a noon barbeque, afternoon of artistic performances, evening concert and silent auction. At each event, members distributed organ donor cards and informational brochures about minorities and donation, myths about donation, talking to families about donation, and the procedure for registering as a donor in Colorado.

More than 540 Colorado State students, faculty and staff attended NODAC events, and 743 pieces of literature were distributed. As one indicator of campaign success, a post-event survey revealed that willingness to become an organ donor had increased by over 50 percent.

For placing first, Colorado State University PRSSA will receive $450 and a first place plaque at the PRSSA national conference being held in October in Miami.

NODAC was established by the Rowan University PRSSA chapter in honor of its founder, Anthony Fulginiti, the recipient of a donated organ. Two hundred twenty-seven PRSSA chapters are eligible to participate. Competition objectives include raising awareness of organ and tissue donation on college campuses and promoting family discussion of donation preferences.

For further information regarding Colorado State University PRSSA and NODAC, please contact Beth Klaene at (970) 204-1462 or bakiley@simla.colostate.edu.

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