The UW Oshkosh Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter’s National Organ Donor Awareness Competition (NODAC) event concluded with record-breaking success, registering 116 new national organ donors during their campaign event held in Sage Hall and Reeve Union on April 25. 

The PRSSA chapter at UWO significantly surpassed last year’s total of 90 donor registrations with their “How to Save a Life” campaign, inspired by the popular medical television series Grey’s Anatomy. 

Their campaign has the potential to save 930 lives, and positively impact over 8,700 people through national organ and tissue donation. The campaign addressed the shortage of donors by encouraging meaningful discussions about tissue and organ donation across campus. 

UWO PRSSA members helped educate the community about the difference between state and national organ donation registration. According to their research, while 95% of adults in the U.S. support organ donation, 45% are not registered as donors and there are even higher non-registration rates among young adults (47%-69%). 

“Five minutes today can mean a lifetime for someone else,” said Nicole Paulson, vice president of public relations. “Our chapter is thrilled to see such an incredible response from the campus community. The record number of registrations shows that our message truly resonated with students and staff.” 

Lauren Laganowski, vice president of administration, said she felt pride for the campaign’s achievements. 

“PRSSA successfully helped students understand the difference between state and national organ donation and motivated them to take action,” she said. “The ‘How to Save a Life’ theme clearly connected with our audience in a powerful way.” 

The event featured educational activities, registration opportunities, and a giveaway of items donated by local businesses, all contributing to the campaign’s outstanding success.