On April 24, Campolindo leadership organized the annual Stanford Blood Drive where students were encouraged to save three lives by donating blood.

Leadership student senior Tori Gilbert helped ensure the blood drive ran smoothly by running the snack table. “Making sure everyone got food was something that we wanted to prioritize,” she said. Eating food before and after donating blood is important to boost blood sugar levels, to prevent dizziness, and stabilize blood pressure. Regardless, many still felt unexpected side effects. Junior Ashley Purcell said, “I honestly was kind of really exhausted all day, throughout the day, I started to feel really dizzy and tired.”

Students who donated were encouraged by the opportunity to make an impact on their community. Reflecting on her motivations Purcell said, “I wanted to have the experience of having my blood drawn..I felt like it was a good thing to have done before and it saves three people’s lives.” Beyond the donors, leadership organizers enjoyed their role in organizing events like the blood drive. Gilbert explained, “I like being able to have an impact on events that happen on campus.”

The blood drive highlighted the small efforts students can take to play a role in broader humanitarian efforts. While donating blood may seem like a small act, the collective participation of Campo students demonstrated how community involvement creates meaningful impact beyond campus. With boxes filled with life-supporting blood shipped back to regional medical facilities, Campo students can feel confident in knowing they made a difference.