The number of lives Sacred Heart University (SHU) in Fairfield, Connecticut, has potentially helped save in the past year alone through the nine blood drives its students, faculty and staff hosted in 2024 numbers 1,062.
For its commitment to the cause, Connecticut Blood Center recently presented the university with an award, acknowledging the work the SHU community does to help provide a constantly needed supply of life-saving blood.
Jonathan DeCasanova, Connecticut Blood Center’s account manager, was proud to award SHU for its willingness to not only meet the challenge to support the need for blood but to exceed expectations.
“The certificate was specifically handed out to groups that hosted four or more blood drives in 2024,” he said. “Many of our colleges will host more than that, but SHU hosted nine blood drives, more than double the criteria for the recognition.”
DeCasanova, who also oversees the center’s mobile operations for the state, added that SHU shows time and again that it is willing to go the extra mile when it comes to helping the community. “Regarding the SHU staff and faculty, I can tell you that we see higher engagement with them at the blood drives than at any other college or university blood drive in Connecticut,” he said.
Connecticut Blood Center’s website states that one pint of blood can save up to three lives. Since SHU began conducting blood drives on campus in 2022, the University community has donated 1,421 units of blood. That’s a potential total of 4,263 lives saved.
As the second-largest Catholic university in New England, and one of the fastest-growing private doctoral institutions in the U.S., Sacred Heart University is a national leader in shaping higher education for the 21st century.
