During halftime of Mississippi Valley State University’s Oct. 21 homecoming game against Virginia University of Lynchburg, one lucky student received a special surprise.
MVSU senior Raven Lomax of Southaven became the recipient of a $1,500 scholarship on behalf of Mississippi Blood Services (MBS) who also announced MVSU as the 2017 Soul Bowl Blood Drive winner.
The Soul Bowl is a friendly competition held between Mississippi Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)—MVSU, Jackson State University and Alcorn State University. The goal is to see which school can receive the most blood donations. The prize is the scholarship to a student blood donor from the winning school, along with displaying the Soul Bowl Trophy and a year’s bragging rights.
Valley’s drive was organized by MVSU's Zeta Phi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and had a total of 104 students to register to donate blood.
Scholarship funds awarded to Lomax provided courtesy of Regions Bank.
“When someone donates one unit of blood, that donation can potentially save three lives,” said Dawn Woods, MBS marketing representative for the Delta. We at MBS hope that as high school and college students donate blood they begin a lifelong commitment to MBS and Mississippi hospital patients. Raven represents the best in Mississippi students.”
All donors must be at least 16 years old with signed parental consent, weigh at least 110 pounds and have a valid ID.
Mississippi Blood Services offers a “mini physical” before each donation to ensure the donation process is safe for the donor as well as the recipient.
Mississippi Blood Services ensures that donating blood is SAFE, SIMPLE and SAVES LIVES. For more information, contact (888) 90-BLOOD (888-902-5663), or visit www.msblood.com. You can also download the free MBS app for your smart phone and/or tablet.