December 5, 2025
For more than two decades, the St. John’s University community has partnered with the New York Blood Center (NYBC) to support patients across the New York City metropolitan area through on-campus blood drives. The University’s most-recent effort helped St. John’s pass a significant milestone.
The November 13 blood drive, sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations, netted 90 pints and pushed the University’s all-time total to more than 15,000 pints of donated blood. NYBC officials said that total has helped an estimated 45,000 patients since the NYBC-St. John’s partnership began.
The recent blood drive, held in the D’Angelo Center, featured volunteers from the St. John’s Red Cross Club chapter and the Lambda Pi Chi Sorority.
The St. John’s milestone comes at a time when the metropolitan area is experiencing a significant blood shortage, according to NYBC. The organization currently reports only a three-day supply of O-positive and O-negative blood—the types most needed for emergency and trauma care. During October 2025, donations in the region decreased by 11 percent, with an average of 1,000 fewer donations per week, as hospital demand remained high.
St. John’s hosts several blood drives each semester, providing convenient opportunities for students, faculty, administration, and staff to donate. The University is committed to its long-standing partnership with NYBC and its support of the region’s health needs.
“For 20 years, St. John’s has been an enthusiastic partner of NYBC and the work it performs,” said Paul Lazauskas ’01CCPS, ’08MBA, Associate Director, Office of Alumni Relations. “Our entire community, but especially our students, recognizes its lifesaving potential. The University is ready to answer the call at a time of critical blood shortages when donations are essential.”
NYBC noted the importance of St. John’s contributions during this period and throughout the organizations’ long relationship.
“St. John’s has been an exceptional partner to NYBC for two decades—raising awareness; collecting an exceptional 15,000 units of blood; mobilizing young donors; and playing an essential role in meeting the region’s critical need for blood, especially during challenging times,” said Jeannie Mascolino, Vice President, Regional Operations, at New York Blood Center. “We are grateful and congratulate St. John’s on the milestone.”
NYBC has served the tristate area for more than six decades. It delivers more than 500,000 pints of blood annually to more than 150 health-care partners. Donations from younger people, including college-age students, are essential since the percentage of donors under 30 has declined significantly in recent years, according to NYBC.
Student leadership played a key role in the success of St. John’s November 13 drive. Members of the Red Cross Club distributed flyers in residence halls and academic buildings and used social media outreach to encourage participation. Lambda Pi Chi members assisted on site and also helped promote the effort across the Queens, NY, campus.
Nadira Hussain, a Red Cross Club student representative, said that the outreach efforts helped spread awareness about the need for donors at a critical time. “We worked closely with our partners, including Lambda Pi Chi, to plan, promote, and engage students across campus,” she explained. “Many students felt encouraged to donate after learning that a single donation can save up to three lives. These drives matter because hospitals and patients rely on a consistent blood supply.”