“People get competitive,” dietetics junior and MSU Pre-Physician Assistant Club volunteer coordinator Allie Fuller said.

The event draws volunteers from on campus student organizations such as Fuller’s pre-physician's assistant club.

"We help volunteer for five or six hours giving refreshments and signing people in," MSU Pre-Physician Assistant Club president Seema Sutariya said. 

Food science senior and blood donor Leah Bloomquist said she thinks the competitive nature of the drive increases student interest

“It’s about proving we're more awesome and willing to help our community than everybody else," Bloomquist said.

Although Penn State owns the series by a margin of 13 wins to MSU’s eight wins, MSU has won the last three years, and as of Monday afternoon, MSU has donated 438 pints of blood to Penn State’s 348.

The drive began Nov. 2 and will be held at locations across campus until Nov. 20, eight days before MSU football squares off against Penn State at Spartan Stadium.

“The fact that this is on campus rather than at the donation center up the road makes this much more convenient for students, I can donate blood and walk right to class afterwards,” Bloomquist said.

Since the drive’s inception, the MSU and Penn State communities have donated blood more than 72,000 times, potentially assisting more than 200,000 patients receiving blood transfusions.

Multiple donation sites will be set up almost daily to allow students to give blood at locations across campus. For a complete list of locations, dates and times check out the Red Cross' website. 

Students can create a donation appointment by going to the Red Cross website and entering the sponsor code: MSU, or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767).