Big Ten Blood Drive Puts Penn State in Race for $1M Grant, Seeks to Boost Supply Amid Critical Shortage

Penn State is asking students, alumni and fans to donate blood as the university joins all 18 Big Ten schools in a competition that could bring a $1 million grant to support student and community health.

The Abbott and Big Ten “We Give Blood” drive campaign officially started Tuesday and runs through Dec. 4. The university with the most recorded blood donations will receive the $1 million grant from Abbott.

The campaign comes as the American Red Cross has declared a national blood crisis following a four-year summer low in donations, raising concerns about the availability of blood for patients nationwide. 

According to the National Library of Medicine, nearly one-quarter of blood donations come from people 65 and older, while only about 3% of eligible Americans donate. 

Organizers estimate that if just one in 15 in the Big Ten community of nearly 40 million people became regular donors, it could help make up for the expected decline in donations from an aging donor base.

Penn State supporters can donate anywhere in the United States and have their donated count toward the university’s total. Donations made on or after Aug. 12 are eligible for the competition.

After donating, participants can save a photo or donation confirmation and log it through the Big Ten’s “We Give Blood” donation submission form or by texting GIVEBLOOD to 222688. University Park donors can also use the sponsor code “PSU” when searching for campus blood drives through the American Red Cross.

“The ‘We Give Blood’ drive is about turning Penn State pride into life-saving action,” Penn State deputy athletics director Adam Miller said in a statement. “With more than 100,000 fans filling Beaver Stadium, our community represents one of the most powerful forces in college athletics. If each of those fans gave blood just once, we could help save more than three times as many lives, demonstrating how Nittany Nation can make a meaningful impact far beyond the field.”

The campaign is in its third year with more than 100,000 donations recorded during its first two years across the Big Ten. Organizers estimate those donations helped save as many as 300,000 lives.

Penn State is also among the universities hoping the campaign will encourage younger and first-time donors. Nearly one-third of students participants in last year’s competition donated blood for the first time and 96% said they would do it again, according to the university.

Whole blood, double red cell and platelet donations are all eligible, with each donation counting as one point for the donor’s selected school. 

For the competition, eligible donors must be at least 18 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good health and provide valid identification. People ages 16 and 17 may still be eligible to donate depending on state requirements, but those donations will not count toward the competition. 

Participants are encouraged to make an appointment, complete any required eligibility screening, eat beforehand and stay hydrated.

While the actual blood collection for a whole blood donation typically takes about 10 minutes, the entire appointment can take about an hour.

This year, participants who donate and log their contribution may also receive a limited-edition Penn State (or Big Ten school of choice) T-shirt while supplies last.

Several blood drives are scheduled on Penn State’s University Park campus in the coming weeks:

• Thursday, Sept. 3: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at HUB-Robeson Center in Alumni Hall.
• Wednesday, Sept. 9: 12:30 to 6 p.m., at Waring Commons in Waring Study Lounges.
• Thursday, Sept. 10: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Smeal College of Business, room 217.

A live leaderboard will track donation totals throughout the competition as Penn State and its Big Ten rivals compete through Dec. 4.

As of Thursday evening, so far nearly lives have been saved with over 3,000 blood donors, according to the leaderboard. Currently, Penn State stands at seventh overall with approximately 148 donors, saving an estimated 444 lives through blood donations. 

Nebraska currently tops the leaderboard with approximately 693 donations, saving 2,079 lives, followed by Wisconsin in second place with 567 donations and Iowa in third place with 268, as of Thursday. 

The winning school and results will be announced on Dec. 5 at the 2026 Big Ten Football Championship Game..

Abbott, which provides blood and plasma screening technology, says its diagnostic solutions are used to screen more than half of the world’s blood supply. The company says donor screening, blood center procedures and testing help ensure millions of people safely receive donated blood through transfusions each year.

To find blood drives near you or for more information, visit the Big Ten “We Give Blood” website.