By the time you finish reading this sentence, someone in America will need a life-saving blood transfusion.

According to the ISU blood drive Web site at www.stuorg.iastate.edu/bd, someone needs blood every three seconds.

“Every day people around the country need blood,” said Holly Englestad, on-campus recruiter for the blood drive and junior in genetics.

“There are surgeries, accidents and people who need long-term blood transfusions.”

Every day this week, students, faculty and other members of the ISU community will be able to donate blood in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday.

Donating is easy, said Allison Mignano, blood drive co-director and junior in speech communication.

“We don’t do appointments, so students can just pop in whenever they have time,” she said.

“The whole process takes 30 minutes – 45 if we’re really busy.”

The blood drive is staffed by workers from the American Red Cross and the Blood Center of Iowa, who will also be receiving the donated blood.

All blood donated will stay in the Midwest, and most will remain in Iowa.

For added incentive, the blood drive Web site lists 45 professors offering extra credit for blood donors this spring.

Students who are not eligible to donate can still receive extra credit by volunteering at the blood drive.