With high hopes of spreading organ donor awareness across campus, ISU students will participate in the National Organ Donor Awareness Competition, or NODAC, Thursday.

“[NODAC] is a nationwide competition aimed at raising awareness about the issue of organ donation, and the process of becoming an organ donor on college campuses,” said Cindy Christen, faculty adviser for NODAC and assistant professor in the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication.

Christen said NODAC is an annual competition for Public Relations Student Society of America chapters. Lindsey Marvin, creative team member for NODAC, said the campus events are judged on a national level.

“As a team we get together to plan a day of events promoting organ donor awareness,” said Marvin, senior in journalism and mass communication. “When it’s over, we analyze how well everything went and then put together an entry [which includes] all our research, pictures, posters and press releases and send it to Rowan University [in New Jersey], and they award [first place] to the school that did the best job.”

Christen said last year, Iowa State’s NODAC team was awarded first place at the national level.

“From the very first meeting at the beginning of the fall semester, the students said they were going to win the competition again [this year],” she said.

Christen said students began the semester studying information on organ donation. In addition, the team researched how to best reach their target audiences. They also conducted research through primary records, focus groups and random sample surveys given to students, faculty and staff.

“Everything the team does is based on their understanding from audience research,” she said. “All the research and planning leads up to one day.”

Christen said there has been an “enormous amount of community support” from businesses sponsoring the events.

“Last year, the most popular event was the picnic on central campus with a crowd of almost 200 people,” she said. “This year, we’re targeting 750 people.”

In addition to the events, there will be satellite venues located across campus set up in the Memorial Union, Parks Library, Kildee Hall and Lied Recreation Center.

Christen said people can sign up to be an organ donor at any venue on campus. Those wanting more information and time to think about becoming an organ donor can pick up information on the procedure of becoming an organ donor in Iowa.

“The decision to become an organ donor is a very serious one and we want people to give it thoughtful consideration,” she said.

Lisa Flammang, event planner for NODAC, said students should think about the importance of the issue of organ donation.

“I think the events throughout the day will be very helpful in raising organ donor awareness because it’s such an important cause to so many people,” said Flammang, senior in advertising and the Daily’s special projects coordinator.

Marvin said students don’t think of themselves as typical organ donors.

“It’s important to consider organ donation because as college students we think of ourselves as invincible,” she said. “It’s also important to let your family and friends know [you are an organ donor], so when the time comes, they can give the okay to have your organs donated.”

Christen said people may not think about the importance of organ donation until it affects themselves or someone close to them. “When you’re walking across campus, looking at the faces of people you are passing, you never know which of those people’s lives have been saved by an organ donation,” she said.

The events will begin at 11 a.m. with a free lunch south of the Campanile. A speaker’s panel will discuss organ donation from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in the Pioneer Room of the Memorial Union. At 6 p.m. in the Gold Room of the Memorial Union, there will be free pizza and the movie, “John Q,” which touches on the issue of organ donation. The day will conclude with a kick ball tournament at the Lied Recreation Center from 6:30 to 11:00 p.m. All events are free to ISU student and faculty.