ND Students Help Recruit Blood Donors

Students in Joan Phillips' Marketing Research course are helping the South Bend Medical Foundation convert "post-September 11th" blood donors into regular donors. According to the Wall Street Journal (June 26), the nation's blood supply has reached its lowest level in decades, leading to interruptions, delays and cancellations of medical services. The September 11th terrorist attacks prompted a flurry of blood bank donations, which later tapered off as people became "compassion fatigued." Aware of this trend, Phillips approached the South Bend Medical Foundation with a proposal to put Mendoza marketing students to work.

The students conducted demographic studies and "attitude surveys" of the donor population. They then "mapped" donor attitudes, helping the foundation understand why people donate, and used this information to make recommendations regarding the foundation's marketing strategy.

Mary Dunfee, the foundation's Blood Donor Recruiter, said that the students' findings have already led to simple changes that will hopefully have a significant impact on the foundation's bottom line-increased donations.

South Bend Medical Foundation's Mary Dunfee
with K.C. Hawkins (MBA '02)