The Collegiate American Marketing Association seeks to be a catalyst for increasing awareness of the need for organ donation and through social media campaigns, event sponsorship, personal contacts, and other viral communications to inspire others to become registered organ donors and organ donor advocates. With this mission in mind, the 2010-2011 academic year brings exciting changes to the AMASavesLives Project. Last year the AMASavesLives Project was introduced to the Collegiate AMA and several chapters spearheaded successful events, social media and other efforts to raise awareness for organ donation and increase the number of registered organ donors. For 2010-2011 there are even more competitions and an increased focus from the Collegiate AMA on professional development with AMASavesLives worth 0-5 points in the Annual Report judging for Chapter of the Year…making 2010-2011 the Year of Saving Lives.

Watch the two videos below to learn more!

The summer provides some new opportunities for you to share the message and importance of organ donation.

1. Have a summer job or internship? Ask if you can promote AMASavesLives by sending an email out to all employees.
2. Ask your parents to do the same at their job.
3. Continue posting messages on your Facebook, Twitter, and other social media to get people to visit www.AMASavesLives.com
4. Film new videos
5. Heading back home for the summer and catching up with high school friends? Make sure to tell them about AMASavesLives and the importance of being an organ donor.
6. The summer months are filled with community events…get a group of AMA members together and promote AMASavesLives and organ donation at the event!
7. Come up with your own ideas for summer and share them here and on the AMASavesLives Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/AMA-Saves-Lives/178553046540)
8. AND DON’T FORGET TO INCLUDE AMASAVESLIVES IN YOUR PLANS FOR THE 2010-2011 SCHOOL YEAR!!!

Here is another great idea…set up a table in your campus dining halls to catch those who are on their way to eat. You could also have people go around and talk to people while they are eating and have them stop by your table after they are finished to sign up!

Do you have another great idea for ways to increase awareness and/or get people to sign up on your campus? Let us know by posting here or on the Facebook discussion topic at http://bit.ly/ckmk7g

What Are Some Great Ideas for AMASavesLives Week?

• Have members shoot videos about the event and send to family and friends (you can find a sample email message at AMASavesLives.com)
• Seek permission to send everyone on campus an email with the AMASavesLives.com link, message, videos, etc.
• Set up a booth in your student union for the entire week and have people sign up to become an organ donor, to become a Facebook fan, and shoot short videos
• Put up flyers across campus about AMASavesLives Week and to drive people to your AMASavesLives table
• Visit large classes (and smaller ones) to generate awareness and table traffic
• Submit an article to your college/local newspaper (either one from the AMASavesLives website or one that you create)
• And any other great ideas you might have!…Make sure to share them with everyone else by posting on the AMA­SavesLives Blog, Facebook, and Twitter

Besides Saving Lives Are There Any Other Benefits?

Absolutely, in addition to valuable professional development and community service experience, large and small chapters alike will share approximately $8,000 in prizes from the Collegiate AMA for:

• Number of Videos Submitted
• Best Video Competition
• Best AMASavesLives Week Activities
• Number of Organ Donor Registrations Generated

Visit http://www.amasaveslives.com/competition.php to learn more about these competitions for your AMA Chapter.

Don’t forget to let us know what you do so we can share the best ideas with others!

Best Video (watch all five nominees at http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=5FD2FF623B51D88D)

1st Place - I Gotta Feelin’ AMA’s Gonna Save Lives - Texas State University-San Marcos
2nd Place - I Can Save Lives - University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
3rd Place - AMASavesLives Without Superhero Powers - Rio Grande University
3rd Place - Organ Donors - A New Hope - Texas State University-San Marcos
3rd Place - Organ Face - University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Best AMASavesLives Events

• Florida International University
• Alfred University (NY)
• Aurora University (IL)

A new round of competitions started April 1 for the Best Video and Best AMASavesLives Events/Activities. The Total Number of Videos Submitted  Competition is cumulative through the end of May and will include all videos submitted by your chapter from February - May 2010. The Number of Registrations Competition continues through the end of August 2010.

Don’t forget to also plan for this in your 2010-2011 AMA year as new competitions will also start September 1!

Watch the AMASavesLives Best Video Nominees

Check back later this week to see if your favorite wins!

More competitions will start April 1st so keep an eye out for those as well.

Way to Be a Life Saver FIU AMA!

For the month of February, we have nominated two videos submitted during that month for Round 1 of the Best Video Competition to be awarded at the AMA International Conference in April. The nominees are “Organ Donors – A New Hope” from Texas State University – San Marcos and “Organ Face” from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Congratulations to these two chapters for having videos selected by the Organ Procurement Organization as two of the best videos from February! If you have not watched these videos yet, go to http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=6117ADD2F62A7B38 or watch them below.

ORGAN FACE

ORGAN DONORS - A NEW HOPE

Your chapter still has until March 31^st at 11:59pm to submit videos that may be nominated for the Best Video Competition to be awarded at the Conference and Chapters are eligible to have multiple nominees. The winners will be selected by Chapter Presidents (one vote per chapter) via email the week prior to the conference. Don’t forget there will also be another round of video competitions starting April 1^st! So keep submitting those videos!

Your chapter’s video could be featured next!