Grace Baldwin was honored as the 2016 Campus Ambassador MVP at the Gift of Life Gala held June 2, 2016 at the Grand Hyatt New York. Baldwin demonstrated singular focus and energy as one of 100 campus ambassadors for the organization who ran marrow donor drives and fundraising events at college campuses across the United States.

Baldwin, who graduated in May as a pre-med and biology major, recruited more than 1,096 undergraduate students to join the registry as potential lifesaving donors. Additionally, she raised over $12,000 in contributions and ran successful public relations and marketing campaigns. Her commitment to increasing the size and diversity of the registry has already resulted in two matches, including one for a six-year-old boy suffering from leukemia.  

Baldwin joined the ambassador internship program as a member of the charter class in 2014. “I got really interested in marrow transplants because I had taken immunology classes,” said Baldwin. “I ended up joining the registry through a Gift of Life drive that was run on my campus. Then I got an email over the summer that they were looking for interns for the Campus Ambassador Program, and I applied and got in.”

Her commitment to building the registry goes beyond campus as well. Baldwin’s parents embraced her cause and hosted a fundraiser in October 2015 in their hometown.

Baldwin said that she also benefited professionally from her internship, learning new skills and having experiences that will support her in her medical career.

“I’ve never sent so many emails, I’ve never gotten so many no’s, and I have never felt so fulfilled and passionate about a cause in my entire life,” said Baldwin. “I have learned so much and become more empowered and confident in myself and my ability to make a difference in the world around me.”

She credits the success of her drives to the shared enthusiasm of other students for the cause. Baldwin began hosting drives at Colby’s dining hall, The Spa, swabbing more than 50 people a day. Then on-campus clubs began contacting her – the Writer’s Center, Hillel, the Student Government Association – and she soon heard from the sports teams who wanted to participate. “I swabbed women’s basketball and men’s hockey, lacrosse and baseball,” she said. Her focus then turned to the incoming freshmen, convincing many of them to join the donor registry.

With a two-year gap ahead of her before starting medical school, Baldwin plans to continue her involvement with Gift of Life for the personally and professionally rewarding experiences it gives her.

Baldwin has advice for other college students who are thinking about getting involved in Gift of Life as Campus Ambassadors: “My advice is set a goal, a big goal, a goal that scares you – and then just go for it!”

If you’d like to join the Campus Ambassador Program, click here to learn more.