Texas A&M University-San Antonio hosts a South Texas Blood & Tissue drive on Aug. 28, 2025, in Parking Lot 2 by the auditorium. Volunteers and employees set up in the morning to prepare for a day of donations. Photo by Elyssa Quesada
Texas A&M University-San Antonio students and staff lined up Aug. 28outside the South Texas Blood & Tissue mobile donation center, where blood donations directly support patients in need of transfusions, including accident victims, the ill and children.
Potential donors met with medical professionals in parking lot 2, near the auditorium to answer a brief questionnaire to determine their eligibility to donate. Candidates werethen prepped by employees for the donation process.
Andres Hauss, an employee of South Texas Blood & Tissue, saidthe charity is in most need of O negative type blood. People with O negative blood are universal donors, anyone can receive this blood type.
Those who donated were given a coupon for a free movie ticket at any Santikos theater and complimentary snacks to enjoy after a donation was made.
South Texas Blood & Tissue will return to campus for the health and wellness fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 24.Donors will receive a Target gift card for their contribution. The blood drive is open to the public, regardless of affiliation with A&M- San Antonio.
Psychology senior Kaitlyn Dovalina donates blood with South Texas Blood & Tissue’s mobile donation center on Aug. 28, 2025, at A&M-San Antonio. Photo by Parker ForemanAndres Hauss, who has been with South Texas Blood & Tissue for a year and a half, checks in Kailey Smith, a marketing senior; and Valerie Guerra, a kinesiology junior, during the blood drive at A&M-San Antonio. Smith and Guerra looked forward to the free movie tickets that came with their donation. Photo by Elyssa Quesada“Somebody needs it!” said Seraphim Grant, a senior education major, while donating. Photo by Parker ForemanHauss prepares Jessi Ice, 18, a high school senior at Southwest Preparatory School, to donate. Ice says she loves to give to a good cause. Photo by Parker ForemanAn empty blood bag waits to be filled in the South Texas Blood & Tissue mobile donation center. Photo by Parker ForemanHauss gives instructions to donors Leslie Gavina and Melanie Trujillo, during a South Texas Blood & Tissue blood drive at A&M-San Antonio. Trujillo, 21, a marketing and business junior, has been donating blood since she was 16 and has lost count of her donations. Trujillo enjoys donating blood. “If a single blood donation can save three lives then it’s for a good cause,” Trujillo said. Photo by Elyssa QuesadaNickolas Carter, administrative associate for parking and transportation at A&M-San Antonio, prepares to donate blood inside the South Texas Blood & Tissue mobile donation center. Photo by Parker ForemanHauss checks in blood donors during a South Texas Blood and Tissue blood drive outside the auditorium at A&M-San Antonio. Hauss said that all 40 spots for the drive were filled, most by students donating for their first time. Photo by Elyssa QuesadaThe ALYX, a machine that allows donors to give twice as much blood in one donation compared to the traditional, awaits its next task in the South Texas Blood & Tissue mobile donation center. The ALYX spins blood, separating the red blood cells from plasma and platelets before returning them to the donor along with saline solution. Photo by Parker Foreman
Parker Foreman is a communications senior at Texas A&M University-San Antonio minoring in legal studies. He transferred from Austin Community College in spring 2023. In addition to being a full-time student, he works as a coach at JK Taekwondo in San Antonio, Texas. Upon graduating, he hopes to attend law school and pursue a legal career.
Elyssa Quesada volunteers as a staff writer, contributor and photographer for The Mesquite. A Texas native and proud mom, she holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Texas A&M University-San Antonio and is pursuing her MBA. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, visiting museums, painting and drawing.
