Leading the Way: Celebrating SODA’s 2025 Award Winners

Written by Sophia Renner, SODA's Engagement Manager

It’s been another milestone school year for SODA. We celebrated our 10th birthday, reached more than 100 chapters, and saw student advocates lead the most life-saving school year yet.

From August 2024 to May 2025, our 115+ chapters and one-time event hosts came together to educate 108,259 people about the importance of organ, eye, and tissue donation and encouraged 4,753 to say “Yes” to joining the donor registry. That brings SODA’s all-time impact since 2014 to 258,343 people educated and 14,218 people registered.

We’re so grateful for the time, energy, and passion that every student poured into this work. 

Our annual SODA Awards recognize the leaders from our network who took student-led advocacy even further by demonstrating exceptional leadership and making a lasting impact on their schools, communities, and future generations of donation advocates.

Please join us in celebrating our 2025 SODA Award winners!

Want the inside scoop on our chapters before we announce next year’s awards? Follow us on Instagram to keep up!

Most People Registered: SODA at Warren County Career Center

SODA at Warren County Career Center registered an impressive 644 people as donors this year. Their chapter led a variety of creative events that engaged both their school and local community. 

One standout was the Butler Tech Fifth Friday event, where they hosted an organ donation lab for students from another school, educated and registered new donors, and supported those students in launching their own SODA chapter. Chapter President Trevor Banks described this event as a favorite because it brought together education, registration, and leadership development in one meaningful experience.

Throughout their advocacy work, SODA at Warren County Career Center built a strong relationship with their local Organ Procurement Organization, Network for Hope. As Trevor put it, “Erica Randall is amazing and always makes sure to support us by educating, presenting, offering opportunities, and providing supplies.”

SODA at Warren County Career Center’s success is powered by creativity, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to donation advocacy, qualities that will continue to guide them as leaders and future professionals.

Most People Educated: SODA at Downingtown STEM Academy

Social media proved to be a powerful tool for SODA at Downingtown STEM Academy, who educated an impressive 21,700 people about organ, eye, and tissue donation this year. Their TikTok videos alone have reached over 7,000 views, proving just how powerful short-form content can be.

But their outreach didn’t stop online. At a local 5K event, the Snowball Run, the students connected directly with attendees, sharing information and hearing personal stories about donation. As Chapter Vice President Adalyn Light noted, the event had a large turnout with many people eager to learn more and engage with their chapter.

SODA at Downingtown STEM Academy exemplifies how blending digital outreach and in-person events can expand a chapter’s reach. This forward-thinking approach to advocacy is a remarkable quality that has no doubt contributed to their chapter’s success.

Most Impactful Registration Event: SODA at Wheaton High School

In celebration of National Donor Day on February 14th, SODA at Wheaton High School hosted a heartfelt Valentine's Day registration drive coined “Love at First Sign-Up.” Just a few short weeks after officially joining SODA’s network, their leadership team kicked off their chapter with creativity and purpose, channeling the spirit of a holiday centered on connection into a powerful opportunity to give the gift of life through donor registration.

“We tabled at school to educate students about our club and encouraged them to become registered donors,” said Chapter President Lidya Kassa. “It was a meaningful opportunity to raise awareness.”

Launching their chapter with such a thoughtful and engaging event speaks volumes about their energy, leadership, and the impact they’re ready to make.

Most Impactful Education Event: SODA at Duke University School of Medicine

Our medical school chapters have a unique opportunity to reach the next generation of healthcare professionals. SODA at Duke University School of Medicine embraced this by hosting a “History of Transplant” education event that explored the evolution of donation and transplantation and opened the door for meaningful conversations among their peers.

Chapter President Sydney Jeffs shared that the event was “really engaging and generated a lot of curiosity about organ allocation and outreach.” 

By creating space for future medical providers to learn, ask questions, and reflect, their chapter helped deepen understanding and lay the groundwork for lifelong advocacy.

Most Impactful Media Feature: SODA at Troy University and Legacy of Hope

SODA at Troy University made headlines in Troy Today, the university’s official blog, for their impactful Donate Life Month celebration hosted in partnership with their local OPO, Legacy of Hope. The event brought together more than 75 attendees and featured guest speakers, including Abby Litovsky, the Community Liaison at Legacy of Hope, who shared powerful stories about the importance and impact of organ, eye, and tissue donation.

Troy explained, “The atmosphere was lively and inclusive, providing an excellent opportunity for students to learn more about organ donation in a relaxed and supportive environment.”

This thoughtful media feature helped shine a light on the life-saving impact student advocates can make when they bring their campus community into the conversation.

Best National Donate Life Month Event: SODA at Virginia Commonwealth University

To celebrate National Donate Life Month, SODA at Virginia Commonwealth University organized the first-ever campus Donate Life Month Expo, an afternoon filled with education, connection, and advocacy. Not only did they create a welcoming space where students could learn and ask questions, but they also integrated opportunities for one-on-one connections with local donation and transplantation professionals.

“The level of community engagement was incredible, and people stayed to ask questions, learn how to get involved, and connect with our mission,” said their Chapter Director. “It was meaningful, educational, and truly brought our chapter’s advocacy work to life.”

With strong turnout and intellectual conversation, their event helped spark curiosity, deepen understanding, and inspire action, raising the bar for National Donate Life Month events.

Best Donation Collaboration: SODA at Homestead High School

SODA at Homestead High School teamed up with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive that united their school community towards a common goal. With 29 units donated, the event was not only a chance to give back but also a celebration of teamwork and shared commitment to saving lives. 

The chapter shared their gratitude, saying on Instagram, “Thank you to EVERYONE who came out and showed support today, and a special thanks to the American Red Cross for making this happen. We can’t wait for this to become a tradition!”

This collaboration is a great example of how partnerships can create a lasting impact and strengthen bonds around donation advocacy.

Best OPO Collaboration: SODA at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and UW Organ and Tissue Donation

SODA at the University of Wisconsin-Madison teamed up with their OPO, UW Organ and Tissue Donation, and SODA’s very own Supplies Volunteer, Tawny Blum, to bring life-saving education to fans at a Badger Women’s Basketball game. The event featured special guests, including Dottie the Donor Dot and UW-Madison’s mascot, Bucky Badger. 

Community Outreach Coordinator Tracie Cook shared, “When our OPO, UW Organ and Tissue Donation, had the opportunity to sponsor a University of Wisconsin Women’s Basketball Game, we went all-in. We worked with athletes to create testimonial videos for the JumboTron. We ordered branded basketball ice pack giveaways for all the fans. We enlisted the Dottie Donor Dot mascot to walk the concourse and have photos with Bucky Badger and kids, young and old. We had info tables at the two main entrances and asked the SODA [at] UW-Madison team to partner with us at these tables to encourage people to register... [UW Organ and Tissue Donation] was grateful for the help, and SODA [at] UW Madison was grateful for the exposure. Together we highlighted the good that donation can do and inspired more people to register!”

Between cheering on the team, connecting with students, and starting conversations about donation, this collaboration proved that advocacy can be both impactful and fun.

Most Promising New Chapter: SODA at Shorewood High School

Since becoming an established chapter in October 2024, SODA at Shorewood High School has been busy building momentum. From writing letters to children on the transplant waiting list to hosting an educational guest speaker and participating in the local Cream City 5K, their chapter has shown what’s possible with creativity and commitment.

“One of my favorite events that we did as a club this year was part of our Blue and Green Spirit week-long celebration in April,” said Chapter President Hannah Pagels. “SHS club members made green ribbons for organ donation for every student in the school to wear on a specific day that week. The event was amazing because people still have the ribbons pinned to their backpacks weeks later, so that support is amazing to see!”

Creating a culture of hope and healing is no small feat, and this chapter wasted no time in making a meaningful, lasting impact on their school community.

SODA OPO MVP: Barbara VerWey

Barbara VerWey from LifeGift, the OPO that serves Northern and Southeastern Texas, was nominated by a local chapter leader at Texas Tech University who writes:

“Barbara has been supportive of us since day one. She pushed me to get a group of students to start a SODA chapter at Texas Tech and celebrated us every step of the way. Our organization knows that we always have a place that we can go to (the LifeGift office) to feel welcome, chat, and relax. Barbara was at our very first event and is working really hard to throw an AMAZING West Texas event. [This] August, we are doing a softball tournament with two of our local hospital staff, UMC versus Covenant. She is just so creative and works so incredibly hard to spread hope and save lives.”

Thank you, Barbara, for your unwavering support and dedication to empowering student advocates and spreading hope across Texas!

SODA Advisor MVP: Jaclyn Vick

Dr. Jaclyn Vick was nominated by a SODA at Virginia Commonwealth University chapter leader who writes:

“When she first joined us, Dr. Vick had no prior experience with SODA or the specific challenges of organ donation advocacy—but that never slowed her down. She dove in wholeheartedly, learning alongside us and taking initiative to understand the policies, programs, and opportunities available to amplify our message. Her proactive nature, genuine curiosity, and passion for student growth have shaped the way our chapter operates and connects with the VCU community and beyond.

Through her mentorship, we’ve built partnerships with local organizations, engaged in high-impact campus events, and accessed platforms we wouldn’t have reached without her support. She consistently puts our students first, attending awareness events, accompanying our leaders to conferences, and even spending her personal time to ensure our chapter’s efforts are successful.

Dr. Vick’s unwavering dedication to SODA at VCU has made her more than just an advisor: She’s the heart of our organization. Her compassion, encouragement, and belief in the power of student advocacy resonate deeply with every member. As we continue our mission to promote organ donation and save lives, we are proud and grateful to have Dr. Vick by our side, leading and inspiring us every step of the way.”

Thank you, Dr. Vick, for your incredible dedication, mentorship, and passion that uplift SODA at VCU and inspire the next generation of advocates!

SODA Chapter MVP: Evie Sunderlin

Evie Sunderlin was nominated by a fellow chapter leader at Carroll High School who writes:

“Evie was the first person to help in each chapter event. As Vice President, she stepped up in every way possible,from getting up at 6 am to get donuts for events [to] skipping lunch to set up supplies for an event. She has shown tremendous leadership and takes a step up when necessary.”

Thank you, Evie, for the energy, dedication, and heart you bring to every chapter event. SODA at Carroll High School is stronger because of you!

SODA National MVP: Maddie Flickinger

This year, we're proud to introduce a brand-new recognition: our National MVP Award. This honor goes to a student who has consistently gone above and beyond, not only advocating for donation on campus but also supporting SODA’s broader mission through collaboration, leadership, and heart.

Maddie Flickinger founded SODA at George Mason University in November 2021. As a liver transplant recipient, she brings a deeply personal perspective to her advocacy, using her story to connect with others and raise awareness about the life-saving power of donation. 

In addition to leading her chapter, Maddie served as SODA’s College Student Liaison, offering invaluable insights to our Board of Directors and supporting the SODA team with special events and initiatives.

“Maddie has made an incredible impact as an advocate on her campus, within SODA, and across the transplant community,” said Nicole Nidea, SODA’s Program Director “She founded and grew a strong chapter at George Mason, shared her story with authenticity, and represented student voices not just at SODA but through national organizations like the American Society of Transplantation. Her work is thoughtful, persistent, and genuinely rooted in making a difference, so we are honored to recognize her as our inaugural National MVP.” 

Maddie, thank you for your dedication, your passion, and for showing what’s possible when personal experience meets purpose. We're so grateful to have you in the SODA community!

To be eligible for our annual awards, join an existing SODA chapter on your campus or start a new chapter on your campus by visiting sodanational.org/students.