SPC Hosts the 2026 Jessica’s Project Spring Symposium

On April 9, 2026, St. Philip's College welcomed students, faculty, and community partners to its Jessica’s Project Spring Symposium, which highlighted the theme “Living Donation: Life Given, Life Gained” and emphasized the life-saving impact of organ donation.

The event drew 144 student attendees, featured 27 student research posters, included 10 vendors and showcased five guest speakers, three of whom shared personal experiences as living organ donors.

Serving as mistress of ceremonies, Dr. Amanda Trevino reflected on the program's significance.

“Jessica’s Project was a powerful reminder of what we can achieve with a shared purpose to learn, uplift and support each other,” Dr. Trevino said. She also shared a personal connection to the topic, noting her grandmother’s battle with kidney cancer and need for a transplant.

The symposium highlighted stories from living donors, including Dr. Meagan Sovine, who donated a kidney to her cousin; Dr. Kelly Hitchman, who initially donated to an anonymous recipient and later formed a friendship; and Rachel Quigley, who donated a kidney to her father.

Quigley’s story provided one of the event’s most emotional moments as she described her father’s journey through organ failure and transplant. Following the procedure, her father now lives with four kidneys, a rare but possible outcome when transplanted organs are added without removing existing ones.

The symposium, designed to connect classroom learning to real-world issues, began in 2012 when Dr. Solomon Nfor organized students to research celiac disease. What started as a single class project has since grown into a multi-disciplinary effort spanning topics such as diabetes, mental health, COVID-19 and substance abuse.

During the symposium, student presenters explored organ donation through scientific, ethical and community perspectives, while attendees engaged with local organizations and campus partners, including the San Antonio Food Bank.

Vice President Randall Dawson underscored the urgency of organ donation in his welcome remarks, noting that thousands of individuals in Texas remain on transplant waiting lists.

“Today, we will focus on the impact donating has, along with hearing what we can do to help,” Dawson said.

Jessica’s Project continues each semester at St. Philip’s College, providing students, faculty and staff with opportunities to apply their skills in service to the community while raising awareness about critical public health issues.

To learn more about organ donation, visit donatelifetexas.org.

To become a living donor, visit organdonor.gov/sign-up.