Caroline Casey took a leap of faith and ended up saving a life. Co-captain of the women’s volleyball team who graduated in May, she signed up for the bone marrow registry on a whim during a campus registration drive. She never expected to be called upon to donate her bone marrow, but in August 2013, she answered the call.

“When you get called to donate bone marrow that will save someone’s life, you almost can’t say no,” she said. “A lot of people who donate bone marrow say they get a feeling right away that there’s no question if they’ll donate. That’s how I felt.”

Eighteen months after successfully donating bone marrow, Caroline had a life-changing experience: in front of an audience of 300, she met the person whose life she saved, a woman who was pregnant when she received Caroline’s marrow and because of the transplant was able to deliver a healthy baby boy. “It was unreal,” she said. (The story of Caroline’s bone marrow donation and her meeting with the recipient was documented in a program that aired on Comcast Sports Network.)

Caroline said that her faith was a major factor in her decision to donate. “As a Christian, you go through life seeking opportunities to serve, so when someone gives you an opportunity to save a life, you say yes!”

Despite receiving numerous academic and athletic accolades, donating bone marrow was Caroline’s proudest moment at URI, not just because she saved a life, but also because she dropped everything to do it. She missed several days of rigorous kinesiology classes and training with the team.

Now that she has graduated, Caroline is considering careers in physical or occupational therapy. “Whatever I do,” she said, “I want to serve others. I want to be able to work with people and help them.”