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The Peer Education program, in collaboration with the Counseling Center, Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgendered Services and the Eastern Maine AIDS Network are on the front lines of HIV/AIDS prevention at the University of Maine.
Annually, on Dec. 1, UMaine observes World AIDS Day by holding the names quilt event.
“A quilt of blocks displayed in the Union is made in the memory of people who died from AIDS,” said Kylie Cole, clinical coordinator for prevention at the Counseling Center. The Peer Ed program, GLBT services and EMAN organizes the event to spread HIV/AIDS awareness.
“A vigil is held on the steps of the library [during the event],” said Bethany Asquith, graduate assistant at the Counseling Center. “We hold candles and stand in a moment of silence.” On that day, guest speakers from EMAN present informational seminars.
“A Know Your Status dinner is held sometime in March or April,” Cole said. The venue of the event varies from year to year and will be announced during the spring semester.
“The Cutler Health Center has a Bring Your Buddy Day, done once a semester,” Cole said. “It’s confidential, half-price testing.” Cutler’s testing is administered by EMAN, which is based in Bangor.
“In the past we had a free testing day here in the Union in collaboration with the GLBT office,” Cole said. The test does not require drawing blood, Asquith said, “it only takes three minutes.”
EMAN also offers anonymous testing.
“If someone is having trouble paying, they consider your income, and if you cannot afford to pay anything, they will get you tested for free,” Cote said.
“A variety of awareness workshops are offered in the resident halls,” said Scott Clement, the graduate assistant for the Peer Ed program. “The students get to learn important facts about the disease.” To reach out to non-resident students, two peer educators talk to commuters and present to classes.
In addition to the daily prevention practices, Peer Ed promotes safer sex practices, part of which is their condom supply. “We have condoms at the Peer Ed office, the Cutler Health Center and the resident halls,” Asquith said.
HIV/AIDS is an incurable disease and prevention is key. HIV/AIDS can be spread by unprotected sex. Statistically, many college students do not know if they carry the disease, so it is better to get tested.
The Peer Ed office is located on the second floor of the Memorial Union. Their hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For questions, please contact Clement at 581-1397 or via FirstClass. Cole can be reached at the Counseling Center, located in the Cutler Health Center, at 581-1392 or via FirstClass.
Bangor Daily News