MSU Residence Halls Association president and political theory and constitutional democracy and Spanish senior Mark Dobson, right, poses with a mock HIV test in his mouth, along with other MSU student organization leaders and prominent East Lansing community members to raise awareness of HIV testing. Dobson said he thought it was important to raise awareness of all disease prevention and testing for college students because they often have an “invincibility complex” that nothing bad could happen to them, despite many students being affected.
Leaders from the East Lansing and MSU communities gathered Tuesday to emphasize the importance of HIV testing and awareness by being tested themselves.
Michigan Equality, Olin Health Center and Lansing Area AIDS Network teamed with MSU’s Alliance of Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender and Straight Ally Students, which coordinated the event.
Organizations including the MSU Residence Halls Association, Black Student Alliance and ASMSU, MSU’s undergraduate student government, also had members in attendance to show their support and take part in being tested.
“As I understand, this is probably the first focus of this nature at any major university in the United States,” said East Lansing Mayor Vic Loomis, who attended the event to support leading a healthy life.
“I’m surprised about that, but I’m not surprised that it was MSU to really be the first in the nation to organize an event of this nature and elevate this important issue in all of our thought processes.”
The purpose of the event was to set an example for the MSU community and to ?destigmatize HIV testing in a time when, according to the Michigan Department of Community Health, diagnoses are increasing in prevalence.
“You always have to keep in the minds of people that HIV is still here,” said Dennis Martel, a health education services coordinator for Olin Health Center and State News columnist.
About 27 percent of students were tested at Olin Health Center in 2008, with almost 99 percent of those students choosing to remain anonymous, he said.
Free, anonymous and confidential HIV testing is available by appointment at Olin Health Center.
The oral swab test is painless and includes an educational and counseling component, in which students talk to counselors about their individual risks.
Twenty-one percent of those with HIV don’t know they are infected, said Justin Lippi, program director of the Alliance of Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender and Straight Ally Students.
“I just think people think they are not at risk when they very well may be,” said Interfraternity Council President Alex Fike, who was one of the leaders tested.
“People generally trust their partners, but if one person doesn’t know (if they have HIV), then now two people don’t know.”
MSU’s student leaders are now challenging student leaders at other Michigan and Big Ten colleges to host similar events in which they are tested as an example for the rest of the school.
“HIV is one of those things that’s uncomfortable to talk about, but we need to talk about it,” Lippi said.
“Silence equals death. We need to remember that.”
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