On the second floor of Vaughn Center, many students sat waiting for their number to be called. Some might have mistaken the crowd for students waiting to pick their rooms for next year, but in fact, it was the HIV/STI testing site organized by P.E.A.C.E.
The testing was free and open to anyone.
“This is about the age range where people have the most unprotected sex,” said Tracy McNamara, who organized the event. “It is important to provide this service in a way [that] is approachable and comfortable, so we provided it on campus.”
McNamara has seen a big increase in the number of people being tested from last semester to this semester, and she couldn’t be more pleased.
There was an estimated 100 students who came in to get tested this semester, which was a 50 percent increase from last semester’s total.
McNamara said that the improved promotion of the event was the probable cause for the increase in students who showed up to be tested.
Alongside McNamara was Sarah Dabney, who works for the Tampa-Hillsborough Action Plan (THAP) group in Tampa.
THAP’s center is located right near campus and provides free HIV/STI testing as well.
She was excited that UT would do on-campus testing, but said that the space to do it in was limited.
They tried to hold the testing in the Health Center, but they said that the Health center would not allow it.
As a result, the testing was done in two rooms; there was a bit of a wait for those being tested.
The testing itself takes about 15 minutes, and is very easy.
For both males and females, there was Gonorrhea and Chlamydia testing, which required a urine sample; the HIV testing only required a mouth swab.
Students were required to return at the same time in two weeks to get their results.
Following the testing, P.E.A.C.E. and Straight From the Heart, held an educational presentation on HIV and AIDS.
The event was held in Reeves Theater.
Tracey Dannemiller and her husband Timothy Dannemiller spoke about how HIV has affected people around them throughout their lives.
There was also an educational video.
If anyone missed this semester’s HIV and STI testing, it is also available at the THAP location downtown.
They welcome free walk-ins at 712 W Ross Ave., Tampa, Fla. 33602. For more information, contact THAP at 813-417-7233.