On December 1, 2007, organizations and individuals around the world will participate in the 20th World AIDS Day campaign.
University of Florida students are active in support World AIDS Day 2007 through the Center for Leadership and Service and a UF course, HIV/AIDS Education Seminar.
The World AIDS Day campaign emerged in 1988 as an opportunity for organizations and individuals around the world to highlight the disease in order to raise awareness and bring about change.
This year Michelle Shenefield, a second-year sociology major at UF, is planning a World AIDS Day event to take place on campus.
Shenefield, a program director through the Center for Leadership and Service, plans to raise awareness at the event by distributing flyers with info and statistics, red ribbons, and collecting donations to support the AIDS fund.
"It's very important to raise awareness about AIDS to help other Americans who have it, and to help those who don't have the disease be more knowledgeable about it," she said.
She hopes to have free HIV testing on site.
"It helps me gain more knowledge about HIV by planning this event, and other people who get involved can do the same," Shenefield said.
Dr. Sanders, a senior lecturer at UF, teaches HIV-AIDS Education Seminar, a combined graduate and undergraduate course on campus.
"This course serves as a means to make students aware that individuals can still become infected even though the drugs are effective," Sanders said. "The class helps eliminate the social stigma, especially for students with preconceived notions."
The seminar is only held in the fall because World AIDS Day is in December.
"This day is designated to increase the level of awareness throughout countries around the world," she said.
Sanders students participate in activities around campus for the event. They are also required to research a particular country and make a poster highlighting areas such as that country's prevention efforts and healthcare systems.
In addition to class requirements, the students volunteer 25 hours locally with a related agency.
Ashley James is one of these students.
James, a fourth-year health education and behavior student, said that taking the seminar has sparked her once dead interest in World AIDS Day.
"I'm glad Dr. Sanders is making us do it so we can spread awareness, because HIV really effects the college student population," she said.
Although the class is not required for anyone, James, like other students took it just to become more educated on the issue.
"I think they should offer this course to UF students as a whole to become more aware," she said.
Volunteers for World AIDS Day 2007 can sign up with the CLS in Peabody Hall.
