Monday marked the commencement of Fairfield’s annual Face AIDS Week, drawing the University’s attention to the disease that plagues the lives of people everyday. The number of adults, 15 years or older, living with AIDS throughout the world has reached close to 33 million, according to the UNAIDS/WHO 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic. In the U.S. alone, the number of people infected in 2007 totaled 1.2 million, significantly higher than those infected in areas including East Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
The events on campus this week were made possible by the efforts of the University’s FACE AIDS chapter, Fairfield Sociology and Anthropology Professor Renee White and her ‘AIDS in the U.S.’ class have spent countless hours organizing awareness efforts throughout the week. All participants involved are shining examples of Fairfield’s living and learning model, in which students and faculty alike apply their knowledge in a tangible, effective way.
While Fairfield alum Marco Ambrosio ’07 will return to share his first-hand accounts of his global tour of AIDS-ridden regions, several more students have other priorities on their mind: Reading and discussing the latest posts on Juicy Campus.
Juicy Campus, the latest obsession of the social network-addicted generation, allows students to post any degree of gossip anonymously. The site has gained popularity because it allows all content, no matter how damaging or personal, to remain posted.
It is somewhat discouraging that so many students devote their time to these petty, hurtful sites during Face AIDS Week, which is meant to promote awareness and charity.
Is discussing the most attractive guy on campus really a more important topic in your life than discussing the 1.2 million Americans plagued with AIDS?
One of the promintent ideals held by the Jesuit community is to live a life in service to others. Considering the holiday season, try and think of at least one thing you can do for others before the end of the semester. Then, if you must, go on Juicy Campus and talk about it.
How about a new topic: Most philanthropic guy on campus?
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