[113] MTSU’s Sept. 18 ‘Tunnel of Love’ not romantic, but informative

MURFREESBORO — The Tunnel of Love at MTSU will show that sometimes love can be painful.

The event is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. It is free and open to the public. A printable campus map is available at http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParkingMap13-14.

A 20-minute, walk-through event that serves as a cautionary tale, the Tunnel of Love examines and explains how various sexually transmitted infections are transmitted, treated and prevented.

“Attending the Tunnel of Love is a good way for students to get trustworthy information about sexual health, a topic that is often not publicly discussed,” said Lisa Schrader, director of health promotion for MTSU’s Student Health Services. “It also provides students the opportunity to learn about health-related resources on campus and in the community.”

Americans ages 15-24 make up only 27 percent of the sexually active population of the United States, but they account for 50 percent of the 20 million new sexually transmitted infections in the country each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Representatives from community organizations will be available to answer questions and provide additional information. Nashville CARES will provide free HIV testing, and students will receive results within minutes.

Nashville CARES is a nonprofit organization formed to promote HIV/AIDS awareness and that “has provided education and direct services continuously since 1985,” according to www.nashvillecares.org.

The Tunnel of Love is sponsored by MTSU’s Department of Health and Human Performance, Student Health Services and Nashville CARES.

For more information, contact Casie Higginbotham at 615-904-8274 or casie.higginbotham@mtsu.edu. For information about services available on campus, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/healthservices/.