JagBytes

Issue date: 12/5/07 Section: College News

Media Credit: Courtesy of mtvU. IUPUI student Ramon Reyes appears on mtvU's series "Cause Effect.'

Ramon Reyes, a 22-year-old IUPUI student, spends his days in class and his nights out at local gay bars. While this may sound like a typical life for some college students, what Reyes does at and around the nightspots makes him atypical.

Reyes hands out "Safer Sex Kits," which include condoms and a card for free testing for AIDS at a local clinic. He volunteers with "Step UP Inc," a local branch of the National AIDS Fund.

"My goal is to make a difference…Simply knowing there's something you need to protect yourself from and how to (do it) makes all the difference,' said Reyes in the episode of "Cause Effect."

Reyes is one of many students being highlighted on mtvU's new series, "Cause Effect." This show features student activists at college campuses across the nation.

"College students have long been catalysts for positive social change, and they're once again leading the charge with a new arsenal of online tools," said Stephen Friedman, general manager of mtvU in a press release on Nov. 8.

"Cause Effect" is an extension of the Windows Live Messenger i'm Initiative. This program donates a part of its advertising revenue to the participating charity of your choice, when you visit Think.mtv.com and sign up to be a part of the program.

The process involves signing up for one of the charities logos to be on your IM. Then, every time you IM, Microsoft pays a certain amount of money to the charity or organization that you have chosen to represent. Charities involved in this initiative range from Boys and Girls Clubs of America to Stopglobalwarming.org.

So, while having Dwight Shrute of "The Office" as your icon might make friends giggle, a red ribbon can help educate people about AIDS and prevent the spreading of the disease.

To learn more about the program and to watch full episode of "Cause Effect," go to Think.mtv.com

To watch the episode with IUPUI Student Ramon Reyes, visit jagbytes.com and click on this story.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools