For some Syracuse University students in Greek life, having a mustache has never had such an important cause.

During the month of November, the Greek community raised money and awareness for men’s health issues through a movement called Movember. Ninety-nine members, both men and women, created teams to show their support by growing mustaches, posting on social media and fundraising for the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Participants finished off the event by shaving their mustaches.

Movember ended in a Stache Bash on Monday in Schine Underground where the highest scoring men and women were crowned Mr. and Miss Movember. At SU, Movember has raised $12,567 so far and about $78 million has been raised globally, said Evan Konecky, graduate assistant in the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs.

Konecky has participated in Movember for the past four years and wanted to bring No-Shave November to the Greek community at Syracuse because of his positive experience as an undergraduate at Florida Atlantic University.

The major difference between Movember and other Greek philanthropies is the time involved, Konecky said.

“It’s a month-long event so people are becoming more educated about men’s health issues instead of showing up for one day to do some sporting event in Walnut Park,” Konecky said.

Teams earn points by electing a Mr. or Miss Movember candidate. Then their team of “Mo Bros” and “Mo Sistas” helps them raise money, post mustache selfies on social media and create a YouTube video to raise awareness for Movember.

The Zeta Beta Tau omicron chapter at SU has raised over $6,500, team leader Jake Horowitz said.

“We’re all growing moustaches and beards. It’s a fun experience because we all look funny now,” said Horowitz, a junior double major in management and information management and technology. “People ask us what the mustache is for, and we tell them and then hopefully they donate.”

Horowitz sends reminders to his team to donate and posts on social media to promote awareness for prostate and testicular cancer — so far he has personally raised over $1,000.

According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, one in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Konecky said that diagnoses of prostate cancer may occur in men as young as 15, so college-aged men should get involved with raising awareness.

“If we raised $2 I’d be OK with it as long as we’re spreading the awareness,” Konecky said. “College-aged men are primed for prostate and testicular cancer so it’s very important.”

Konecky believes donations have gone up because so many students have family members who have been affected by men’s health issues, making it a very personal cause for both men and women.

Blair Finkel, Sigma Delta Tau’s team leader, said the only difference between a “Mo Bro” and a “Mo Sista” is a woman’s inability to grow a mustache.

“We were given mustaches on a stick, so every Monday I upload a #mustachemonday picture and I downloaded an app that can put a mustache on my face to raise awareness,” said Finkel, a junior finance major.

She believes it’s especially powerful for women to spread awareness about men’s health issues. Horowitz, the team leader for ZBT, said he also believes that it’s important for women to get involved.

“A man can grow a mustache,” Horowitz said. “But if he doesn’t do anything else then why is he competing? That’s why women are so important at helping to raise awareness and to have conversations with the men in their lives about it.”

In the following years, Konecky hopes Movember will become student-run and grow to include the whole campus.

“I love Greek life but we’re (roughly 24 percent) of the student population, and if we want this to become something as big as the Susan G. Komen foundation, for example, then the whole campus needs to see what’s going on,” Konecky said.

When Horowitz and Finkel meet with Konecky to discuss ways to improve next year’s Movember, they hope to get other groups on campus involved.

“I think it’s important that Movember started with Greek life because it’s such a strong community already,” Finkel said. “But I think it would be a great opportunity to get athletes and teams involved. The basketball players are considered heroes on this campus and for them to spread awareness would be powerful.”

At the Stache Bash, videos created by each team to raise awareness for the Movember movement were aired. Sigma Delta Tau’s video featured a remake of the song “Let It Go” from Frozen to “Let It Grow” — encouraging men to let their mustaches grow during Movember.

“So, the next time you see a guy with a creepy mustache in your class,” Konecky said. “Ask him what it’s for.”

Published on December 2, 2014 at 12:01 am

Contact Kait: kehobson@syr.edu