“Touch your junk!” has not caught on among college-aged Americans quite like “feel your boobies!,” but perhaps it should, since men aged 15 to 34 are at highest risk for testicular cancer, according to cancer.gov

That is one of the reasons why students in associate management professor Allison Watts’ strategic implementation class, are volunteering to spread the word about Movember, a men’s health initiative, at Shippensburg University. Men can support Movember by sporting a groomed mustache during the month of November, according to Movember.com

Todd Hayes, a student in Watts’ strategic implementation class said he and his classmates Ravone Cornish and David Stein volunteered to do the project in lieu of writing a 10- page paper. Since then, the project has progressed.

“A lot of people our age don’t really know about some of the health factors we actually risk. The majority of the people who have testicular cancer are people who are our age and slightly above. It’s good to start knowing about that now instead of in the next few years,” Hayes said.

Watts said she put few restrictions on the project and anticipates that the students will exercise relevant business skills.

“What I have found, is that when I step out of the way, they do a much better and more creative job,” Watts said.

Watts added that the Movember project involves skills like collaboration, event coordination and gaining support from a large portion of SU’s campus.

Hayes, Cornish and Stein have teamed up with the Inter-Fraternity Council (IFC) and have been working with Emilee Danielson-Burke, assistant dean of students and director of fraternity and sorority life, to create noise across campus for Movember, Hayes said.

Movember will kick off Wednesday, Oct. 29, with Shave the Date. Supplies will be provided for students and campus personnel to shave their faces. The rules of Movember include beginning with a clean shave, Hayes said. The event will be held at 6 p.m. in the CUB amphitheater.

“Mental health is usually overlooked for men because we try to put our feelings aside. We don’t really talk about it like girls would,” Hayes said.

In a recent speech, UN Woman Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson brought this same issue to light.

“I’ve seen young men suffering from mental illness unable to ask for help for fear it would make them look less ‘macho’,” Watson said.

Other upcoming Movember events include a flag football tournament fundraiser on Nov. 15-16 and Mofest on Nov. 21 where the winner of best mustache will be announced.

For more information about Movember, visit Movmeber.com or contact Todd Hayes at th4572@ship.edu.

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