In order to raise money for several hearing impaired organizations, Delta Zeta has made the first “Mr. Kent State 2010” calendar.

“Everyone should buy one!” said Senior Whitney Grimes, Delta Zeta’s Philanthropy Internal Chair who organized the calendar. “We’ve already sold a bunch during pre-sale…now that we actually have them, people just look at them and are buying them right away.”

The “Mr. Kent State” calendar features men from various backgrounds and groups each month of the 2010-11 year.

“We were trying to find a very diverse group of guys,” Grimes said. “We wanted the people who were interested in the different organizations the guys were in to buy the calendar.”

All of the proceeds from the calendars go to Delta Zeta’s National Philanthropy, the Starkey Hearing Foundation, Gallaudet University, and the House Ear Institute.

The first step in making the calendar was finding the guys. Grimes and her predecessor as Philanthropy Internal, Autumn Layman, created a Facebook group and had an application process for the guys. Afterwards, their chapter voted on the best and most diverse guys.

“There was a bunch of questions you had to answer, and we had to send in headshots, which I did MySpace style, like of me in the mirror,” said Mr. January Chris Ward.

Ward is a senior marketing major and the Treasurer of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. He said he isn’t sure why he was chosen to be part of the calendar, but it was an “ego-boost” and a very new experience.

“It was awkward. They didn’t really give good direction, and I’ve never done any modeling, so I didn’t know what to do,” Ward said. “They said be yourself, so I kind of just walked around.”

Grimes said she saw Ward’s struggle from the other end, saying that some of the guys weren’t experienced models, but she and her photographer tried really hard, and it worked out well in the end.

Caitlin Philpot, Grimes’ sorority Sister, took the photos, while Regina Rosato, an Alpha Xi Delta who works for Signum Design Studio, a campus design firm, designed the calendar.

The calendar was put together last semester, but unfortunately wasn’t up for pre-sale until finals week. Now, the copies are in and can be bought exclusively through the sorority. “Mr. Kent State” is being sold for $10 through a Delta Zeta member.

“I would’ve been a lot happier if it came out last semester because most of January was over by the time it was out, but I’m still pumped. It’s cool,” Ward said.

Grimes said she wanted to something that could encompass a larger group of people.

“We were trying to do a new thing this year that involved the entire campus,” Grimes said. “We’re hopefully going to do it next year and get more people involved.”

Contact greek life reporter Heather Thomas at [email protected].