Gallery • 15 Photos

Students and Faculty gather together for a photo as they march down Rowan Blvd. for Mustache March, which supports the American Stroke Association on February 29, 2016. (Anthony Medina | Staff Photographer)

On Tuesday, March 1, students gathered in the Student Center Pit to celebrate Mustache March, an event that raises funds and awareness for the American Stroke Association.

At the event, people had the opportunity to make their own mustaches out of colorful felt, markers and stickers. They were encouraged to enter their creations in a mustache competition to determine the most creative facial hair. Six people participated, each one stepping onstage to introduce themselves and their makeshift mustache.

The winner, Jake Liebling, a freshman biology major, took home a $10 gift card to Barnes & Noble as well as various trinkets for his mustache he named “Nico.”

“I just used the stencil and I cut it out. I used these little stickers that they gave us on there,” Liebling said. “I had nothing to do, so I just wanted to help out a good cause.”

After the make-your-own mustache competition, there was a grow-your-own real mustache contest. Three people participated, each one sporting an actual mustache. David Miller, a senior mathematics major, won the competition with his mustache and creative sideburns combination he had been growing for a month.

“I wanted to raise awareness for the American Stroke Association,” Miller said. “I feel like it’s a great cause that everyone should learn about. Not everyone knows the facts about it. They just know they don’t want a stroke. This event brings in how to avoid it and things we can do to get rid of it.”

To end the event, everyone in attendance marched down Rowan Boulevard to Barnes & Noble, carrying a giant banner advertising the event and its cause.

Money was raised through shirt sales and various donations. They will continue to sell until the end of March and have already accumulated over $1,100.

“Like a lot of associations, any small donation counts,” said senior biology major Beonca Brown. To know something like this could help someone is a really great feeling.”