Who knew that college guys taking off their shirts could serve a purpose other than that of eye candy for hordes wanton girls?

Elizabeth Capela, junior English and psychology major did, and now she is cashing in on the idea, sending the money to benefit cancer

victims.

She created Quinnipiac’s first-ever 2005 beefcake calendar featuring shirtless male members of Quinnipiac athletic teams in black and white photos wearing light pink ties as a symbol of support for the fight against breast cancer.

It all started when Capela found out that her aunt had been diagnosed with the disease this past fall.

“My aunt was my motivation to start this,” Capela said.

She contacted the Connecticut affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation to find out how she could help and set out to find a way to raise money. The result: create calendars.

“I had seen calendars like this before,” Capela said. “And I wanted to figure out a way to incorporate it into a college situation.”

After gaining approval from the athletic department and contacting the teams, Capela started shooting. “The boys had no problem posing for the pictures,” Capela said.

Coincidentally, Capela has a roommate whose father worked for the graphics and printing company Alphagraphics, and agreed to help.

“I took all the photos,” Capela said, “and the company did all the rest.”

The calendar features athletes from every team at Quinnipiac except hockey, and includes male members of the Student Government Association. The cost of a calendar is ten dollars and can be purchased in the student center all week.

So far business is booming for Capela, who sold 200 calendars on the second day.

“We have 1,500 and we’ll be here till they sell out,” she said.

All profits from the project will go to benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

She hopes that her efforts will help other women like her aunt who are fighting the disease.

“With this calendar it is my prayer to raise awareness, provide hope and honor the women and men physically and emotionally affected by breast cancer,” Capela said.

Capela is dedicating the project to the memory of her mother, who recently passed away.

“It was the last project we were working on together,” Capela said.