Striping down to their unmentionables for a good cause is what students in Dr. Martina Myers’ communication 3354 class are preparing to do on Friday, Nov. 21.

UTEP’s first annual Britches to Riches The Undie Run is an idea brought to UTEP by junior political science major Joseph Terebessy.

Terebessy, a transfer student from Arizona State University, took part in a similar run at ASU and decided that an event like that would not only benefit charity but also give UTEP students something fun to do on a Friday night.

“On a Friday night, you can do something good and still have a great time afterwards,” Terebessy said. “It doesn’t have to involve drinking or anything, but feeling good about yourself and feeling comfortable in your own skin and knowing that you actually helped someone else that night.”

This event is being held in association with Students of the Centennial, a program created when students from a UTEP communication class came up with the idea for a student time capsule.

Myers said that her class has gone through all of the steps in order to work with the Student Engagement and Leadership Center and have also been working with various students from Students of the Centennial.

“We pick projects that the classes picked in order to put participation and engagement that they develop for themselves out to others,” Myers said. “Either they are going to be successful in making the event happen and bringing people in or its going to be just another communication class that didn’t go as well as we would’ve liked.”

This event is something that Myers hopes will allow her students to gain valuable life experience and teach them lessons an average class would not focus on.

“I think one of the things you have learn is how to risk not necessarily even your reputation, your face or your money or things like that, but rather how and when are you willing to step up and represent something for the incentive,” she said. “The motivation or the cause that is good and what goes beyond just another class.”

Students looking to take part in this event must donate food, blankets, clothing or pet supplies in order to run. Music and food will be provided for runners.

The run will begin on Hawthorne Street and Rim Road at 7 p.m.

If there are runners who feel uncomfortable running in their underwear they can still participate while wearing clothing, so long as they bring items to donate.

Donations will be distributed to different causes around El Paso and to the Humane Society of El Paso.

Myers said the importance of events like these go far beyond the class itself, but rather teaches her students a valuable lesson in communication.

“I really want my students to take classes with participation and engagement,” said Myers. “I don’t think you have communication unless you believe in what you’re doing.”

Amanda Guillen may be reached at [email protected].