In October’s issue of Playboy, nearly naked girls pose in dorm rooms and perch atop desks piled with books and dictionaries with college emblems, pom-poms and spirit posters in the background. They are clad in skimpier versions of college spirit gear that fall from their bodies in various states of undress.
But take a close look around you next time you sit down in your Psychology class or peruse books in the library because some these co-eds — more often objects of fantasy than reality — walk among us.
Three students from the university grace the pages of Playboy’s October issue in a “Girls of the ACC” photo spread. More girls from this university were represented in Hugh Hefner’s legendary magazine this year than any other ACC school.
“It was a boost of confidence,” said alumnus Jennifer Lynn, one of the chosen girls. “It helps with self esteem. The girls in Playboy are beautiful so it was an honor to be in the magazine.”
And to celebrate the magazine’s Friday release, the girls who bared it all helped promote the issue with events at Axe Hair and Cornerstone Grill and Loft this weekend.
Crowds of students flush from the football team’s victory a few hours earlier crowded into Cornerstone Saturday night to get autographed copies of the magazine and meet the university’s very own Playboy models: Lynn, public and community health major Nöel Simone and junior marketing major Connie Du.
“It was so spur of the moment for me,” Simone said. “I’m glad I did it, though.”
At the event, which was co-sponsored by LifeStyles condoms and Axe, Cornerstone patrons got more than just a free show. Drinks in hand, students stumbled up to the promotional table, grabbing handfuls of complimentary LifeStyles condoms, Axe Hair shampoo, glow sticks, blinking necklaces that read ‘I <3 making out,' Girls of the ACC cups and shirts, along with, of course, their signed magazines.
“I love it because there’s a lot of hot girls at Maryland,” alumnus Jon Shapiro said. “And in the ACC, we have got to represent it. …The girls are pretty sexy and I am proud they went to Maryland.”
Playboy’s famous October college issue has been running in the magazine for 33 years and always generates a good amount of sales, Playboy publicist Liz Sablich said.
“We like to generate excitement about the issue,” Sablich said. “In particular, we like to celebrate these beautiful girls. It is such a unique opportunity and we want them to feel special and proud.”
The magazine rotates conferences each year. The ACC was featured for the last time in 2004. Each year, the number of women chosen depends on the conference and turnout for the auditions, Sablich said. Last year’s issue spotlighted Big 10 schools, which tends to sees a larger turnout due to the larger population of the schools. The Big 10 spread contained about 40 young women last year, compared to the ACC’s 15, Sablich said. Each school in the ACC is represented at least once, except for Boston College.
Tryouts at this university were held last spring before the final selection of girls were sent to Chicago in March and April for photo shoots.
After a few hours of hair and makeup preparation, they felt completely comfortable, the models said.
“It was so surreal,” Lynn said. “You don’t ever picture yourself in that situation, especially how quick it was. You were in the shoot and it was so quick, it was like just do it.”
Lynn, who said her father used to collect Playboy magazines, said she always admired the women featured in the magazine.
“I have always wanted to do it,” Simone agreed. “I never actually thought I would try out for it, but I saw the opportunity and I jumped on it.”
In the next few months, the trio are up for coed of the month on Playboy’s website. Simone and Du will be competing for November and Lynn for December.
“It’s nice to know that it’s not just a dead end,” Du said. “I am enjoying it and will just see where it can go.”
Even though they have been enjoying the experience and will continue to accept opportunities that come along, none of the women will be ditching their degrees to set up house in the Playboy mansion with Hef or take up a career posing naked.
“I definitely have my career in gear,” Lynn said. “I’d love to do it part time, but I have a greater career focus.”
As reams of magazines were handed out at the party Saturday, guys perused the pages with friends, this time with the models on the page standing a few feet away. For the girls, this hasn’t really sunk in yet.
“Right now, it’s still shocking,” Simone said. “It is one thing to just think about it, but to see it is another thing. And it is going to be even weirder to see someone looking at it.”
tousignant@umdbk.com
