By now, many Americans are probably familiar with the “Where’s your mustache?” campaign.

The ads are part of a national campaign by the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board to increase the importance of the calcium-enriched drink in people’s diets.

Pictures of celebrities ranging from Vanna White to Spike Lee sporting milk-stained smiles have sprouted up in magazines all over the country.

Because of a national campaign to promote calcium in college students’ daily diets, Iowa State students will have their chance to be featured in a “milk-mustache” photo.

Photo sessions for the milk campaign will be held on March 2, in the North Study Lounge of the Memorial Union. The sessions, which are open and free to all ISU students, will be held from noon to 2 p.m.

Judges from the “Milk, where’s your mustache?” advertising agency will select the winning photo.

The winning picture, selected out of a pool of ISU milk-mustached students, will be featured in a milk mustache advertisement in the Iowa State Daily, and it also will be featured on the national Web site, http.whymilk.com.

Later in the year, one student will be chosen out of all the previous winners to appear in a milk advertisement in an upcoming issue of Rolling Stone magazine.

Michon Ellis, public relations and account executive for milk, said the program visits between 15 to 20 universities a year and usually 150 to 200 students attend the photo sessions at each university.

“We try to educate students,” Ellis said, adding that when people go off to college, the “first thing that goes is their healthy-eating habits.”

Tracy Naden, public relations representative for milk, agreed students need to become more informed about the significance of calcium in their diet.

“They need to learn the importance of getting enough calcium in their diet,” Naden said. “Even though you stop growing, your bones continue growing in density.”

According to a press release and the “Re-Think Your Drink” campaign, milk is the No. 1 beverage students stop drinking when they leave home for college. Less than one-third of college students are drinking milk on a regular basis.

On average, the majority of students are consuming less than a glass of milk a day.

According to the National Academy of Sciences, college-aged students should consume at least 1,000 mg of calcium a day, or at least three 8-oz glasses of milk a day.

Milk is preventive against hypersensitivity and the bone-deteriorating disease osteoporosis, which, according to the press release, affects nearly 25 million Americans.

Ellis called the photo sessions a “fun event,” adding that he thinks the campaign helps college students become more educated about the importance of milk.

“They’re apt to listen to things [that are fun],” Ellis said. He said during the photo sessions, Heidi Peterson, a registered dietitian, will be available to answer questions.

Naden added that literature about milk will also be available.

In addition, there will be a “celebrity photo opportunity” during the photo sessions. Participants will have the chance to get their pictures taken with various cardboard cutout stars who have been featured in the milk mustache campaign, including supermodel Tyra Banks and musicians Eddie and Alex Van Halen.

Ellis said there really is no set of criteria for what makes a winning picture.

“I encourage people to come,” Ellis said. “Students will get a kick out of it.”

For more information about the benefits of milk, students can visit the Web site or call 1-800-WHY-MILK.