Lecture series offers 'suite' brand of humor

    This semester's first installment of the unique Haskell 240s Lecture Series attracted over 100 students on Wednesday night, with presentations offering a comedic perspective on coffee, insomnia, bras and duct tape, among other topics.
    The lecture series emerged as the brainchild of five suite mates in the fall of 2008 and has since attracted a large following of Tufts students.
    Founded by sophomores Jay Farber, Mikey Bernstein, Alex Lyon, Quinault Childs and Steven Halstead when they lived together in the Haskell 240s suite their freshman year, the lecture series gives students an opportunity to deliver presentations on humorous topics that starkly contrast with run-of-the-mill student panels and speaker presentations.
    "I don't think you can find another student organization at Tufts that does what we do," Farber said. "It's an opportunity to practice public speaking in a fun, low-pressure setting."
    The founders explained that the lecture series evolved through everyday conversations within their suite. The first designated lecture, which took place in the Haskell 240s common room itself, focused on the clogged toilets in the suite and featured a laptop projection on a hanging bed sheet.
    The lecture series has since grown from its humble beginnings. It gradually moved beyond presentations by the original founding members and now features guest speakers.
    Students have lectured on over 20 topics since the series began last semester, often incorporating two or three presentations in one night.
    Past presentations have included how to remove bras, what not to do on Parents Weekend and how to spread disease. In prior lectures, students also added a choreographed dance to their lecture.
    Sophomore Emma Holliday, who attended Wednesday's presentation as well as several last year, said the lectures are a welcomed study break.
    "It's not really that they're experts at all, just funny guys willing to get in front of a group of people … willing to laugh at themselves and have a good time," she said.
    The surge in attendance over the last year prompted the founders to elevate the lecture series to a new level by moving it to bigger, more official venues. Their final lecture last semester, held as a black-tie event in Barnum Auditorium, attracted between 150 and 200 students clad in suits and ties.
    The sophomores are strongly committed to the series' traditionally comedic theme. They want to create a light-hearted, open forum where "students can present to students," Bernstein said.
    "It's a good way to kick back and have some fun and have a little break in the middle of the week," Farber said.
    The founders hope to reach more of the Tufts student body in future lectures, as well as attract their most sought-after guest, University President Lawrence Bacow.
    The leaders maintain a Facebook.com group in which they post all upcoming presentations. They hope to present two or three lectures per semester.
    Although the Haskell 240s Lecture Series is not currently an official student organization, the founders are seeking official recognition from the Tufts Community Union Senate, which would give them access to possible funding for a lecture hall space.

Ellen Kan and Alexandra Bogus contributed reporting to this article.