Invited guest speakers and presenters will address the topic, “Humor/Laughter/Joy” at Hastings College during the 25th annual 2010 Artist Lecture Series (ALS) Student Symposium, Wednesday, Oct. 27 and Thursday, Oct. 28.
Invited speakers include: Dr. Joel Goodman, Director of the HUMOR Project (keynote); Dan and Jill Johnson, Laughter Yoga; Dr. Clifford Kuhn, the Laugh Doctor; and David Harris, Comedian/Magician.
All events are free and open to the public.

Wednesday, Oct. 27

7 p.m. – Dr. Joel Goodman presents “HUMOResilience: Using Humor to Tickle Stress Before it Tackles You,” (Keynote) in French Memorial Chapel
Dr. Joel Goodman, founder and Director of The HUMOR Project, is a popular speaker whose programs have tickled and touched the lives of millions throughout the U.S. and the world.
Goodman has authored eight books, including “Laffirmations: 1,001 Ways to Add Humor to Your Life and Work,” and has edited the “LAUGHING MATTERS” magazine, generating rave reviews from thousands of people throughout the U.S. and 20 other countries.
A pioneer focusing on the positive power of humor and creativity, Goodman’s work has been featured in over 5000 TV and radio shows, newspapers, and magazines in 150+ countries, including: “The TODAY Show,” “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” “PBS,” “BBC,” the front page of “The Wall Street Journal,” “The New York Times,” “USA Today,” “Journal of the American Medical Association,” and more.
Described as “the first full-time humor educator in the world,” Goodman founded The HUMOR Project in 1977. He founded AHA!, the American Humor Association, which includes over 165,000 humor members. He believes that it is important for business to “do well and do good” at the same time. The HUMOR Project has provided grants to 450+ schools, hospitals, and human service agencies to help them develop services and resources that tap the positive power of humor.

Thursday, Oct. 28
11 a.m. – Dan and Jill Johnson present “Laughter Yoga,” in Fleharty Center, Rooms 144 &145
Jill Johnson has over 15 years experience in corporate America. She is a certified Laughter Yoga leader and trainer, an experienced registered yoga teacher, E-RYT 200, a cancer exercise specialist, and a “Yoga of the Heart” certified cardiac and cancer yoga therapist. Jill is also a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists.
Dan Johnson has over 20 years experience in small business leadership. He is a certified Laughter Yoga leader and trainer, certified Life Coach and a certified Laughter Coach, C.L.C.

3 p.m. – Dr. Clifford Kuhn presents “HA HA HA: A Prescription for Stress Relief,” in French Memorial Chapel
Dr. Clifford Kuhn, the Laugh Doctor, is a physician, medical school professor, comedian, professional speaker and personal consultant who helps individuals and groups enhance performance, productivity and health by creating and sustaining more fun.
A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Kuhn graduated from Ursinus College and Jefferson Medical College, before receiving his psychiatric training at the University of Michigan. He has held his current medical school faculty position since 1974 and has through the years served as Chief of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, Director of Residency Training and Associate Chairman of the Psychiatry Department. He is the recipient of many awards and accolades for his accomplishments as an academician and teacher.
Kuhn’s clinical focus is in the field of mind/body medicine. Decades of work with chronically ill patients and their families taught him to appreciate the healing power of humor. His laughter research led him into the world of comedy performance and, in 1991, he took a leave from his university position to perform in comedy clubs across the country. On this sabbatical tour, he learned first-hand what makes us laugh, and determined how those mechanisms could be transferred to clinical settings.
As a physician/comedian, Dr. Kuhn has attracted national attention in radio and television, with appearances on “Entertainment Tonight,” “The Learning Channel,” “The Canadian Broadcasting Corp.,” “CNN,” in the popular press such as “Newsweek,” “The Wall Street Journal,” “The Washington Post,” “The Chicago Tribune,” “The New Yorker” and others.

7 p.m. – David Harris, Comedian/Magician, French Memorial Chapel
David Harris is a standup comedian and magician from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He entertains at Fortune 500 companies and other organizations, meetings, events, colleges, clubs, and casinos across the United States. Harris’ personal and person-driven approach to comedy and magic is clean, inventive, relatable, interactive and tailored to each audience he entertains.

8 p.m. – 1-2-5 Performance, French Memorial Chapel

Faculty sponsor for the ALS Student Symposium is Dr. Steven Bever, professor of physics at Hastings College.

Students on the ALS Student Symposium Committee include: Co-chairs Dani Wright, Fort Collins, Colo. and Amanda Voss, Fremont, Neb., and members Laura Bernero, Highlands Ranch, Colo., Abi Burrows, McCook, Neb., Hannah Davis, Grand Island, Neb., Lindsey Toben, Doniphan, Neb., Adam Kaiser, Broomfield, Colo., Mike Carson, Fort Collins, Colo., Chris Webber, Kearney, Neb., and Evan Richter, Hayes Center, Neb.

The ALS Student Symposium is a program designed to bring artists and lecturers to campus each year that focus on a selected topic. Past symposium topics have featured: My Generation, Terrorism, Generation X, America and the World, Global Village Competition, Play, Revolutions and Truth, and Frontiers.

Hastings College, founded in 1882, is a private, four-year liberal arts institution affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). A total of 64 majors in 32 areas of study and 12 pre-professional programs are offered to more than 1,190 students. Hastings College was named among “America’s Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report, a “Best in the Midwest” by The Princeton Review, and a “Best Buy in College Education” by Barron’s. Visit www.hastings.edu for more information.

Members of the media are invited to a press conference with ALS guest speakers to be held at 9 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 28 in Studio A of the Gray Center for Communication Arts at Hastings College. For more information about the press conference, contact Dr. Sharon Behl Brooks at (402) 461-7367.

For more information about the 2010 Artist Lecture Series Student Symposium, contact Dr. Steve Bever at (402) 461-7450.