Comedy College is expanding.

On Friday, Gavin Jerome, Comedy College instructor, hosted the first-ever Comedy College All-Stars at The Talent Factory in Nevada, Iowa.

“This is something that’s been in the works for about a year now,” Jerome said.

Jerome invited several of his former students to perform at the event. The Comedy College class, run through the honors program, is going on its fourth semester.

Several students from the previous three classes were chosen for the all-star event. Many of the students want to continue doing stand-up after the comedy college class ends.

“Once I did it, I thought, ‘there is no reason not to keep doing this,’” said Tyler Hupp, a junior in industrial design.

There is a stand-up comedy club on campus now, called SUCC ISU, started by all-star Nick Seymour, a senior in mechanical engineering, but the Comedy College stand-ups went through Jerome to perform in the event.

Jerome discovered The Talent Factory from an original student, Roman Lynch, from his class 15 years ago. Now in his 60s, Lynch continues to perform. Lynch was chosen for the opening set in the all-stars event.

“I’m getting older, but I still like to get out there,” Lynch said.

Two of the stand-ups from the event will open for comedian Heywood Banks, known for his song “Yeah Toast,” on Fri., Oct. 2.

“This is groundbreaking stuff,” Jerome said. “Getting to open for someone like Heywood, it’s awesome, man.”

Hupp and ISU alumnus Mitch Downey were chosen to open for Banks. Hupp had a strong set, capped off by a compilation of lines from Disney songs that gave a sexual message when strung together. Downey had a very tight set about family and relationships, tied together with bed-wetting.

Jerome expects that there will be more all-star events in the near future.

This year’s Comedy College class will also perform at the M-shop on December 1 and 2.