When students open their inboxes to find a blitz about a fraternity foam party, they typically react with either enthusiasm or indifference — certainly not terror. However, for Matt Knight ’11, also known as DJ Postman, the announcement of a foam party inspires more trepidation than excitement.

“The environmental hazards of playing in frats are staggering,” Knight said.

Knight is just one of many students who brave the sludge-coated frat basement floors — and, at foam party time, layers upon layers of soapy suds — in order to serve the Dartmouth community as campus DJs.

During the day, DJs are ordinary students, studying medicine or engineering like many of their peers. But despite their prosaic daytime pursuits, DJs play a crucial role at night: setting the tone for the party.