At BYU-Hawaii, a customized streaming platform paired with on-campus movie events transform campus life, foster community bonds and provide students with unforgettable cinematic experiences. Keep reading to learn more about their dual-movie program.

Movies – in various forms – have the power to help universities foster vibrant student communities. Brigham Young University-Hawaii (BYU-Hawaii) exemplifies this perfectly. Through a dynamic partnership between their activities department and Residential Life, BYU-Hawaii offers students a unique and engaging movie experience. We spoke with BYU-Hawaii’s Seasider Sports & Activities Senior Manager Kura Tovey to learn more about the program and highlight their success.

THE CHALLENGE:
While surrounded by natural beauty, BYU-Hawaii faced challenges when it came to indoor entertainment like movies. The university is located more than an hour away from the closest movie theater. Additionally, a significant number of international students make up their student body – dealing with extra expenses and financial strains. Therefore, many are unable to afford streaming services to watch the latest movies and shows.

THE SOLUTION:
To address these needs, BYU-Hawaii’s residential life and student activities organizations teamed up to combine resources and offer students free streaming and free movie events on campus – both through Swank. The streaming service, through Residence Life Cinema, provides students with a vast library of movies and shows for on-demand streaming anywhere on campus. The diverse selection caters to the school’s global student body. In fact, the school is able to add many obscure international films that aren’t available on other streaming platforms – ensuring there’s always something for their students to enjoy.

BYU-Hawaii also licenses top films through Swank’s extensive library to curate weekly movie nights for their campus, as well as larger screenings once a semester. These events offer students a chance to socialize and experience the classic movie-going atmosphere at no cost to them.

Having access to the campus streaming service makes it easier for the organization to put on these weekly movie screenings, as well as the larger ones. Kura says using the streaming service is more convenient than securing the DVD or figuring out other technology.

THE RESULTS:
The streaming platform and movie events’ impact goes beyond simply movies. Here's how BYU-Hawaii's program fosters a stronger student community:

Inclusive & Welcoming Campus: Providing students with easy access to a wide variety of films on their campus streaming platform and through on-campus movie events makes every student feel at home on campus.

Social Events & Shared Experiences: Regular movie nights, both large and small, create a platform for students to connect and bond. The larger events add a unique twist and further strengthen community spirit. Additionally, campus events draw large crowds and garner positive feedback from students. “Students always make an effort to tell us how much they enjoyed the event,” said Kura. “Every movie we host has been successful. It is a very easy and affordable event to host for our students.”

Eases Financial Burden: Access to the premium streaming service and blockbuster movie events means cost-conscious students don’t need to go without or risk not being able to connect with other students over the latest movie or show. They always have access to free, on-campus entertainment.

BYU-Hawaii's success story is a testament to the power of Swank in creating vibrant campus communities. If you're looking to provide your students with the best in movie entertainment, contact Swank today and let us help you build a thriving movie program on your campus.