Get Involved

Cornell Cinema was founded in 1970 as a student-run, university film society and students continue to be essential to the successful functioning of our organization today. 

Comprised of students from various disciplines, class years, and backgrounds, members of our student team welcome patrons, sell tickets and concessions, provide projection support, manage event logistics for all film screenings and special events, assist with marketing and administrative tasks, and more. Student workers at Cornell Cinema also follow in the footsteps of a passionate community of alumni staffers who consider their time at Cornell Cinema to be a formative part of their Cornell experience.

Please visit the Work with Us page for more information about joining our team as a student staff member or volunteer usher.

Want to get involved at Cornell Cinema? We warmly invite you to join our team as a volunteer Usher! Cornell Cinema Ushers are a dynamic community of volunteers who assist with pre-show set up, ticket scanning, wayfinding, and welcoming guests to the cinema each evening.  Ushers are asked to work approximately one evening per week and get to watch the films playing during their shift.

If you are interested in joining our Volunteer Usher team, please contact us at cinema@cornell.edu to share your interest and availability.

The Cornell Cinema Student Advisory Board is an organization of students, both undergraduate and graduate, whose purpose is to represent and promote Cornell Cinema, as well as to advise and assist Cornell Cinema in its overall mission to offer the Cornell and greater Ithaca community a wide variety of cinematic and media experiences, for both educational and entertainment purposes. Specific committees work on promotion, event planning and execution, and programming.

The Willard Straight Theatre has a suggestion box where patrons can suggest titles for upcoming calendars or make other suggestions. We can't promise we'll take the suggestions, but we can promise we'll read them!

Want to show your love for Cornell Cinema? We have a limited supplies of Cornell Cinema merchandise — including t-shirts, key chains, and movie posters — available for purchase at our cinema offices and at the concessions stand. 

Visit our Cornell Cinema Swag page for more information about our current inventory and contact us at cinema@cornell.edu with questions.