Work with Us

Student Employment

A group of people standing in front of a red backdrop and gathered around a woman who is holding a gold Emmy Award.
Cornell Cinema students and staff pose with alumni producers Michael Kantor and Scott Ferguson and their Emmy® awards during "From the Big Red to the Red Carpet" in March 2023. Photo by Edward Kitchen.

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.

If you are interested in joining our student team, we encourage you to apply for one of our open positions, which you can find by searching for Cornell Cinema under "Find Jobs - Student" in Workday.

Priority is given to student who are eligible for the Federal Work Study (FWS) program. Though most hiring happens at the start of each semester, we will continue to accept applications throughout the year and will contact candidates as positions become available.

Student staff also receive a Cornell Cinema T-Shirt and two complimentary tickets to all screenings. For questions about this posting, the application process, or working at Cornell Cinema in general,  please cotant cinema@cornell.edu.

Volunteer Ushers

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.

If you are interested in joining our Usher team, please contact us at cinema@cornell.edu to share your interest and availability. Ushers are asked to work approximately one evening per week and get to watch the films playing during their shift.

In addition to receiving a free Cornell Cinema Staff T-Shirt and our deep gratitude for your service, Ushers receive a complimentary pass for two to all regular film screenings.

Cornell Cinema Rental Program

Cornell Cinema regularly supports film screenings hosted by academic departments and programs, student organizations, and external groups through our cinema rental program. Event organizers are responsible for film selection, introductions/Q&As, and promotion of their screening while Cornell Cinema staff provide all technical and event production support for a reasonable fee.

Willard Straight Theatre is typically available for rental screenings on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings after 4pm. Requests are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis each semester. We do our best to accommodate each request, but space is limited. We encourage you to reach out at least 4-6 weeks prior to your event.

If you are interested in hosting a film screening at Cornell Cinema, please contact us at cinema@cornell.edu to discuss the details.

On-Screen Advertising

On-Screen Advertising at Cornell Cinema provides targeted exposure for your business, organization, or event to diverse audiences at extremely reasonable rates. It is also a meaningful show of support for Cornell Cinema, the art of film, and the community-building power of the cinema experience. 

Below is our scheduling and rate structure, which we have designed to ensure that your advertisement receives meaningful exposure for your investment.

Rates

  • $150 for 4 consecutive weeks (approx. 32 screenings)  

  • $300 per semester (14 weeks, approx. 112 screenings) 

  • $500 per academic year (28 weeks, approx. 224 screenings)

If you would like more detailed information or are interested in booking an advertisement, please email cinema@cornell.edu.

Collaboration and Cosponsorships

Cornell Cinema eagerly welcomes support from and opportunities to collaborate with faculty members, campus departments and programs, student organizations, and community groups. We particularly invite proposals for projects and initiatives that advance teaching and learning, embrace interdisciplinary thinking, or have potential to spark community conversations.

Cornell Cinema also gladly accepts both financial and marketing support for special events and our semesterly series. 

To discuss a programming idea, please contact cinema@cornell.edu. Please note that we recommend that you reach out one semester in advance and that proposals with funding support are typically the most successful.

If your proposal does not align with Cornell Cinema's programming schedule, we may be able to host your event through our Rental Program.

Cornell Cinema Student Advisory Board

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. 

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