College can be an expensive time for students. With movie prices at movie theaters reaching nearly $15 without popcorn or candy, even seeing a movie can become unattainable. Loyola’s partnership with the local Senator Theater on York Road lowers prices for student movie tickets to anywhere from completely free to $5 in an effort to combat the ever-expensive college experience.
The Senator is a historic movie theater in the Govans neighborhood and less than a 10-minute drive from Loyola’s campus. It was renovated and reopened in 2010 by Buzz and Kathleen Cusack after almost shutting down due to financial struggle and waning popularity. In the theater’s time, it has seen the soles of John Travolta, Matt Damon, and Joaquin Phoenix imprinted in its sidewalk collection of films, and premieres of blockbusters like ‘Hairspray’ and many John Waters and Barry Levinson films. Most importantly, it has seen the making of movie-lover memories all over Baltimore.
It’s become a staple of Baltimore, as the theater shows both new movies and classics, which allows community members and students to immerse themselves in any era of film and blends history with modernity.
“[I’ve] always wanted to see an ’80s movie in the theaters like they did back then… I went to see ‘Back to the Future’ for $5 with this program,” Kate Daly ’27 said.
The partnership with Loyola is simple for students to participate. The Senator places a QR code at the box office window, which is also accessible through the Bridge. Any students registered are able to get $5 or free tickets and enjoy a film on Fridays. As of right now, the event alternates frequently, sometimes every other week, but mostly a few weeks of $5 tickets in between the free weeks. Then Loyola reimburses the Senator Theatre with the difference between the full price and the student price.
“We have a contact at the Senator, and we provide them with the QR code that students scan, and then it’s like a ‘back budget’ thing,” said Olivia Baumgartner, the assistant director in the Office of Student Leadership and Involvement.
“They send us an invoice of how many students went, and we pay them directly. It’s pretty low effort on both ends,” Baumgartner said.
However, Student Programming is not the only Loyola group that makes the partnership happen. The partnership also operates with the help of Messina through word-of-mouth, which is a big reason that some students found out about the program.
“I knew about the tickets from my Messina in freshman year. I think it’s a good thing to have,” said Adriana Leszczynski ’26.
So, while Baumgartner feels like the event is not incredibly well known, Leszczynski can attest to the fact that Messina promotes it to the first-year students and evergreens in their Messina classes.
To register for the discounted and/or free tickets, visit the bridge or scan the QR code at the Senator box office window.
