What’s up with the giant screen in the Living Room?

If you’ve walked past the Sharwan Smith Student Center Living Room sometime during the past few weeks, you may have noticed more students than normal crowding on couches and hanging out in the area.

That’s because the most recent addition to the room is a large screen that takes up nearly an entire wall. The screen, which can play up to four channels simultaneously, has intensified Southern Utah University’s community spirit and encouraged students to spend more time in the Student Center.

Student Involvement and Leadership Director Heather Garcia and SUU Student Association President McKay Pollman headed the installation of the screen and chose the location with intent to give a home-like feel to the Living Room.

The popularity of the World Cup games further amplified the success of the screen, with SUU students gathering together in an exciting and welcoming atmosphere.

“The screen is great,” said Carlos Grilli after viewing one of the World Cup games. “This is the first time I’ve seen this many people in the Student Center at one time.”

Student Programming Board Event Director Maklayne Wilks plans to use this television to draw students to a variety of Living Room events, such as game show activities, movies and PowerPoint nights. 

The screen has already been used once for the SPB’s Comedy Show event on Dec. 2, which featured student comedians signing up through the QR code on the screen and showing off their own humorous presentations.

“It livens up the space by both bringing more people in and providing the ability to watch TV if people don’t have it at home,” Wilks said. “The screen also gives us endless possibilities for future events.”

The Living Room will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final, featuring a showdown between Argentina and France, on Sunday, Dec. 18.

Story by: Kale Nelson
life@suunews.net
Photos by:  Anden Garfield