The University of Akron Wayne College will open their college movie nights to the public for the first time during the 2011-2012 school year. The movies will be shown free of charge on Sept. 16, Oct. 21, Nov. 18, Feb. 3, Feb. 17, March 9 and April 13, at 7 p.m., in the auditorium of the campus’s main building, room C-222.

According to Jackie Ashbaugh, student activities coordinator for the college, opening the movie nights up to the public is a win-win situation.

“This will give community members an affordable family night, and help the college by bringing more people onto campus,” said Ashbaugh. “We have capacity for about 160 people in the auditorium and, at this time, we have enough room available to accommodate our community friends. This being the case, we would like to extend an invitation to our local community to come and share in these family-friendly movies. If we can benefit 100 community members seven times this year, that’s a great thing.”

The first movie on the schedule is Cars 2, being shown on Friday, Sept. 16, with other movie titles to be determined by students as the year progresses. Community members can visit the college’s website at http://www.wayne.uakron.edu, throughout the year to see what movies are being shown. Seating will be first-come first-serve, with a section of seats reserved for students and their family members at every movie.

Popcorn and soda will be available for purchase, with proceeds benefitting the Wayne College Associated Student Government.

For more information about Wayne College movie nights, contact Jackie Ashbaugh at 330-684-8973, or to be added to the college’s events email list, visit the college’s community page at http//www.wayne.uakron.edu/community/. Wayne College is located at 1901 Smucker Road in Orrville.