Welcome Center – University of Illinois

From Move-In Day to Commencement, life on a college campus is about people: students, faculty, friends, fans, and parents. BPI captures the anticipation, excitement, challenges, and camaraderie of university life in “Education is Not Filling a Pail, but Lighting a Fire,” a documentary film that celebrates the 150th anniversary of the University of Illinois. 

Working in collaboration with RhodesWorks Design the Welcome Center has 23 multimedia exhibits including 14 Discovery Boxes that allow current and prospective students, alumni, and visitors to explore the hundreds of programs and offerings at the university. BPI produced nearly 80 video segments for these interactives. BPI developed a Trailhead Interactive Map which allows guests to explore up to 250 campus buildings and that provides directions on getting to each building from the Alumni Center.  And students and alumni can share their own experiences as they record stories in the Memory Space Story Booth. 

All interactive programs are backed by a custom CMS developed by BPI that allows the University to update content, graphics, and videos.

 

Client: University of Illinois Alumni Alliance, Urbana, IL
Partners: RhodesWorks LTD; Xibitz
Category: Higher Education
Services: AV Design, Immersive Theater, Film & Video, Interactive

What We Did:

  • Immersive theater
  • Interactives and Films
  • Original music score

For incoming students the film reinforced their belief that they were making the right choice in coming to Illinois for college.

–Ryan A. Ross, University of Illinois Alumni Alliance

Digital display cases with an educational interactive display on the left and physical artifacts on the right
Welcome box digital display case interactives
Touch-table by a cozy-fireplace, with archival documents showing the history and culture of the university
Interactive touch-table
Orientation film of students gathering on the quad, shown in a cozy room over a fireplace
"Light a Fire" orientation film
BPI crew filming a football game
Filming a football game with the Illini