How 5 Campuses Use RecRe to Activate Their Student Unions
Student unions are under pressure. Fewer staff, longer hours, higher expectations, and constant pressure to justify spend with real outcomes. Across the country, campuses are using RecRe as a simple, scalable way to keep their spaces active, social, and useful late into the night and on weekends.
Below are five real examples of how different institutions use RecRe inside their student unions to meet very different goals, all with the same platform.
Auburn University
A multi-zone student union strategy, indoors and outdoors
Auburn is a great example of how RecRe scales across multiple use cases within a single student union footprint. What started as a student-fee funded pilot in 2023 has grown into a fleet of nine RecRe boxes by 2026, supporting thousands of students each year with free access to gear.
How Auburn uses RecRe
- First floor of the Melton Student Center for games and social activities
- Second floor focused on academic success and study support
- Outdoor Campus Green location for tailgating and lawn games
Most popular inventory
- Board games like Catan, Giant Jenga, and KanJam
- Basketballs, footballs, frisbees for casual play
- USB-C chargers, MacBook chargers, calculators
- Whiteboard kits and study supplies
- Hammocks, picnic blankets, and tailgate games outdoors
Why it works
- Students move between social, academic, and outdoor spaces without friction
- Free access removes barriers to participation
- Staff do not need to manage checkouts or extend desk hours
Brown University
Late-night recreation in a 24/7 building
Brown’s Campus Center is open around the clock, which makes staffing traditional equipment desks impractical. RecRe fills that gap by giving students self-service access to billiards and tabletop games whenever they need a break.
Most popular inventory
- Billiards sets rented steadily throughout the night
- Chess sets for quick two-player games
- Custom “Brownopoly” boards designed around campus culture
Why it works
- Keeps students engaged without adding overnight staff
- Encourages face-to-face interaction in a high-pressure academic environment
- Fits naturally into a culture where students study late and socialize in short bursts
- Makes the union feel alive at all hours, not just during the day
Illinois Institute of Technology
Maximum inventory in minimal space
Illinois Tech uses RecRe’s multiple-items-per-cubby feature to pack an impressive amount of gear into a single box. This approach prioritizes efficiency and operational simplicity.
Most popular inventory
- Outdoor recreation gear
- Lawn games and casual sports equipment
- Shared accessories grouped into single cubbies
Why it works
- One box can support 20+ distinct items
- Minimal footprint in a dense student union environment
- Quickly adopted into daily operations with little training
- Staff get high availability without managing dozens of loose items
Onondaga Community College
Functional furniture that creates a destination
At Onondaga Community College, RecRe is not just equipment storage. The 312 wooden credenza unit anchors the Lazer Lounge as both furniture and infrastructure for student engagement.
Most popular inventory
- Gaming controllers and console games
- Ping pong and billiards accessories
- Casual multiplayer games
Why it works
- Community colleges need cost-effective engagement tools
- RecRe creates a reason for students to stay on campus longer
- Furniture-grade design fits the space without looking industrial
- Usage data helps staff understand engagement trends semester over semester
University of Wisconsin–Madison
All-hours access in an iconic student union
The Memorial Union at Wisconsin is known for its beauty and history. RecRe’s wooden 312 credenza units were chosen specifically to match the aesthetic while expanding access to games beyond staffed hours.
Most popular inventory
- Board games and tabletop games
- Multiplayer party games for groups
- Strategy and card games used throughout the day
Why it works
- Makes dozens of games accessible without a staffed desk
- Preserves the visual integrity of a historic space
- Supports both spontaneous and planned student gatherings
- Keeps the union active evenings and weekends
Why Student Unions Choose RecRe
Across all five campuses, the pattern is clear.
RecRe helps student unions:
- Stay active late at night and on weekends
- Offer free access to shared resources
- Reduce staffing pressure without reducing services
- Support indoor and outdoor engagement
- Track real usage data to justify budgets and plan improvements
From billiards and esports to study tools and lawn games, RecRe gives professional staff visibility into how their spaces are actually being used, while students get frictionless access to the things that bring them together in real life.
If your student union is trying to do more with less, these examples show how flexible a single RecRe platform can be when it is placed intentionally.
