Cultural center to be named after late President Floyd

By Steve Nakata, Student Affairs

PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University’s new cultural center will bear the name of the university’s late President Elson S. Floyd, who provided the vision for the building.

“President Floyd wanted a state-of-the-art building different from others that clearly communicates that WSU embraces diversity in a serious way,” said J. Manuel Acevedo, director of the WSU Office of Multicultural Student Services.

“It really reflects a lot of what Elson Floyd stood for as president and as a human being,” said Dan Bernardo, interim president, at a Wednesday presentation about the building.

At the hub of the design is an indoor living room – a large, open space where gatherings and performances can take place. Connected to the living room will be four knowledge rooms devoted to educating people about the state’s four largest underrepresented populations – African Americans, Asian Pacific Americans, Chicanos/Latinos and Native Americans.

Rounding out the plan are a large kitchen, a gallery, a meditation pavilion and offices for the diversity education program.

Learn more in an earlier article at https://archive.news.wsu.edu/2016/01/19/jan-20-designs-for-new-cultural-center-to-be-unveiled/.