RICHLAND The public is invited to join WSU Tri-Cities 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, July 11, in celebrating that campus’ 20th anniversary.
The festivities include hands-on activities for kids, seminars for adults, scholarship drawings, a Cougar Spirit contest, and a ceremony for pre-1989 alumni, faculty and staff. Admission is free and open to the public.
The public is invited to connect and for those who attended classes or worked here re-connect with the campus, and to see what a difference WSU Tri-Cities has made and is making in our community.
“In the late 1980s, community leaders united to lobby the state Legislature to create a campus of Washington State University in the Tri-Cities,” said Vicky L. Carwein, WSU Tri-Cities chancellor. “It worked. WSU Tri-Cities was realized in July 1989. Since then, we have educated the sons, daughters, and employees of our community graduating more than 5,000 degreed professionals who, in turn, have made a positive difference in the lives of their families and the businesses and companies for which they have worked.”
This Saturday’s 20th Anniversary Community Celebration schedule of events includes:
* A pancake breakfast at 9 a.m., followed at 10 a.m. by food vendors and a beer garden.
* Free kids activities including carnival games, making ice cream or slime, an engineering egg drop, and learning about bugs or rocks are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
* Seminars for adults also start at 10 a.m. Topics range from Wine Tasting 101, engaging young readers, retirement planning, bioproducts and bioenergy, and cooking with kids.
* The Cougar Spirit contest is at 12:45 p.m. Categories include youth, current student, alumni and all other (judges’ choice). Criteria is the best display of Cougar Spirit, which can include wardrobe, gear, the fight song, etc. Use your imagination. It’s free to enter.
* A 1 p.m. ceremony includes recognizing the alumni, faculty, and staff from before 1989, when the campus was the Joint Center for Graduate Study and the Tri-Cities University Center.
* Current and future WSU Tri-Cities students can enter to win a drawing for one of eight $500 scholarships. The drawing is during the 1 p.m. ceremony. Students must be present to win.
* Campus tours, photos with Butch T. Cougar and Chocolate the Dog, live music, information tables and more are available throughout the event.
For more details, visit www.tricity.wsu.edu or contact Ann Philip at 509-372-7394 or aphilip@tricity.wsu.edu.
