The newly renovated Medicine Building on the WSU Spokane campus was dedicated Thursday during a ceremony that featured remarks from WSU leadership and community members as well as Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine students Lensa Moen and Darin Chhing. Over 300 guests from the Spokane region and the WSU system were in attendance.
“I believe Dr. Floyd would be proud of this building,” said Chhing, a second-year medical student. “It will play an important role in shaping the education of medical students so that we can become the best version of ourselves, guided by values, surrounded by support, bold, audacious, and resilient.”
WSU Regent Lura Powell shared a similar sentiment.
“In such a challenging area, it takes an environment of fellowship and a culture of perseverance to foster significant advancement, said Powell. “ This is the spirit of the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.”
The reimagined 113,000-square-foot facility contains upgraded classrooms and flexible learning spaces for medical education, a campus testing center, a student collaboration hub, and faculty offices. WSU received $15.5 million in capital funding from the state for the project and nearly $1.5 million in philanthropic gifts so far.
“The renovated building behind me may be called the Medicine building, but it’s not just about the College of Medicine,” said Jim Record, interim dean for the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. “It’s about the community. It’s about Washington State University. This building is emblematic of WSU’s commitment to the community it serves.”
When it first opened in 1996, the building marked the beginning of the WSU Spokane campus. Aptly named Phase One in the campus master plan, the building has housed WSU’s Interdisciplinary Design Institute along with Eastern Washington University programs over the years. The building’s transformation was centered on providing collaborative learning spaces for students to prepare for the future of healthcare.
“This facility and event today are just another step in our growth as a health sciences campus and as a leader in medical education, preparing our students for the future of healthcare,” said Daryll DeWald, executive vice president for WSU Health Sciences and WSU Spokane chancellor. “But more than anything, this is about collaboration and community. This is about all of us. We are ensuring that our state’s future healthcare professionals are simply the best.”
