Yearlong celebration honors a century of Willard Straight Hall
By Laura Gallup, Student and Campus Life
This academic year Cornell will commemorate the 100th anniversary of Willard Straight Hall (the Straight) – one of the country’s first student unions – with a yearlong series of events honoring its legacy as a hub of student life and community.
Opened Nov. 18, 1925, the Gothic-style building in the center of campus was designed as a place for students to gather outside the classroom. The building is named after Willard Dickerman Straight, Class of 1901, who was active in numerous campus organizations and is credited with helping start Cornell traditions such as Dragon Day and Slope Day.
Ying Lin Zhao ’26, class of 2026 Class Council President and Willard Straight Hall 100th planning committee member, helped orchestrate a flower-themed crafting event on Sept. 26 that will kick off the celebrations. The event is titled “Where Friendship Can Emerge and Blossom,” a phrase taken from the writings of Willard’s widow, Dorothy Whitney Straight.