Students, faculty and community members gathered to see the blessing of the Elson S. Floyd Cultural Center by the Nez Perce Tribe Thursday afternoon in the location where the building will be located.

Paula Groves Price, associate dean for diversity and international programs in the College of Education, said Floyd was the driving force behind the project.

“The Floyd family is very excited about the possibility and the legacy that this cultural center will offer to the WSU community,” Price said.

Price relayed a story from Floyd’s wife, Carmento Floyd, about how Floyd would take her to the spot where the center would stand and ask her to imagine it standing there as the welcome to WSU, serving as a celebration of diversity.

Mark Sindell, principal and director of business development at GGLO Design, the organization behind the design of the building, said input from both students and the Nez Perce Tribe were key in this project.

“We looked at Nez Perce long houses as a communal space,” Sindell said. “What emerged from that was the roof as a communal shelter, representing the emotion of diversity and representing the rolling Palouse hills.”

He said the inside of the building is based on the idea of cultural inclusion and that the living room is the heart of the building.

Other key aspects are the kitchen, where people can come together over food from different countries, a knowledge room where people can learn about culture, and a layer of art that will be worked into the building.

Sindell highlighted some of the key draws to the location: the close bus stop, the upcoming addition of a bike lane, and easy access to parking.

He also mentioned that the building will be energy-efficient and use local materials.

Interim President Dan Bernardo said the building will not be a replacement for other faculties but rather an additional resource for students to make use of.

“One of the core goals is the transformational educational experience for our students,” Bernardo said. “It will be a gathering place to celebrate diversity and interact with others.”

Anthony Johnson, chairman of the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee, gave remarks about the blessing of the center and what it meant to the tribe.

“It is an honor, yet bittersweet, the work and effort President Floyd put into this,” Johnson said. “He is not with us, but his spirit is with us.”

He spoke about the challenges faced by his tribe, other tribes and the Native American people in general. He described his vision of a future with more opportunities for increased diversity and leadership in regards to Native American leaders.

The blessing ceremony was done by Mary Jane Miles, secretary of the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee, and by Nakia Williamson, Nez Perce tribe member.

It was followed by closing remarks from the 2016-2017 Miss Pah-Loots-Pu, MyKel Johnson. Johnson is a freshman studying business and economics and a member of the Nez Perce Tribe, as well as a direct descendent of Old Chief Joseph.

She said as a freshman at WSU she is proud of how diverse the college and community are, and that the new cultural center is a testimony to the work WSU is putting toward a more culturally diverse community.

“WSU is a place that is welcome to all students, faculty and staff,” Bernardo said. “This iconic building is a visible testament to the inclusiveness of this university.”