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.

Credit: Sreang Hok/Cornell University

After Willard’s death in 1918, at age 38, his wife used funds from his estate to fulfill his wish to do “such thing or things for Cornell University as she may think most fitting and useful to make the same a more human place.” 

“Beyond being a hub for gatherings and meals, it serves as a symbolic anchor – having a consistent physical space allows students to attach core memories to it, making it a lasting part of the Cornell experience,” said Zhao, a double major in statistical science and information science in the College of Arts and Sciences. 

Guided by a dedicated committee of students, staff and alumni partners, centennial programming includes long-standing campus events such as ClubFest, a Halloween haunted house, Homecoming Spirit Week and the annual Lauren Pickard ’90 Emerging Artist Series. Additional themed activities throughout the year aim to engage the entire Cornell community, including the annual Perkins Prize, a banner unveiling celebration during TCAM in the Memorial Room, and related film screenings at Cornell Cinema. 

The year’s signature event – Centennial Celebration: 100 Years of Willard Straight Hall – will take place Nov. 21. Open to the Cornell community and the public, the celebration will feature historical displays, student artwork, trivia, limited edition prizes, student performances, story-sharing and nostalgic foods served throughout history within the Straight – including Straight Cookies and customizable popcorn. 

“I love Willard Straight Hall because it gives students a dedicated place to plan events, exchange ideas, and build a shared sense of identity,” Zhao said. 

Under the theme “Beyond a Building,” the year will highlight the Straight’s broader impact on the student experience. During Cornell Reunion 2025 alumni sat for recorded interviews to share their personal stories tied to the hall. 

Catherine Marie Charlton ’95, an engineering major and a music minor, recalled practicing piano in the Straight between classes. Students often gathered to listen as she played, and she had her first solo piano recital in 1992 in Willard Straight Hall. 

“Willard Straight Hall is where I found my voice, as a pianist and composer,” Charlton said.

It was in the Straight that she began improvising and creating her own music for the first time and receiving powerful feedback from listeners. 

“I was really scared to play music that was so personal to me,” she said. “But it was at Willard Straight Hall, with those stories, that I understood... the music was truly that language that would bring up those emotions.”

Over the last century, the structure has housed a barber shop, several eateries, a music lounge and countless student-led events – shaping the campus experience of generations of Cornellians.

“As we celebrate 100 years, I think it’s important to remember that the building’s founding purpose was to bring people together and create community at a time when there were very few social spaces on campus,” said Corey Ryan Earle ’07, the university’s longtime unofficial historian and a member of the Willard Straight Hall 100th Planning Committee.  

“Willard Straight Hall is one of those parts of campus that connects generations of Cornellians, and that’s why so many alumni have special memories associated with events or people or food or spaces in the building,” Earle said. 

Cornellians are invited to contribute to the centennial year celebration by submitting their own written memories of the Straight throughout the year. Stories and event updates can be found on the celebration’s official website.

Laura Gallup is a communications lead for Student and Campus Life.