Though students today might associate Willard Straight Hall with COVID-19 surveillance testing or free popcorn, the hall has a rich history of student engagement and political expression.
Okenshields delivers expanded seating after its merge with the Ivy Room, but students express continued crowding concerns and wishes for more food options.
Without cherished bags of popcorn and beloved study spots in Willard Straight Hall, Cornellians express discontent about changes made to the student union.
My fun fact is that I’m a popcorn person. Since I started working at the Campus Activities Resource Center (formerly the Willard Straight Hall Resource Center) in my sophomore year, I’ve ensured that everyone around me knows my primary campus involvement. I’ve been told that “popcorn person” isn’t a personality trait, but I’m here to say otherwise. In my four years at Cornell, I’ve been swept up in various things. I became consumed with extracurricular activities, fulfilling major and minor requirements and preparing for post-graduation.
This April marks the 50th anniversary of the Willard Straight Hall occupation and the resulting founding of the Africana Studies and Research Center. A two-day symposium will commemorate the historic events on April 12 and 13.
Student Assembly presidential candidates discussed campus’ most controversial issues — including mental health access and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement — in a debate held at Willard Straight Hall on Monday.
Willard Straight Hall currently offers a trove of popcorn flavors, including one that shamelessly mixes all the current savory and sweet flavors — sugar, butter, garlic, cinnamon, salt and pumpkin spice. Now, they’ll add one more tantalizing taste to the bizarre blend — dark chocolate, a mix of sugar and cocoa powder.