Nov. 6: WSU Tri-Cities to honor international campus community with flag celebration

RICHLAND, Wash. – Washington State University Tri-Cities will honor its international students, faculty and staff members with a new international flag installation and celebration that will take place at 1:15 p.m. on Monday in the Floyd Atrium on campus.

There will be an initial total of 32 flags represented of the known 32 countries of current international students, faculty and staff that will be hung as part of the installation. Members of the public are welcome to attend the celebration.

“These flags are displayed in a prominent place in recognition of faculty, staff and students who have come to our campus from countries around the world and of their diverse backgrounds and experience strengthen the campus,” said Jana Kay, campus registrar.

As part of a brief celebration for installation, the campus community will hear from Kate McAteer, assistant vice chancellor of academic affairs, Israa Alshaikhli, president of the Associated Students of Washington State University Tri-Cities, and Yuna Okamoto, a student in the Intensive American Language Center, on the importance and impact of having the installation on campus.

If there are flags not represented of current campus community members’ home countries, those individuals are encouraged to contact Erika Kraus, WSU Tri-Cities international student coordinator, at erika.kraus@wsu.edu. Additional flags will be installed as they are identified.