Dr. Elson Floyd To Be Remembered, Honored Friday at WMU

The impact Western Michigan University's sixth president, Dr. Elson S. Floyd, had on the WMU and Kalamazoo communities will be celebrated during two afternoon events Friday, Oct. 16,  that will attract members of the Floyd family as well as those who worked with the late president in a variety of capacities.

At 2:30 p.m., the building that houses the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, will beformally dedicated as Elson S. Floyd Hall. The ceremony is by invitation only and will include remarks by WMU Board of Trustees Chair James Hettinger, President John M. Dunn and Vice President for Research Daniel Litynski. Following brief remarks, Floyd's portrait will be unveiled in the main lobby of the building.

At 4 p.m. campus colleagues and community friends of the Floyd family as well as the general public are invited to a celebration of Floyd's life at the Dalton Center Recital Hall. The event will feature remarks by former WMU first lady Carmento Floyd as well as WMU President John M. Dunn. The event also includes a performance by Dr. J. Frederick Bland and the Second Missionary Baptist Church Ensemble of Battle Creek and videotaped comments from campus and community members who will share their personal recollections of the Floyd presidency. Bob Miller, WMU associate vice president for community outreach, will serve as emcee.

Floyd was president of WMU from 1998 to 2003. He left WMU in 2003 to become the president of the University of Missouri system. In 2007, he was named the 10th president of Washington State University, a position he held until his death June 20 following a fight against cancer. He was 59.