CWU students, faculty, and staff say farewell to Farrell Hall

For 51 years, Farrell Hall has hosted a broad variety of Central Washington University programs, from Sociology to Law and Justice, and many more.

Constructed in 1975 and named after Distinguished Alumna Corinne Farrell (’53), an internationally recognized bone cancer researcher, the building is scheduled for demolition this summer, coinciding with the opening of the new North Academic Commons (NAC).

On Friday, June 5, students, faculty, and staff gathered in the atrium of Farrell Hall to bid the space a fond farewell, and to swap stories of their time learning and growing in its many classrooms and communal areas. Administrative Assistant for Sociology Kelly Zakel-Larson fondly remembers bearing witness to students living the quieter moments of their lives in the building.

“When I would come in at 8, I would see students hanging around the fourth-floor lounge, because that one had the longest couch,” she said. “Those little moments of life in between classes were always fun to be part of.”

Zakel-Larson looks forward to preserving the memory of the beloved building, in order to give its many alumni something to look back on.

“Having a historical record that this building was here is so important to continuing our relationship with those former students,” she said. “These old buildings are as important to them as they are to us, so we want to be able to keep them in our memories, both personally and as an institution.”

Mackenzie Erickson (’11) earned her degree in Law and Justice in Farrell Hall, and she thinks of it as a key component of her path to her current career.

“Farrell and the Law and Justice program really set me up for success,” she said. “I have a great career here now, still with CWU as a police officer.”

Erickson looks forward to witnessing the program’s transition to the new space in the NAC alongside her canine coworker, Archie.

“I think it’s amazing that Central is investing in their students in a very popular major,” she said. “Having this brand new building with so many upgrades is an excellent opportunity to help future students and Law and Justice majors to participate in everything we have going on here.”

Law and Justice junior Serenity Hendricks found her place in Farrell Hall, through her work with the CWU Mock Trial Club.

“A lot of my favorite memories from this building happened in the mock trial room,” she said. “Every one of them comes from how our professors made that space feel, and the community they helped build around us.”

The NAC features an expanded mock courtroom, which will allow the club to further hone their skills as well as play host to other organizations like theirs looking for a spirited debate in a professional setting.

“The mock courtroom right now is a little cramped, so I’m excited to see how Mock Trial Club will be able to utilize the new, larger space,” Hendricks said. “We’ll be able to work more on our projection and vocalization, as a bigger space has an impact on how we need to present ourselves. We’ll really be able to show it off at the invitational we’re hosting in January, too.”

With demolition slated to begin the first week of July, Hendricks knows that the community it helped forge will live on well after the physical space is gone, both inside the NAC and across campus.

“While Farrell is leaving, the spirit of the building will stick around, with everyone who got to know and care for each other here,” she said. “These bonds will stay with us for the rest of our lives.”