Navigating the Washington State University Tri-Cities Campus: A Comprehensive Guide
Washington State University (WSU) Tri-Cities, nestled in the heart of Washington wine country along the Columbia River, offers a unique educational experience. To make the most of your time on campus, understanding the campus layout and available resources is essential. This guide provides a detailed overview of WSU Tri-Cities, including directions, transportation options, key buildings, and notable features.
Getting to WSU Tri-Cities
WSU Tri-Cities is easily accessible by car. To reach the campus, take Exit 5-B onto George Washington Way in Richland. Travel north for approximately 5 miles and turn right onto Sprout Road, which is located just past Hanford High School.
Transportation
WSU Tri-Cities offers convenient transportation options for students, faculty, and staff. An agreement between Ben Franklin Transit (BFT) and WSU Tri-Cities allows individuals displaying a valid WSU PASS sticker on their Cougar Card to ride all parts of the fixed route bus system free of charge. These passes are accepted on all BFT scheduled routes and CONNECT services and are supported by the campus safety and transportation fee. WSU PASS stickers are applied each academic term to verify current employment or enrollment status.
Key Buildings and Features
The WSU Tri-Cities campus comprises several key buildings, each serving a specific purpose.
The East Building
The East Building holds the distinction of being the first and oldest building on the WSU Tri-Cities campus. The Tri-Cities campus began as the Joint Center for Graduate Study in July 1958 as a collaborative effort among WSU, the University of Washington and Oregon State University. In 1967, the Richland School District donated 84 acres to provide a permanent home for the facility. Construction began on the East Building in July 1967. Elson S. Floyd Building houses classrooms, faculty offices, and administrative services. Its area covers 40,000 square feet.
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The West Building
Connected to the East Building by two corridors on the first and second floors, the West Building houses many student service facilities. The architectural highlight of this 70,000-square-foot building is its atrium, a large windowed room overlooked by the second-floor balcony that faces the east lawn and Columbia River. The atrium features flags representing the nationalities of international students and strings of 1,000 cranes, called senbadzuru, folded by students on campus. Max E. Benitz Building.
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates WSU Wine Science Center
Built in a sagebrush landscape along the mighty Columbia River in the heart of Washington wine country, the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates WSU Wine Science Center is a state-of-the-art facility developed in close partnership with the wine industry. This teaching, research, and extension facility is among the most technologically advanced wine research and education facilities of its kind in the world, transforming the Washington wine industry with cutting-edge science in the tradition of its forefathers, Dr. Walter Clore and Dr. Myles Anderson. This 40,000-square-foot facility includes an open atrium with a wine library, research and teaching laboratories and winery, and classrooms and meeting spaces. The Wine Science Center symbolizes WSU Tri-Cities' commitment to innovation and collaboration with the local community.
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