The long-awaited Talley Student Union celebrated its grand opening Wednesday with a luncheon, public ceremony and open house.
A single trumpet got the attention of the crowd as Chancellor Randy Woodson spoke about Talley Student Union and its namesake, Banks C. Talley, Jr.
Following Woodson, student leaders introduced and publicly welcomed and thanked the namesakes of spaces in and near Talley Student Union, like Thomas H. Stafford.
Aerial dancers performed over the side of the balconies, representing the versatility of the open space above the lobby. Following the performance, members of the NC State marching band came and played the fight song. The band then closed the ceremony with the alma mater, uniting students, alumni, faculty and staff.
The speakers at the event spoke of the shared experiences and emphasized that the new Talley Student Union is a place for all members of the NC State community to come together.
“This is our space. This is our pack. This is our union,” Khari Cyrus, Student Body President, said.
Woodson highlighted the idea of Talley acting as an open, safe ground.
“Here at Talley Student Union, we seek to create a safe and inclusive environment for the campus community,” Woodson said.
While most of the attendees were honored guests and alumni, many students gathered in the lobby and around the balconies to be a part of the grand opening.
“It was really, really cool,” Estelle Rohr, a junior studying nutrition science, said. “I’ve never seen that in person before. I feel like the event lacked advertising, and not many students knew about it.”
Judith King, a senior studying biological sciences, said she wished a few others had spoken at the event as well.
“Dr. Stafford is so well known; I would have liked to have heard one of his speeches,” King, said.
Students at the event expressed their excitement about the new Talley and the resources they will be able to find inside.
“I think it’s amazing…it gives you something to be proud of,” Brooke Peery, a senior studying biological sciences, said.
Peery said that she is much more likely to go to Talley now for both food and for the CSLEPS offices, one of the many student organizations housed in the new union.
However, the wait for Talley Student Union to reopen was a long one, and some beloved features of the old Talley are missed.
“The wait was understandable, but I wish they still had the Wolves’ Den,” Peery said.
