Elmira College welcomed students back to campus today

Elmira, New York – With students from 19 states and 11 countries, the move-in started earlier this morning on the Elmira College campus.

Included are Japan, China, Sierra Leone, Trinidad and Tobago, Pakistan, and South Africa. And states include Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland, Illinois, Texas, Virginia, Alaska, Washington, California, Michigan, Florida, Arizona, South Carolina.

At the beginning of August, the college decided to mandate all students and faculty returning to campus to be vaccinated.

According to Elmira College President Dr. Charles Lindsay, this is so students can safely enjoy a college experience while we still live in a COVID world.

He says, “What that really does is allow us to have the Elmira college experience in its fullness. EC is about the on-campus experience, and not only what happens in the classroom, but outside the classroom and we’re going to be able to pursue that in an exciting and robust way this fall.” One incoming EC freshman, Anastasia Wolkwitz shares what the on-campus mask mandate means to her saying, “it just meant that I feel safer and more comfortable and I’m just more excited to be around people that I know are safe too.”

At the moment, anyone who is not fully vaccinated must wear a mask indoors and outdoors at Elmira College. The college does have some restrictions in place that limit visitors in the residence halls and give guidance about maintaining smaller, more spread-out events.