President’s Council Award, Stand Energy Prize Presented
Alumna Alison Mandel ’72 and Emily Bush ‘18 were recently presented with The President’s Council Award and Stand Energy Prize, respectively, during a ceremony held in Peterson Chapel. [Read More]
President’s Council Presents Annual Awards
May 22 2017
Category: Academics
The President’s Council of Elmira College awarded their highest honors, The President’s Council Award and the Stand Energy Prize, during a ceremony held May 18 in Peterson Chapel.
The President’s Council Award was presented to alumna Alison Mandel ’72. The Award recognizes outstanding Elmira College graduates who have distinguished themselves and the College by exemplary service in the College’s greater community, and who, by giving generously of their time and talent, has improved the quality of the community. Mandel has devoted her professional and civic life to bettering the Elmira community.
In addition to being the founder, and advisor since 1994, of Elmira College Circle K, Mandel is a long-standing member of the Elmira Kiwanis Club. She was the first female president of the Elmira Kiwanis, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament, and longtime volunteer and ticket co-chairman of the former Corning LPGA Tournament. In 2004, the Kiwanis Club recognized Mandel with the Hixon Award for her dedication to community service.
Mandel, who currently works at Hilliard Corporation, is the retired director of education at the Wings of Eagles Discovery Center and sales and service coordinator with Excellus Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
The Stand Energy Prize was presented to Emily Bush ’18, a biology major from Hammond, New York. The Prize, established by Stand Energy Corporation, recognizes an Elmira College student who, in the course of performing an internship with regional businesses or community organizations, has demonstrated outstanding leadership, initiative, creativity, and responsibility. Emily was nominated by her supervisor for her internship at Arnot Ogden Medical Center.
In addition to a variety of student clubs and activities, Emily is a member of Phi Eta Sigma, Freshman Honor Society; Gamma Sigma Epsilon, Chemical Honor Society; Omicron Delta Kappa, Leadership Honor Society; and Beta Beta Beta, Biological Honor Society. She is a recipient of the Phi Beta Kappa undergraduate prize, and is currently applying to medical schools for matriculation in the Fall of 2018.
During the event, the Council also presented a gift to Dr. Norman Smith in appreciation of his service and leadership over the past two years during his interim term as president.
"I had the opportunity to meet with Norman during his first week on campus and I was impressed with his knowledge of, and how prepared he was to tackle, the "to do" list created by the College Trustees," said Mike Wayne, chair of The President’s Council. "I'm confident that the work completed by Norman, and the management team he has assembled, has created a clear path to assist the College's growth path."
Dr. Charles Lindsay, provost at Elmira College, has been appointed the next president of the College and begins his term on July 1.
Where Are They Now: Ashley Youngs ’16
It has been nearly a year since the Legendary Class of 2016 crossed the Commencement stage. In the new series, “Where Are They Now,” we catch up with these young alumni to see how they are doing. Ashley Youngs ‘16, recipient of the 2016 Stand Energy Prize, is continuing her journey at Radford University in Virginia. [Read More]
Where Are They Now: Ashley Youngs '16
May 12 2017
Category: Alumni
It has been nearly a year since the Legendary Class of 2016 crossed the Commencement stage. In the new series, “Where Are They Now,” we catch up with these young alumni to see how they are doing.
This week features Ashley Youngs '16. Ashley is studying industrial organizational psychology at Radford University.
Let’s hit the books and learn more from Ashley…
It’s hard to believe it has been almost a year since I graduated from Elmira. Since then, I have continued my education at Radford University. I quickly fell in love with the beauty of Virginia. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Radford has a great deal of opportunities for hiking and outdoor activities along with its impressive campus.
Although Radford is much larger than Elmira, my small cohort size allows us to form bonds with our professors, which is one of the many things I cherished about Elmira. My professors at EC were supportive mentors who helped define my career direction.
One aspect of my program includes client projects with local organizations. This allows us to practice our skills from the classroom in a consulting setting. Beyond my academics, I have also been working as a graduate teaching assistant. This rewarding experience has allowed me to help students pursue their passions in psychology.
Next year, I have accepted a position to teach my own introductory psychology course. This was not part of the plan when deciding to attend graduate school, but I feel blessed to share the knowledge I learned from my role models at EC.
Last year, I remember wondering what this next chapter would look like. Although graduate school is ambiguous and challenging, the education I received at Elmira gave me the tools and experiences to hold my own.
My advice to the graduating seniors is to believe in your abilities, but step outside of your comfort zone as much as possible. There may be some growing pains in the transition of this next step, but every experience will teach you something new about yourself.
Join us for Wine Fest on June 17
The Third Annual Wine Fest is for Saturday, June 17 from 1:00-4:00 p.m., on the Lawn. This year’s event features a variety of wineries and distilleries from the Finger Lakes including Hunt Country, Fulkerson Winery, and Finger Lakes Distilling. Come laugh, sip, and explore with classmates and friends. Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased at the event or online.
Reunion Features Several Lectures
Reunion lectures this year feature presentations by Dr. Thomas Fiala, Professor Emeritus, Arkansas State University with Dr. Deborah Owens, Director of Teacher Education, and Dr. Matthew Seybold, Assistant Professor of American Literature and Mark Twain Studies at Elmira College. [Read More]
Reunion Features Several Lectures
May 25 2017
Category: Alumni
Reunion 2017 is only three weeks away. As part of the traditions and festivities, alumni can also get back into the classroom with educational lectures from Dr. Thomas Fiala, Professor Emeritus, Arkansas State University, and Dr. Matt Seybold, Assistant Professor of American Literature and Mark Twain Studies at Elmira College.
Both lectures are on Friday, June 16 in Peterson Chapel, Cowles Hall. Dr. Fiala's lecture begins at 11:00 a.m. and Dr. Seybold's lecture starts at 3:00 p.m.
 
Dr. Thomas Fiala’s presentation focuses on Elmira College's most important product - it's graduates. During the first one hundred years of the College's proud history, these pioneering alumni set a standard for personal achievement that continues today.
In the second presentation, Dr. Matt Seybold will focuses on Samuel Clemens’s earliest visits to Elmira. During these years, Clemens revels in an emerging national celebrity status, based on his carefully crafted reputation as an “American vandal," but simultaneously strives to ingratiate himself to the stately Jervis Langdon, and Langdon’s intensely devout daughter and Elmira College alumna, Olivia Langdon.
Professor Seybold joined the Elmira College faculty in July 2015. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine in 2012, after which he worked at The University of Alabama. He teaches courses on all periods of American Literature, as well as interdisciplinary courses on mass media and economics.
Click here to register for these lectures and other Reunion events.
Twain Talks Begin June 14 at Park Church
The Center for Mark Twain Studies at Elmira College is pleased to announce the 2017 Park Church Summer Lecture Series. This year’s lecture series features three lectures in June at the historic and cultural landmark, The Park Church, 208 W. Gray Street, Elmira. [Read More]
Twain Talks Begin June 14 at Park Church
May 30 2017
Category: Twain
The Center for Mark Twain Studies at Elmira College is pleased to announce the 2017 Park Church Summer Lecture Series. The lecture series features three lectures in June at the historic and cultural landmark, The Park Church, 208 W. Gray Street, Elmira.
The first lecture, “Twain and the Hawaiian Nation” presented by Molly Ball, assistant professor of English at Eureka College is Wednesday, June 14. The lecture addresses Twain’s approach to nationhood in work that comes out of his 1866 trip to the Hawaiian Kingdom. In letters written for a Sacramento newspaper, Twain reflects on Hawaiian society in a moment in which Native Hawaiians sought to make their Kingdom legible to foreigners as a sovereign nation. By casting themselves as national, self-governing subjects, Native Hawaiians sought to ward off other nations’ attempts to make the Islands into an imperial holding. As Twain depicts Hawaiian scenes and settings, he troubles nationalist thought (dominant in the West in this period) that holds that national identity resides in a culturally homogenous citizenry.
The series continues on Wednesday, June 21, with “Conjuring the Superstitions of a Nation: Magic, Memory, and Huckleberry Finn,” presented by Sarah Ingle, English lecturer at the University of Virginia. In Following the Equator (1897), Mark Twain wrote, “Let me make the superstitions of a nation and I care not who makes its laws or its songs either.” Yet, despite this indication that Twain viewed superstition as a supremely powerful social force, scholars have had surprisingly little to say about the role of superstition in Twain’s most famous novel. In Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, conjure becomes a metaphor for two competing ways of reading: Jim’s fortune-telling and Huck’s transformative retrospection.
The Park Church Series concludes on Wednesday, June 28 with “Artemus Ward: The Man Who Made Lincoln Laugh,” presented by John Pascal, English teacher at Seton Hall Preparatory School in New Jersey. It is generally accepted that during his lifetime, Mark Twain was considered the preeminent American master storyteller and lecturer of humor. The tsunami that is Twain’s literary achievement can easily overwhelm the earlier vast movement of the American literary scene that led to its creation. The “underwater earthquake” of this movement is Charles Farrar Browne, but his more famous pseudonym is Artemus Ward. This lecture will analyze the construction of Ward’s literary reputation by showing that what made Ward so popular in his time was the fact that his literary humor was rhetorically gentle. Ward parlayed the success of his nationally published letters into a commercially successful career as the first comedic lecturer to tour the nation. His platform appearances helped Twain become more professionally aware of humor’s literary and commercial value.
The Park Church Lecture Series is free and open to the public. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. for guided tours of The Park Church, with lectures beginning at 7:30 p.m.
About The Park Church Founded in 1846 by a group of abolitionists, The Park Church has been a strong presence in Elmira’s history and some members of its congregation were close friends and family members to Mark Twain. Known for its striking architectural features, The Park Church contained Elmira’s first public library and has a long history of charitable service to the Elmira community. Currently, it is an “Open and Affirming Congregation,” welcoming all people to worship and participate in its communal life, regardless of ethnic origin, race, class, age, ability, gender, or sexual orientation.
Alumni Spotlight: Jessica Rudolph ’12
When Jessica Rudolph ‘12 arrived at Elmira College, she knew she wanted a career in accounting. Now, five years after graduating, she has put the skills learned at EC to good use and earned a Masters of Business Administration and become a certified public accountant. [Read More]
Jessica Rudolph ’12
Staff Associate at KraftCPAs, PLLC in Nashville, Tennessee
“I know what I want out of life and my career, and I do my best to work toward achieving my goals.”
 Since high school, Jessica Rudolph ’12, knew she wanted to study accounting. After the traditions and welcoming community of Elmira College attracted her to the campus, she eagerly pursued a double major of accounting and business administration.
As an EC student, Jessica stayed busy serving as an Orientation Leader for three years and getting involved in the Concert Ensemble, Circle K, and Rotaract Club. She also was an accounting tutor for principles of accounting and intermediate accounting, as well as student manager of dining services. Jessica challenged herself in the classroom as well as on campus, seeking guidance from her advisor John Savash, Associate Professor of Accounting. Jessica credits Elmira College with teaching her managerial skills and how to balance work with school, which came in handy for her graduate studies.
After graduation Jessica moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and began working full time as an accountant within private industry. In the summer of 2013, she became a certified public accountant and then tackled her goal of getting a Master of Business Administration degree, which she completed at King University in December 2016.
In 2017, Jessica moved to the next chapter of her career, switching from the private to public industry as a staff associate in the entrepreneurial services department at KraftCPAs, PLLC, in Nashville. This department primarily works with small businesses, and performs a range of services including bookkeeping, financial statement preparation, and tax work. This past tax season was Jessica’s first one at the company and although it was definitely a challenge, she enjoyed the work, and sees herself sticking with public accounting.
Jessica enjoys traveling and plans to see as many states, and other parts of the world, as possible. Over the past three years she has visited Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, New Orleans, and San Antonio. This year, Jessica is planning her first European getaway with stops in London and Dublin.
When not working or traveling, Jessica is busy volunteering. For the past four years she has been a member of the Epsilon Sigma Alpha (ESA) Zeta Nu chapter, an international community service organization. Jessica also supports St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and is member of the Nashville Sunset Rotary Club, which supports a number of organizations and events around Nashville.
162nd Commencement Celebrates 2017 Graduates
The 162nd Commencement took place Sunday, June 4 at the Murray Athletic Center. Alumna Doris Fischer Malesardi ‘64 and Trustee William Helmuth Waldorf received honorary degrees for their long-standing dedication and support to the College. [Read More]
Elmira College Celebrates 162nd Commencement
June 04 2017
Category: Academics
Elmira College celebrated the graduation of 328 students during its 162nd Commencement on Sunday, June 4 at the Murray Athletic Center, Pine Valley. The exercises included the conferring of 296 undergraduate and 32 graduate degrees.
Following a welcome by Elmira College President Norman Smith, two individuals were conferred with the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters based upon their long-standing dedication and support to the College.
Doris Fischer Malesardi, Class of 1964, has served on the Elmira College Board of Trustees and the Board Executive Committee for the past decade. She has been the Secretary of the Board since 2014 and has served on the Student Life, Development, By-Laws, and Governance Committees. Additionally, her involvement with the College has included enabling alumni events around the country and making possible important improvements to the College’s teaching resources. Of particular note is her, and her husband Robert’s, gift of the Finance Classroom at the entrance to the Gannett-Tripp Library, which has become a symbol of the College’s pursuit of learning resources at their very best. Their generosity has also included important restorations in Cowles Hall, including in the Main Floor Parlors.
William Helmuth Waldorf joined the Elmira College Board of Trustees in 1993, following in the footsteps of his mother and alumna, Miriam Tracy Waldorf ’32, who was a dedicated member of the Alumni Board and also served as a Trustee. Over the past quarter century of service to the College, which has included 20 years as member of the College’s Executive Committee, he has conscientiously served, notably as the Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee and of the Investment Committee. He has also magnanimously donated major gifts that have enabled scholarship endowments, classroom renovations, and the Cowles Hall restoration.
Following the conferring of the honorary degrees, Dr. Charles Lindsay presented the 2017 undergraduate and graduate candidates to Dr. Norman Smith for conferral, and then introduced the 2017 Valedictorian, Chloe Nowak ’17.
Dr. Smith, joined by Dr. Robert Morris H’16, then presented the graduates and audience the Fifteenth President of Elmira College, Dr. Lindsay. Dr. Lindsay, who was announced as the next president of the College in February and will begin his term on July 1, affirmed his commitment to the College and community.
“As we embark on the next chapter in the history of this great college, let us continue to build an Elmira that provides a robust and exciting campus experience for students, faculty, and staff,” said Dr. Lindsay. “Let us continue to build an Elmira that offers academic and student life programs that inspire intellectual growth, creativity, discovery and a spirit of collaboration. Let us continue to build an Elmira that is deeply connected to the city of Elmira, the Southern Tier and the world, so that we can impact the world in a positive and meaningful way.”
During ceremonies prior to Commencement, members of the graduating class were recognized with multiple honors and prizes, including induction into Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest national honors organization, and officer commissioning with the United States military. The Class of 2017 also included more than 115 honor graduates receiving summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude honors.
Purple & Gold Golf Outing
The 2017 Purple & Gold Golf Outing was held Saturday, May 20 at the Mark Twain Golf Course. A full slate of alumni, athletes, and friends came out for a day of fun and supporting Elmira Athletics Check out the photos.
Is “Free Tuition” Really Free?
The New York State Executive Budget includes what has been marketed as “free” tuition for New Yorkers making up to $125,000 per year who attend State University of New York (SUNY) or the City University of New York (CUNY). While this may sound like a deal that’s hard to beat, we breakdown the details and what families need to consider, and what you, as alumni, can do to help combat the misconceptions. [Read More]
Excelsior Scholarship - What it Means for Students, Alumni
The New York State Executive Budget includes what has been marketed as “free” tuition for New Yorkers who attend State University of New York (SUNY) or the City University of New York (CUNY) and have an adjusted gross income of $100,000 for the 2017-2018 academic year, $110,000 for the 2018-2019 academic year, and $125,000 for the 2019-2020 academic year. It also has been proposed that Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and Bundy Aid be denied to students in schools that increase tuition beyond a set index.
These proposals begin a very important discussion on college affordability, but they compromise the long-standing policy of equal state financial aid for all students of similar means. Any program that increases supplemental financial aid to students should allow those students to use that support at whatever New York institution of higher education, public or private, best fits their academic, social and career interests. This has been the state’s long-held policy, as embodied in TAP, and to abandon it now denies students the equal treatment, choice, and opportunity that they deserve.
More than half of undergraduates who receive TAP at independent colleges and universities come from families earning an income less than $200,000. The maximum TAP award of $5,165 has only increased once in the last decade but private, not-for-profit colleges and universities have tripled the amount of aid they provide to students from their own resources since 2001.
Elmira College is committed to student success AND affordability. The average family income of a student attending our institution is $91,000, with 99 percent of our students receiving financial aid from Elmira College’s own resources. Tuition and room and board remain the same for 2017-2018, freezing into place the 2016-2017 rates, to help families with their financial planning. Elmira also is now among the very few private colleges not adding mandatory fees for basic services such as activities, technology, or health center.
What does this mean for alumni? We hear time and again from our alumni, the virtues of small class sizes, undergraduate research, and experiential learning through programs such as Term III and Study Abroad. Combined with the networking power of our esteemed alumni, Elmira College can and does make a difference in the lives of our students. To that end, we ask your support in two areas:
1. As the Excelsior Scholarship is rolled out and more details come to light, we ask EC alumni to be vigilant in conversations with friends, family, and potential students, on the benefits of a private, liberal arts education – not only to the students attending, but also to the faculty, staff, and local economies in which our institution calls home. In 2015, Elmira College generated 1,090 direct and indirect jobs and contributed $115,900,000 to the local economy.
2. Make a gift to support scholarship aid for EC students. Gifts from alumni, parents, and friends give Elmira College the competitive edge it needs to enroll and support the most talented students each year, enhance educational programs, and continually add new educational resources, making sure that Elmira remains a top-tier, national liberal arts college.
No college of distinction gets that way, and stays that way, without the support of its alumni, and since 1855, Elmira College alumni have given that support. Through your continued pride, advocacy, and financial support, Elmira College’s academic distinction will continue for future generations.
Comparison of the Excelsior Scholarship and Financial Aid at Elmira College
Excelsior Scholarship
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Financial Aid at Elmira College
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| To be eligible for the Excelsior Scholarship, students must be New Yorkers who attend State University of New York (SUNY) or the City University of New York (CUNY), and have an adjusted gross income of $100,000 for the 2017-2018 academic year, $110,000 for the 2018-2019 academic year, and $125,000 for the 2019-2020 academic year. | Each year, Elmira College awards scholarships and other financial aid to promising students regardless of financial need or residency. The average family income of a student attending Elmira College is $91,000 with 99 percent of students receiving financial aid from Elmira College's own resources. |
| The Excelsior Scholarship covers tuition costs only. Room/board, student fees, books and supplies, and other expenses are the responsibility of the student. For a New York resident living on campus, these additional expenses at a SUNY school can total $18,210. | At Elmira College, financial aid awards are applied to the full cost of attendance including tuition, room and board. In addition, the College has eliminated all supplemental mandatory student fees, such as activities, health center, and technology fees. |
| Program participants are required to enroll full time. To remain eligible, students must carry a course load of 30 credit hours per year and maintain a passing grade. Part-time students and students taking fewer than 30 credit hours per year are not eligible. Students with disabilities under the ADA are allowed to attend on a part-time basis and their award will be prorated. | For New York State students, Elmira College provides more than $12 million per year in scholarships and grants; our merit-based awards can total more than $100,000 per student over four years. Financial aid opportunities are available for both full- and part-time students. |
| Students must graduate on time or see a portion of their scholarships convert to loans. Students who remain in college beyond the standard duration of the degree program in which they are enrolled (two, four or five years), will be required to pay back the amount awarded for each additional year. The four-year graduation rates at SUNY and CUNY are 49 percent and 21 percent respectively. | Students are eligible for financial aid each year of attendance. The four-year graduation rate is currently 60 percent and 97 percent of students are admitted to graduate school or employed within nine months of graduating. |
| Graduates are required to live in New York State for the same number of years that funding was received. Students working during those years must work in New York State. Failure to meet these requirements will result in the conversion of the award to a loan. | There are no limitations at Elmira College. Forty percent of students study abroad and many go on to work for the companies with which they interned after graduating. |
Alumni in the News
Dean Jackson ’03
Named Assistant Coach for Women’s Hockey at Cornell University
Alexandra Hood ’16
Painting and progress
Michael Husted ’79
Guest artist exhibit at Gallery Forty-One (41 Lake St. in Owego) in June
Elmira College in the News
Brocton student wins Congressional Art Competition
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Upcoming Alumni Events
Reunion 2017
6/15/2017
Wine Fest 2017
6/17/2017 1:00 PM
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