历史 & 传统

成立于1855年, 埃尔迈拉大学 is a private, 男女合校的, Phi Beta Kappa college located in Elmira, 纽约. 

Elmira was the first college for women with a course of study equal in rigor to the best men's colleges. “Female seminaries” as they were called at the time, were essentially glorified high schools. In contrast, from its very inception, 埃尔迈拉大学 offered rigorous academic programs. 

EC became 男女合校的 in 1969, and today has an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 800 full-time, mostly residential 学生. The College also offers advanced 证书, master's degree programs, and non-credit courses for professional development.

The College is home to the Center for Mark Twain Studies, which encompasses the Mark Twain Study, Mark Twain Archives, and 采石场的农场. The Center attracts Twain scholars from around the world and is one of four historically significant Twain heritage sites in the U.S.

Twain’s wife and College alumna, Olivia Langdon Clemens, 是mg冰球突破豪华版下载, 纽约, native and member of the Class of 1864.

The Mark Twain Study, now located on campus, is the study in which the famous author penned The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and other iconic works. 《mg冰球突破豪华版下载》 named the Mark Twain Study one of the nation’s top 10 literary landmarks.

采石场的农场, home to Twain’s in-laws and now under the stewardship of the College, is where Twain and his family spent more than 20 summers. The site was named one of 纽约 state’s literary landmarks by United for Libraries and the Empire State Center for the Book, an affiliate of the 图书馆 of Congress Center for the Book.

校园传统

Purple and gold colors. A competitive athletic spirit. Singing our Alma Mater. 传统 such as these help connect the Elmira community. We’re proud of our legacy, and we look forward to seeing 学生 forge new traditions to share with the next generation of leaders.

山天

Dean Anstice Harris instituted the 山天 tradition at 埃尔迈拉大学 in October of 1918. The day is not a designated holiday, but rather a day in which classes are cancelled, 允许学生, 教师, and staff to engage with each other in memorable and less formal ways.

在早年, 学生, 教师, and staff enjoyed a picnic lunch and hiked to 采石场的农场 on East Hill. They also participated in 游戏, planting projects, relaxing, and enjoying the colorful foliage. In recent years, 山天 has been more campus-oriented. After a number of morning activities, a picnic lunch is served to the entire campus community, and the remainder of the day is spent enjoying the fall weather, 游戏, 户外活动.

节日宴会

The 节日宴会 celebration is the oldest of EC’s time-honored traditions. It is a semi-formal affair and begins a weekend of traditional holiday festivities. 

Students join their favorite 教师 or staff member in the 校园 Center Dining Hall for a traditional Thanksgiving holiday dinner. 教师 and staff serve the 学生 dinner, carving turkeys and passing dishes in a family-style meal.

In keeping with tradition, the graduating class presents a holiday ornament that has special significance to the College. The class officers present the College President with the ornament to adorn the tree in the Dining Hall. At the end of the 节日宴会, members of the graduating class lead the room in traditional holiday songs.

八角公平

This long-standing EC tradition offers a family-friendly day of fun, 食物, 游戏, 工艺品, and entertainment for the entire community. The day traditionally features a line-up of live entertainment including performances by 埃尔迈拉大学 a cappella groups and demonstrations by clubs and organizations like the EC Danceline.

In addition to entertainment, a variety of vendors, 地区工匠, and student clubs offer items for sale such as baked goods, 珠宝, 艺术作品, 陶器, 植物, 服装, 游戏, 美容产品, and locally grown produce. Proceeds from the Fair benefit student clubs.

5月天

5月天 is a time when the 埃尔迈拉大学 campus comes alive for a week of fun in the warming weather. Sink a classmate with a well-aimed throw at the dunk tank. Show off your inner rock star with the karaoke mic. Soak your classmates (and get soaked) with some water balloon dodgeball. Create some unique arts and 工艺品. Enjoy some detox after the long academic year. Dance around in a foam party. And gather around a fire to roast marshmallows for s’mores. 

烛光

烛光 is one of the College’s most cherished traditions. 这个由两部分组成, poignant ceremony takes place first at Fall 欢迎 for each new incoming class and then on the eve of Commencement for that class four years later.

During Fall 欢迎, incoming 学生 process by candlelight along the brick-paved walkways leading to The Puddle. After taking seats around The Puddle, they are addressed by established members of the 埃尔迈拉大学 community. Upperclass 学生 who have led the new 学生’ orientation traditionally sit across The Puddle from the new 学生. The Fall 欢迎 烛光 ceremony marks the last time the new class is gathered on campus before all other 学生 return to campus to begin the academic year.

四年后, 烛光 takes place when the class again gathers together one last time in ceremony before Commencement the following morning. It's tradition that the graduating class is addressed by two members of the class, an “honorary patron saint” from the ranks of the 教师 or staff, and one graduating student’s parent.