Elizabethtown College is a vibrant, energetic, and empathetic community. While the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to learn and work remotely, there are already so many positive stories that have come from the situation. Our Etown students, employees, alumni, and beyond are showing the world the incredible people who make up our community through their voices, stories, and acts of kindness they are providing to others, aligning directly with our College motto, Educate for Service. View our #Etowneverywhere stories below for a dose of inspiration. Share your #Etowneverywhere story with us! Simply email us.
Elizabethtown College Exceeds Goal in Make A Deposit, Make A Difference Campaign
Elizabethtown College exceeded its goal in its Make A Deposit, Make A Difference campaign. In an effort to provide $5,000 to local non-profits supporting critical needs and resources to the Elizabethtown-area community, the College launched the campaign announcing it would match 100 percent of all deposits made by students between April 4 and 10. On Saturday, April 4, during the College’s first-ever virtual Accepted Student Day event, the College met and surpassed its goal by raising $5,400.
Elizabethtown College Doubles Make A Deposit, Make A Difference Campaign
Elizabethtown College exceeded its goal in its Make A Deposit, Make A Difference campaign by raising $5,000. The College matched those donations and announced it would double its match totaling $10,000 to provide local non-profits affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the campaign, Etown will provide $5,000 to both the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank’s Elizabethtown Bear Bags Program and The Etown Ministerium. The donations will help to provide area families with food supplies and resources.
NOTE: On top of that $10,000 the College, will match an additional $5,000 in deposits made by students between May 9 and 15. This additional will also go toward and Elizabethtown-area non-profit.
Blue Jays, Always Video
To our incredible students: remember, we are Blue Jays, Always. View the video.
Elizabethtown College Supplies Medical Equipment to Neighbor in Need
Elizabethtown College and the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown have long been friendly neighbors. The two 
organizations are located less than two miles from one another and have built a strong partnership as Masonic Village has become an annual internship site for students at Etown studying Biology and Occupational Therapy. When the coronavirus pandemic hit the area and it was announced that Etown would move to remote learning, faculty at the College including Chair of Biology Department and Associate Professor of Biology, Jodi Lancaster, began taking inventory of what supplies could be shared with the retirement community.
COVID-19 Speaker Series
Join Elizabethtown College experts for an interactive and informative speaker series regarding topics related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each week throughout April, Etown faculty and staff will present on issues surrounding the global crisis. These presentations are open to the public, and anyone can join the live Zoom sessions each Wednesday at 11 a.m. Learn more about the speaker series.
Elizabethtown College Alumna Supporting Incident Command Operations for U.S. COVID-19 Response
Elizabethtown College alumna Agnetha Serrame ‘14 first started researching COVID-19 or coronavirus as part of her role as a CBRN Emergency Management Specialist with the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency in December 2019. Most recently, she’s been placed at the White House working as a contingency specialist based on her expertise in the field of biological incident response (or biodefense in the bigger scale), which can range from natural to man-made incidents.
Read more about how Serrame is making a difference in Washington, D.C.
Etown Student Using 3D Printing Technology to Produce COVID-19 Face Shields
First-year engineering student Emily Ward is using her extensive knowledge of 3D printing as well as her own personal equipment to create protective face shields to stop the spread of COVID-19. Ward has been fascinated by 3D printing since middle school. A video about using the technology to create prosthetic limbs sparked her interest and she has been researching it ever since. After purchasing her own printer in high school, she began working with 3D modeling software in her introductory engineering classes at Etown.
Etown Staff Sewing Face Masks to be Donated to Healthcare Workers
Jill Moore, Assistant to the President and Dean for Academic Affairs and Faculty Development, has been spending her evenings sewing medical masks to donate to friends working in healthcare. Moore, along with help from her husband, mother, and daughter, has created over 60 masks from hand-cut material and ponytail bands! Great work, Jill! Check out our Facebook post.
Etown Student Writes Letters to Local Nursing Home Residents
“My goal was just to share some light in a not-so-positive situation and ensure that people being affected don’t feel alone,” says Emma Nalesnik ‘23.
When Nalesnik learned that her local nursing homes were limiting or eliminating visitation time for their residents due to COVID-19 she jumped into action. She has written over 70 cards to be sent nursing home residents in her area and has even gotten her extended family into it with her little cousins drawing pictures to include with the letters. Check out the Facebook post.
Etown Alumna Collecting Donations for Face Masks
We are so proud of Gabrielle Yankelevich ’16! She and her classmates at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine are delivering N95 medical masks to hospitals and home health aides throughout Philadelphia. Great work, Gabi! 💙 Watch the news story.
Gabi is still collecting donations on her GoFundMe page to continue to support local health workers!
This kind of cooperation is very pleasant in these difficult days and it announces the kind spirits of human beings. Wherever we are and in whatever clothes we are, we must keep our spirits up and try our best. Hoping for good days.