A Southern Tier college has roots in gender equality. Elmira College’s history begins with breaking down barriers between men and women. There are even stained glass windows in their chapel pointing to their history with women's rights.

Some people may not know Elmira College was the first to offer degrees to both men and women of the same level of difficulty. The college started back in 1855.

They allowed women to take classes of the same level of prestige that men were taking. Which back then, those higher level classes were Greek and Latin, the same classes men needed to become lawyers. The College also offered life sciences classes.

Since then Elmira College has changed. They became coed in 1969. Even instituting gender neutral housing in recent years after a student led effort.

“Our students are really great at bringing out attention to structural inequality to racism built right into our movements for women's rights and other social justice movements," said Alexa Yesukevich, coordinator of women and gender studies program at Elmira College.

Future generations of students attending the college could be the first to see the college’s first female president. The campus continues to work toward being more inclusive.

"I think on campus we are still working hard to create spaces for women to do what women need to do and what they can do next and that’s really exciting to be part of," said Yesukevich.