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Grounded in the liberal arts and sciences, Elmira College provides a collaborative and supportive environment that enables students to become active learners, effective leaders, responsible community members, and globally engaged citizens.
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Info For
As Daniel Mercedes ’27 starts his day, the morning sun illuminates Elmira College's historic campus. From his dorm room, Mercedes, who is from the Dominican Republic and came to the United States at age 15, shares how he balances soccer practice, classes, and a part-time job with an exciting new pursuit in Cybersecurity.
Mercedes chose Elmira College for its welcoming atmosphere and strong international community. "There are a lot of international students here, and that's something I really look at because I want to feel like I'm at home," he explained. "Most of the soccer team speaks Spanish, and I just feel like I'm at home."
As a Business Administration major with a concentration in Marketing, Mercedes arrived at EC with an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for technology. "I've always been interested in coding and using computers," he said. When he discovered Elmira's partnership with Rize Education to offer a Cybersecurity minor, he immediately seized the opportunity.
His first course, Introduction to Cybersecurity, sparked an unexpected passion. "One of the things that I really liked learning in this course was coding and decrypting messages," Mercedes shared. "I've always found that interesting. When I learned how to do all of that, it was fun."
The online format proved ideal for his busy schedule, and the support exceeded his expectations. "The professors were always on top of everything," he shared. "Less than 24 hours after asking a question, the professor always reached out to me and helped me with anything I wanted." This level of engagement helped him thrive, even while balancing his athletic commitments.
Mercedes's interests in technology extend beyond the classroom. "I'm also part of the Esports team here," he said enthusiastically. He competes in FIFA and Fortnite in the campus Esports lab, which features state-of-the-art equipment including ten high-end PCs alongside PlayStation and Xbox consoles. "If you have your own console, you can also play in your room. They give you a lot of freedom with that."
The Esports program at EC stands out for its professional approach. "The coaches here, they take the program very seriously," Mercedes noted. "They treat it like a normal sport. It's very exciting. I know there aren’t a lot of colleges that offer that."
As Mercedes looks ahead, he plans to take more Cybersecurity courses, eager to explore areas like network security and ethical hacking. His entrepreneurial spirit has already led him to explore digital business ventures, from dropshipping to cryptocurrency trading with his soccer teammates. "You never know in life what you're going to be doing," he reflected, "but cybersecurity is one of the things I'm interested in. Maybe in the future, I could be a cybersecurity agent."
According to Mercedes, on any given evening you can find him with friends in EC's historic buildings completing their nightly gaming ritual. "Some days when we don't have homework, I just tell my roommate, 'You want to come and play Fortnite?' And we just go at it," he said as his face lit up at the memory. This same spirit of camaraderie extends to the soccer field, where Mercedes finds another family away from home. "Every time we're done with practice in soccer, we yell 'family' because we treat each other like a family."
For Mercedes and Elmira College, this combination of traditional sports, Esports, and Cybersecurity education represents the future of higher education. The blend of athletics, academics, and technology creates a uniquely modern college experience –– all while maintaining a close-knit community.
Visit our Cybersecurity page to learn more.
