Twenty-six years ago, measles was declared eliminated in the United States. Yet last year, the country suffered 2,280 cases and is on track for a similar total this year. University campuses from South Carolina, a current hotspot, to the University of Wisconsin-Madison and even the University of Florida have been exposed to the highly contagious disease.
For students in Florida, the most concerning outbreak took place at Ave Maria University, a private Catholic university 25 miles northeast of Naples. As of mid-February, 57 cases have been reported at the university.
It was while cases were spreading on Ave Maria’s Florida campus that the university announced the development of a second campus at Mount Melleray Abbey, a recently closed monastery in Ireland. Ave Maria’s Irish campus is predicted to begin classes as soon as the fall semester of this year, a quick turnaround considering news of the new campus broke headlines in Irish newspapers The Journal and Waterford News & Star on Feb. 10. Five measles cases were identified at the university between Feb. 9 and 11, according to Fox 4 News.
Officially, both Ave Maria University and Rollins College require “all students” to receive and provide documentation for receipt of the MMR vaccine, which provides immunization for measles, mumps, and rubella. Likewise, both mandate hepatitis B and meningitis vaccines. As of February 2026, Ave Maria allows students to “submit a signed waiver declining receipt of vaccinations” without providing a specific reason to request an exemption. Most of the university’s student body has received the MMR vaccine and has been able to continue day-to-day activities throughout the outbreak due to immunity…