I am excited to announce that Nyandusi A. Nyachae, lecturer in the Social and Psychological Foundations of Education Department, will present “How to Authentically Increase Your Influence So as to Elevate Student Success” as the next speaker in our Elevating Student Success in Our Current Environment Series on Thursday, April 8, from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. via Zoom videoconference. This series is co-sponsored by the Title III Task Force and the Professional Development Center. Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

What does student success mean at Buffalo State College? What are the individual ways that we cultivate student success at the college, and how can we as individuals apply these practices to our own work to support the students we serve? Join us as we learn from our colleagues their definition of student success and the specific practices we as staff or faculty members can apply to better support the intellectual, personal, and professional growth of our students. Each conversation will involve a 10-to-15-minute presentation from a staff or faculty member focused on his or her definition of student success and effective practices that others can apply to their work with students. These conversations will then be followed by a 45-to-50-minute facilitated conversation by a member of the Title III Task Force about how we can apply these practices to our individual work with students. We will also discuss similar practices colleagues found to be effective and build off of the ideas presented to elevate these practices across campus.

About Nyandusi Ayako Nyachae
Nyandusi Ayako Nyachae, known as “Dus” or “Coach Dus” to many, is a full-time lecturer in the Social and Psychological Foundations of Education Department at Buffalo State College. Mr. Nyachae has received numerous awards, such as the 3X Most Inspiring Faculty at Buffalo State College recognized by student organizations, as well as the Muriel A. Howard Presidential Award for promoting equity and diversity on campus. Mr. Nyachae has been a faculty adviser for United Students Government (USG), the Pan African Student Organization (PASO), and Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU), and he continues to mentor and coach students at the institution outside of his teaching hours. He is also the founder of a college personal, professional, and leadership development program at Buffalo State known as “The Success Zone.” Mr. Nyachae has served on numerous committees across the campus community, and he is a certified facilitator at Buffalo State for the globally recognized leadership company Franklin Covey.

Within the community, Mr. Nyachae was recognized as an honoree of the Changemakers 30 Under 30 Award. He has served on the executive board of the Buffalo Urban League Young Professionals as the civics and economics chair, and he is a current board member at the King Center Charter School.

Mr. Nyachae is a sought-after thought leader beyond the world of higher education who has been recognized as an independently certified professional speaker, coach, and trainer. Over the last 10 years, he has had the privilege of inspiring, equipping, and empowering groups of individuals including high school and college students, entrepreneurs, professionals, leaders, and those in the faith community, locally, nationally and globally.

I am pleased to announce that Joy Guarino will serve as interim director of global engagement for the 2021–2022 academic year. In this role, she will oversee the Center for Global Engagement, which facilitates international student and scholar services, study-away opportunities, and international grants and fellowships for the Buffalo State College community.

Ms. Guarino brings a wealth of experience and passion to the position. Along with serving as a professor of theater who has taught myriad dance courses since fall 2004, she is also the faculty coordinator for service-learning with the college’s Civic and Community Engagement Office. In this role, she’s helped faculty members design community-engaged experiences that help students grow into well-rounded individuals and global citizens. Ms. Guarino has also presented her research on kinesthetic learning, service learning, and civic engagement nationally and internationally.

She’s committed to creating a worldview for students and has encouraged them to explore short-term study-abroad opportunities. She has accompanied students to Beijing, China; Bridgetown, Barbados; and Guimarães, Portugal, and she oversaw a service-learning course for students to assist in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in 2017. 

Ms. Guarino, who earned a master of fine arts from Temple University in 1986, impresses upon her students that a culture’s values are embodied in its dance forms and guides them to embrace dance as a means to cultural awareness, expression, identity, and respect. 

Please join me in welcoming Ms. Guarino to the position.

I am excited to share that Buffalo State Gives, the college’s third annual Day of Giving, kicks off at noon today. This 24-hour crowdfunding event features a dozen programs and initiatives across campus—from the Student Emergency Fund to the Muriel A. Howard Honors Program, from Art Conservation to Athletics.

I encourage you all, as members of the Buffalo State College community, to visit the Buffalo State Gives website and make a gift of any size in support of our students. Faculty and staff members who choose to donate during the Day of Giving may do so through the website and have their support counted toward this year’s Faculty and Staff Appeal.

I also strongly encourage you to help get the word out about the Day of Giving. The more people know about this exciting opportunity to give, the more support we will raise for our students. You can help out by visiting the Buffalo State Gives website and clicking the “Share” button.

Better yet, you can sign up to be a champion for an initiative that is important to you and share your participation on social media during the Day of Giving itself.

If you have any questions about Buffalo State Gives or being a champion, please contact Kate Lockhart, development coordinator, at 878-4658.

Thank you for everything you do for Buffalo State.

Buffalo State Gives 2021 wraps up at noon today, so there is still time to spread the word or make a gift for our third annual Day of Giving.

The Buffalo State community is encouraged to donate to the college in support of our students. Donors have the option of giving to one of 12 causes or “stories” on the Buffalo State Gives website.

Please join us and make a gift on the Buffalo State Gives website today! Faculty and staff members who choose to donate during the Day of Giving may do so through the website and have their support counted toward this year’s Faculty and Staff Appeal.

If you have any questions about Buffalo State Gives, please contact Kate Lockhart, development coordinator, at 878-4658.

I appreciate all of your efforts to help make Buffalo State Gives a success and for raising awareness about our amazing programs, funds, and initiatives that our donors can support.

After consultation with the appropriate stakeholders, I am pleased to announce that effective June 1, the Health, Nutrition, and Dietetics (HND) Department will move to the School of the Professions. The department is currently housed in the School of Natural and Social Sciences.

The HND Department offers undergraduate programs in health and wellness, nutrition and dietetics, and dietetics education; minors in exercise science and coaching; a nutrition track in the multidisciplinary studies graduate program; and a 4+1 accelerated pathway with Adult Education. The change is part of the academic reorganization tied to the new School of Arts and Sciences, which also launches June 1. Shifting the department to the School of the Professions should provide additional opportunities for collaboration among the programs

The HND offices will remain in their current locations: Dietetics and Nutrition in Caudell Hall 334; and Health, Wellness, and Exercise Science in Houston Gym 202. Their campus phone numbers will remain (716) 878-5913 and (716) 878-6501, respectively.

I am excited to announce that Gregory Wadsworth, associate professor of biology; Kimberly Kamper-DeMarco, assistant professor of psychology; and Mary Beth Sullivan, lecturer in the College Writing Program, will present “Meeting Students Where They Are with Digital Supports: A Panel Discussion,” as the next speakers in our Elevating Student Success in Our Current Environment Series, on Tuesday, April 13, from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. via Zoom videoconference. The panel discussion will be moderated by John Draeger, professor of philosophy and director of the Teaching and Learning Center. This series is co-sponsored by the Title III Task Force and the Professional Development Center. Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

What does student success mean at Buffalo State College? What are the individual ways that we cultivate student success at the college, and how can we as individuals apply these practices to our own work to support the students we serve? Join us as we learn from our colleagues their definition of student success and the specific practices we as staff or faculty members can apply to better support the intellectual, personal, and professional growth of our students. Each conversation will involve a 10-to-15-minute presentation from a staff or faculty member focused on his or her definition of student success and effective practices that others can apply to their work with students. These conversations will then be followed by a 45-to-50-minute facilitated conversation by a member of the Title III Task Force about how we can apply these practices to our individual work with students. We will also discuss similar practices colleagues found to be effective and build off of the ideas presented to elevate these practices across campus.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced on March 11 that starting today, April 1, domestic travelers will no longer be required to quarantine after entering New York from another U.S. state or U.S. territory.

Mandatory quarantine remains in effect for international travelers. All travelers must continue to fill out the Traveler Health Form.

While quarantine may no longer be required for domestic travel, we must continue to ensure adherence to campus safety measures to stop the spread of the virus and keep the campus community safe.  

Please be reminded that you must complete the daily health screening assessment before reporting to campus. If you are returning from travel, you are required to complete surveillance testing the first day you return to campus. 

While on campus, please continue to maintain physical distancing, wear your masks, and do not gather in large groups. Together we can continue to keep Buffalo State College a safe place for all students, faculty, and staff.

I am pleased to announce that Meghan Pereira will assume the new role of director of instructional design and distance learning at Buffalo State College.

For several years, Buffalo State has offered online and hybrid courses and programs for students and professional development opportunities for faculty and staff. This past year has reinforced the need to expand our online and remote learning activities and to envision a future in which we strategically offer more online experiences for our Buffalo State community.

Ms. Pereira has provided leadership and guidance regarding online initiatives at Buffalo State for 15 years, and she brings a wealth of experience across all facets of online learning including course design, online instruction, faculty development, strategy, and policy. She has built a strong professional network while serving on the campus Online Oversight and Readiness Committee over the years and in her role on the SUNY Online Advisory Committee. She served as external vice chair of the SUNY Directors of Online/Distance Learning Environments from 2013 to 2017 and most recently became a facilitator for SUNY Online Institutional Readiness.

Her strong leadership and proven record of accomplishments in online learning make her ideally suited for this position. In this new role, Ms. Pereira will lead campus online initiatives in coordination with academic departments for the development and delivery of online courses and programs while coming together with members of the college community to support students in ways that meet their unique needs and support retention efforts for our online and distance students. In addition, she will support the campus to ensure that we are meeting standards and requirements defined by SUNY, the State Education Department, Middle States, and regional and programmatic accrediting agencies. She will advocate and promote our online courses and programs within the new SUNY Online initiative.

Please join me in congratulating Ms. Pereira and wishing her well in this new role.

Today I pause to thank our student-athletes for all they do and the many ways they contribute to our campus. Our nearly 400 Division III student-athletes are important members of our Buffalo State College community. They chose to come to Buffalo State because of our outstanding academic and community programs, but also because they wanted to play their chosen sport...

Please follow my blog at http://kateconwayturner.tumblr.com.

Thomas Koller, officer in charge of intercollegiate athletics and senior associate athletics director, has announced his retirement effective June 26, 2021. In light of this transition, the search for a permanent director of intercollegiate athletics has been reopened. (The search was paused in March 2020 with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.)

Mr. Koller's contributions to the campus have been numerous, and I am grateful for his service to the division and his leadership at the college.
 
Mr. Koller has been a vital part of the Bengals’ athletics department since 2001, when he was first hired as assistant athletics director for external affairs and was later promoted to senior associate athletics director in 2010. He has been serving as officer in charge of athletics since July 2020, helping pave the way for a return to competition for the spring sports while navigating safety protocols within the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
At Buffalo State College, his duties have included the supervision of five offices as well as several athletics programs. He has served as the department’s chief development officer, which includes liaison to the college's Institutional Advancement Office, as well as oversight of team fundraising, the Bengal Club, major gift solicitation, and the annual Bengal Club Golf Classic. Also responsible for corporate relations, Mr. Koller has developed and implemented partnerships with local, regional, and national companies to raise more than $1.6 million since his arrival. He was also responsible for marketing and promotions and has oversight of camps and clinics.

Mr. Koller also has served as chair of the Buffalo State Athletics Hall of Fame and for many years was the chair of Buffalo State's Homecoming and Family Weekend. In addition, he has served as the master of ceremonies for the college’s annual Scholarship Gala and has been the lead speaker at First-Year Convocation. He has also served as campaign coordinator for the college’s SEFA/United Way campaign, and he is past president of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. He received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service in 2015.

Mr. Koller is an adjunct instructor in the Communication Department, specializing in media writing, sports journalism, and oral communication/public speaking. A graduate of Buffalo State (journalism, 1980) with a master’s degree from UB (administration of higher education, 1999), he began his professional career as a sportswriter at the Rome Daily Sentinel before spending 12 years at the Niagara Gazette in Niagara Falls, where his primary beats included the Buffalo Bills and Niagara University athletics. Before coming to Buffalo State, Mr. Koller enjoyed 11 years at the University at Buffalo, first as the director of sports information and later as assistant athletics director for marketing and corporate relations.

We will identify a way to mark his contributions and share details in the future, but for now, please join me in thanking Mr. Koller for his incredible work and commitment to Buffalo State College and wishing him all the best in his retirement.