Please join us for a mental and emotional health workshop offered by Independent Health, "Activating the Vagus Nerve for Stress Reduction," on Tuesday, April 23, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. via Teams. Independent Health offers a variety of presentations and programs focused on helping employees learn and practice innovative ways to live a healthier lifestyle.

How you feel emotionally can have a direct impact on how you feel physically and vice versa. 

In this workshop, employees will learn ways to

• improve emotional health,
• activate the mind-body connection, and
• complete a deep-breathing and stretching exercise to activate the vagus nerve for stress reduction.

Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

Reminder! Every Friday is $7 entry into the Bengal Kitchen for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Please join us for "Intro to AWS Cloud," presented by Michael Brugnoni, solutions architect with Amazon Web Services, on Tuesday, April 9, from 5:55 to 7:05 p.m. in Science and Mathematics Complex (SAMC) 151. This talk is part of the Data Science and Analytics Seminar Spring 2024 Series. Please note: This presentation will be a remote broadcast to SAMC 151.

Talking Points

• What are the main benefits of cloud vs. traditional on-prem infrastructure?
• What is the shared responsibility model?
• What are fully managed cloud services and why are they beneficial?
• What is Amazon's main focus? 

Mr. Brugnoni has over 15 years of experience in IT infrastructure and operations, with a strong focus on UNIX/Linux systems. He graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a B.S. in information technology. He currently has six AWS certifications. Before joining Amazon, he led a team of IT engineers at Excellus BlueCross/BlueShield, where they designed and adopted hybrid cloud architecture. Mr. Brugnoni's expertise lies in leveraging his deep technical knowledge to drive innovation and streamline operations.

Edmund Haspett from TIAA will be on campus for individual consultations with Buffalo State faculty and staff members on Tuesday, April 16, between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. in Cleveland Hall 416.
Appointments are required.

Space is limited. Visit the TIAA website to schedule an appointment or call (800) 732-8353 weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Discuss your financial situation with an experienced TIAA consultant to help you plan for your future and pursue your financial goals. Take this opportunity to review your retirement savings or to increase or start a tax-deferred annuity.

Get answers to these questions and more:

Am I invested in the right mix of investments to help meet my goals?
Am I saving enough to create the retirement income I need?
How do I take income from my retirement account once I stop working?

Space is limited. Sign up today.

The Campus Planning Office would like to invite the Buffalo State University campus community to celebrate 2024 Arbor Day and Earth Day with events throughout the month of April! Earth Day is Monday, April 22, and Arbor Day is Friday, April 26. All events are open to the campus community and the public and are free of charge. For more information, please contact the Campus Planning Office.

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Wednesday, April 3
National Walking Day
Walk to work, take the stairs, or park farther away. The American Heart Association encourages you to stretch your legs and walk for health.

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Monday, April 8
Solar Eclipse

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Tuesday, April 16
Arboretum Lecture Series
"Rebuilding Buffalo's South Park Arboretum"
Margaret Lapp, Director, South Park Arboretum, Olmsted Parks Conservatory
6:00 p.m. - LoRusso Alumni and Visitor Center - Costello Hall
RSVP Steven Sypniewski, Campus Arborist

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Wednesday, April 17
NYS Archaeological Association and the Maud Gordon Holmes Arboretum Lecture
"Human Dispersal of the Paw Paw into WNY"
Stephen Tulowiecki, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Geography and Sustainability Studies, SUNY Geneseo
7:00 p.m. - Buffalo Museum of Science - Cummings Room
RSVP Susan Maguire, Associate Professor, Anthropology, Buffalo State

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Thursday, April 18
Earth Day and Arbor Day Sustainability Fair
Noon-2:00 p.m. - Campbell Student Union
Contact for Information Steven Sypniewski - Campus Arborist

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Tuesday, April 23
Arboretum Tour
Noon-1:00 p.m. - Hank Mann Quad
RSVP Steven Sypniewski - Campus Arborist

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Friday, April 26
Campus Bird-Watching Walk and Talk
7:30 a.m. - Location TBA
RSVP Campus Planning Office

Arbor Day Ceremonial Tree Planting
11:00-11:45 a.m. - East Side Bishop Hall
Contact for Information Steven Sypniewski - Campus Arborist

Arbor Day Lecture - "The Relationship of the Common Honeylocust and the Native American Community Before European Settlement"
Robert J. Warren II, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, Buffalo State University
3:00-4:15 p.m. - Technology Building 160
RSVP Campus Planning Office

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All events approved and sponsored by the Buffalo State Campus Planning Office, Sustainability Committee, and Friends of the Maud Gordon Holmes Arboretum. Please contact Campus Planning, (716) 878-6652, for more information.

The Graduate Student Association and Graduate Studies are sponsoring the 12th annual Graduate Student Research Fair and the ninth annual 3-Minute Capstone Contest. Please encourage graduate students to participate.

Graduate Student Research Fair Poster Presentations
All graduate students are invited to present research associated with a course, faculty-supervised research project, master's thesis, or master's project during the Graduate Student Research Fair Poster Session on Friday, May 10. To present at the poster session, students must register by Wednesday, April 24. 

3-Minute Capstone Contest
Master's project and thesis completers from December 2023 to August 2024 are eligible to participate in the 3-Minute Capstone Contest. Contest participants initially compete in the Academic School Capstone Contest against students in their academic school (Arts and Sciences, Education, or the Professions). The top three winners from each school win a cash prize and advance to the Buffalo State Capstone Contest Finals to compete live at 5:00 p.m. Friday, May 10, for cash prizes. December 2023-August 2024 thesis and master's project advisors are asked to encourage their thesis and master's project students to participate. The deadline for students to upload their three-minute Zoom .mp4 file for the Academic School Capstone Contest is Monday, April 22.

The Graduate Student Association website offers suggestions, tips, and examples to assist students create their presentation. 

More information about the events, registration links, timelines, and instructions for students are available on the GSA website. Administrators, faculty, staff, and Buffalo State undergraduate and graduate students are invited to register, attend, and celebrate the outstanding work of our graduate students!

The Art and Design Department is pleased to announce a special exhibition now open in the Margaret E. Bacon student gallery and foyer in Upton Hall. Art of the Totality: An Eclipse Exhibition features eclipse-themed artwork by Buffalo State University students and faculty. The exhibition will be on view through Monday, April 8.

Please join us for a reception on Thursday, April 4, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. in the Bacon Gallery and Upton foyer. All are welcome; refreshments will be served!

Please contact Marie E. Bogner, visual resources curator, with questions.

The Buffalo State Theater Department and Casting Hall Productions proudly present Little Shop of Horrors April 18-27 in Upton Hall's Warren Enters Theatre.

One of the longest-running off-Broadway shows, Little Shop of Horrors has devoured the hearts of theater-goers for over 30 years. Howard Ashman and Alan Menken (Disney's The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin) are the creative geniuses behind what has become one of the most popular shows in the world.

Little Shop of Horrors is a 1960s doo-wop sci-fi horror musical based on the film of the same name. Seymour Krelborn is a meek and dejected assistant at a floral shop who happens upon a strange plant, which he affectionately names "Audrey II" after his crush at the shop. Little does he know that this strange and unusual plant will develop a soulful R&B voice, a potty mouth, and an unquenchable thirst for human blood. As Audrey II grows bigger and meaner, the carnivorous plant promises limitless fame and fortune to Seymour, as long as he continues providing a fresh supply of blood. Just when it's too late, Seymour discovers Audrey II's extraterrestrial origins and his true drive for world domination.

Directed and choreographed by Bobby Cooke; assistant director - Jake Grear, '23; musical direction - Kathleen Dunne, '23.

Performances: April 18, 19, 20, 25, 26 at 8:00 p.m.; April 27 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online.

The Buffalo State community is cordially invited to attend the 28th annual Hospitality Ambassador Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, April 17, at 5:30 p.m. in the Statler Room on the first floor of Caudell Hall.

A reception hosted by the catering management students will immediately follow in the Russell J. Salvatore Demonstration Kitchen.

Admission is $30 for guests; hospitality students admitted free of charge.

Email your reservation or call (716) 878-3359 for more information.

The Buffalo Niagara Hospitality Ambassador Award recognizes individuals for their contributions and professionalism in the hospitality and tourism industry and student achievements. Hospitality ambassadors are leaders who make a positive impact on the regional community.

Ambassadors serve as guest lecturers, advisors, and partners to strengthen educational opportunities and employment pathways for Buffalo State University students. This year's recipients have demonstrated a strong commitment to the mission of the Hospitality and Tourism Department at Buffalo State University:

• Patrick Kaler, President and CEO, Visit Buffalo Niagara
• Josh Mancini, Vice President of Retail Sales, Desiderio Inc.
• Craig Lee, Sales Manager, Desiderio Inc.

An orientation meeting focusing on career planning and graduate studies for students who are underrepresented in the STEM fields will take place Friday, April 5, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Technology Building 160.

The Buffalo Region SUNY Alliance received funding from the National Science Foundation to provide student enrichment programs to underrepresented students through undergraduate research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. This program, the SUNY Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (SUNY LSAMP), aims to increase the numbers of students matriculating into and successfully completing degree programs so that the STEM workforce can be diversified. Emphasis is placed on transforming undergraduate STEM education through innovative, evidence-based recruitment and retention strategies and relevant educational experiences.

Criteria and opportunities will be shared. Qualified students will be eligible for funding to support their research. Please encourage students to visit the LSAMP website and register for the meeting. Thank you!