2. BEGINNINGS
• Made possible through a large gift from Eleanore
Woods Beals, '50, and her husband, Vaughn Beals
• Vision of improving academic achievement in Buffalo
• A team comprised of Buffalo State community
engagement and education leaders translated this
vision into the Community Academic Center
• Desire to further increase Buffalo State’s presence in
its West Side neighborhood
CAC
3. BUFFALO’SWESTSIDE
• Buffalo’s most
diverse region with
over 70 languages
spoken
• 24% of all refugees
that come into New
York State settle in
the Buffalo area
• In 2011 Buffalo
resettled 1,600
refugees; the
expected number in
2012 is over 2,000
CAC
5. BUFFALO’SYOUTH
• 42% of youth (ages 5-18) in the city of Buffalo live in
poverty.
• The high school graduation rate for the city is 54%.
Without a high school diploma, a young person is twice
as likely to be unemployed.
• On the West Side 41.4% of the total population and 61.2%
of youth under age 18 living below the poverty line.
Both values are almost triple national averages.
CAC
6. COMMUNITY
ACADEMICCENTER
“Buffalo State is proud to build on strong partnerships
with its West Side neighbors by establishing the
Community Academic Center…The CAC will be a place
for us to work with and serve the people of Buffalo by
collaborating on outstanding cradle-to-career
educational opportunities. We are enormously grateful
to the Beals family for making this center possible.”
~ President Aaron Podolefsky, 2011
CAC
8. COMMUNITY
ACADEMICCENTER
The excitement generated by the new center has attracted
many visitors. For example, SUNY Trustee Eunice Lewin,
Assemblyperson Sean Ryan, and SUNY Chancellor Nancy
Zimpher listen as students from BPS International School
#45 describe the importance of learning about science and
going to college.
CAC
9. MISSION
• The Buffalo State Community Academic Center (CAC) serves as
a site where people from higher education and the local
community meet to engage each other about matters of
importance to children, families, and the West Side
neighborhood. The center's mission is to coordinate and
anchor cradle-to-career educational support programming for
youth on Buffalo's West Side. Recognizing that the success of
children is directly related to a viable social and economic
infrastructure, the center also supports micro-enterprise
development and partners with neighborhood revitalization
efforts. With a special emphasis on the needs of refugee
families, the center serves as a "hub" for work being done at
various satellite locations in partnership with a variety of
community-based organizations.
CAC
10. COMMUNITY
ACADEMICCENTER
Unique by design
The CAC is unique by design
• geographically placing the college within the community
• pushing past the traditional boundaries between campus and
community
• more than just its physical location, the CAC places itself in a
distinctive space in terms of the services provided.
CAC
11. THREEPRONGS
CAC
Direct Programming
Integrates Buffalo State students and volunteers into the West
Side community in programs that support youth and families.
Support Programming
Brings Buffalo State students to community partner sites to
support the good work that they are doing
Networking
Coordinating and collaborating with agencies that promote
effect service provision
Using a three-pronged approach, the Center provides direct
programming to youth and families, supports existing
programs at partner organizations, and enhances the network
between organizations supporting youth and families.
12. DIRECTAFTER
SCHOOL
PROGRAMMING
Digital Storytelling Workshop
Buffalo State English Department
Visual Art Program
Buffalo State Art Education Department
Explorations in Science
Buffalo State Earth Science and Science Education Department
Dance Program
Buffalo State Theater Department
Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts of WNY
CAC
