From the Coastal Waters of Georgia to the Cloud Forests of Costa Rica

As a new fall semester begins, UB is buzzing with the activity and excitement generated by thousands of new and returning students.

Our students—and their intellectual passion, curiosity and engagement—are the heartbeat of our campus community. And the students who come to UB are as vibrant and distinctive as the educational experience we provide here.

UB draws students who embrace opportunities to work alongside leading faculty at the top of their fields; to pursue clinical, research and extracurricular experiences that bring classroom learning to life; and to gain valuable global perspective. Such students find a challenging yet nurturing home here at UB, and they graduate uniquely prepared to contribute to their communities through their knowledge and expertise.

Creating a transformative student experience for our students is vital to UB’s mission. We’ve established the UB Fund to help provide the resources and support necessary to ensure equitable access to these experiences. More than two-thirds of our undergraduates demonstrate financial need, and giving to the UB Fund is one of the most important ways alumni can make an immediate, real-world difference in their lives.

Just as a brief sampling, alumni philanthropic support has enabled recipients to study at one of the world’s largest energy particle accelerators, research red tide plankton off the coast of Georgia and investigate water resources in the cloud forests of Costa Rica. It has helped expand opportunities for women in the STEM fields, fostered stronger partnerships with local schools, created a thriving culture of student entrepreneurship, and enhanced sustainability efforts across campus and in our broader communities.

These kinds of opportunities profoundly impact the course of these students’ personal and professional lives. In the words of recent graduate Grozdana Vidovic (BA ’16), recipient of a study abroad scholarship that enabled her to spend an unforgettable semester in Seville, Spain, “Studying abroad made me independent, knowledgeable, understanding and confident in exploring the unknown.”

Those qualities are the hallmark of UB students and graduates in every field. The opportunity to cultivate those qualities to the fullest helps our students, in turn, make a meaningful difference in the communities they later enrich with their expertise and leadership.

Supporting our students’ success through giving to the UB Fund is just the beginning of a chain of events that can change the world. The possible outcomes of that support are endless. Perhaps our students will continue their education in graduate programs and go on to shape the future of their fields. Perhaps they will start careers that transform the future of Buffalo. Or perhaps they will come up with a great idea that may launch a successful global start-up company. No matter what they do or where they go, donor support opens the door to life-changing opportunities—for our students and for everyone who will benefit from their knowledge, dedication and passion.