UB connections run deep in this ‘True Blue’ family

To Mary Busch growing up, UB was like a part of the family — practically a presence at the dinner table. The connections ran so deep and wide that the university was an inevitable topic of conversation at every family gathering.

Her grandfather, Peter Rao, played football, wrestled and ran track as a student at UB in the 1950s. It’s where he met Mary’s grandmother, Connie, who was also a student. Mary’s two uncles, Pete and Pat, both attended UB and were wrestlers.

Rao, or “Papa” to Mary, came back to UB in the 1980s to coach football, and going to Bulls games was a regular part of Mary’s upbringing.

“We had family season tickets from as early as I can remember. Our seats backed up to the press box, at about the 50-yard line,” said Mary. “Papa chose those seats because he liked to be able to see all the action.”

Mary’s mom, Christa Greenberg, started working at UB in the early 1990s. Mary would often visit her in her office in Park Hall, where she still works today as coordinator of undergraduate studies and senior academic adviser for the psychology department.

“Campus was like my second home from an early age. Any day that I was off from school, I was there,” said Mary. “It was a big deal for us to go get lunch in the union. The campus felt gigantic, and it seemed like such a cool place.”

She later enrolled at UB herself, earning undergraduate and graduate degrees. Following in her grandparents’ footsteps, she met her future spouse on campus. And following in her mother’s footsteps, she later joined the staff here.

Mary works as the academic coordinator in the Department of Electrical Engineering. Her husband, Mark, is a digital media specialist with Student Life.

Together, they carry on the family tradition by immersing themselves in campus life and True Blue spirit.

As football season ticket holders, they still go to every home game. “It’s just baked into Mary’s family and something that I’ve come to adopt as part of my own identity,” said Mark.

The pair met as undergraduates at the Relay for Life in Alumni Arena, where Mary was helping run activities for the gymnastics club.

“I had no gymnastics experience, but I got obsessed with trying to swing myself around on the equipment they brought in. I hung out there the entire time, ditching all my friends,” recalled Mark. By the end of the night, he had been convinced to join the team, and got Mary’s number to coordinate carpooling to the gym.

Together they were involved with the UB True Blue student club, bonding over their love of UB football. Attending Buffalo Chips concerts became the couple’s Valentine’s Day tradition.

They each started their employment at UB early, as well. Mary’s first job was at the campus bookstore; after that, she was a career peer in the Career Services office; later, as a graduate student, she worked for Athlete Academic Affairs.

Mark was a “printer jockey” for UBIT computing sites and eventually became a supervisor for that group.

“It was a great experience, and a big part of why I looked for an opportunity at UB after I graduated,” Mark said.

In his current professional role, Mark runs one of UB’s main student-focused social media accounts, a position that involves him in some of the most iconic campus activities, such as opening weekend, commencement, and parent and family weekend.

“I really enjoy being able to experience some of the things I never did as a student,” said Mark, citing Oozefest as a prime example. “I wish I would have done that when I was a student. But now I get to spend an entire day there taking pictures and posting to Instagram. It’s one of my favorite things that I do.”

Mary described her own position as a “perfect fit.”

“Education is in my blood. I look at my mom’s career and can see the impact she’s had on students,” she said.

As her perspective continues to expand, she thinks even more about her UB roots.

When her grandfather was inducted posthumously into the UB Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010, Mary was thrilled to actually meet some of the people whose names she’d been hearing her whole life.

“I was like, Oh, they were on a team together! That’s how it ties together,” she said. “I’ve heard so many stories, and now at this point, I’m really understanding them.”

The associations cover seemingly endless ground. “Each one of us has a different piece of the puzzle,” she said, elements that connect past and present as they bring new people into the fold.

A prized family cowbell, brought to graduation ceremonies for generations, has rung in some of these changes.

“It was rung at both of my graduations, and I brought it to Mark’s graduation and rang the cowbell for him,” recalled Mary.

It was struck again more recently for Mary’s cousin, Genevieve Rao, a 2019 graduate and the family’s newest UB alum. Because commencement tickets were limited, the family had to get creative to bring everyone in to celebrate.

“My grandma is very involved with the UB Women’s Club, and through that gets the opportunity to volunteer as an usher, so that’s how she saw her granddaughter graduate,” Mary said. “Mark was taking pictures, so he was there. My mom was a grand marshal for the psychology department, so she was there. I didn’t have a ticket, though, so I waited on campus with our son.”

She decided to walk him over to the Student Union, like her mom did with her decades before.

“I said, ‘Here, you can run around on the seal to welcome in the next generation.’”

Editor’s note: Are you part of a True Blue family? Show us how.