Mission, Vision and History

In 1954, the creation of a rehabilitation counseling program began a decades-long legacy of meeting the needs of at-risk individuals. The program, led by Marceline Jacques, met the needs of a population that had limited access to educational services. First specializing in the rehabilitation of people with mental and physical disabilities, it later served those with alcohol and drug addiction. 

In 1974, UB launched its Regional Rehabilitation Continuing Education Program (RRCEP). This U.S. Department of Education-funded program was among 10 nationwide and served rehabilitation needs at the federal, regional, state and local levels. The long-term success of GSE’s rehabilitation training programs eventually led to new grant awards and the development of a Center for Rehabilitation Synergy in 2006, focused on excellence in education and in human resource and organizational development in the field of rehabilitation.

The school’s current program for teacher education began in 1962. Today, the Office of Educator Preparation has its roots in the Buffalo Research Institute on Education for Teaching (BRIET), which launched in 1988. Led by Catherine Cornbleth, BRIET met a demand for improved teacher training. Faculty studied teaching methods and preparation; planned and implemented programs to enhance pre-service and continuing education of teachers; and researched professional development and support services for schools.

Since its inception, the teacher education program has helped thousands of students become New York State-certified teachers. In 1999, BRIET was renamed the Teacher Education Institute (TEI).

In 2006, GSE’s teacher education program obtained accreditation from the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC). In 2019, TEI was renamed the Office of Educator Preparation to more accurately reflect the teacher certification services and support provided by the office.

In 1962, the University at Buffalo transformed from a private to public institution after its merger with the State University of New York. The School of Education became the Faculty of Educational Studies in 1966, and the increasing numbers of students and faculty facilitated the school’s move from Foster Hall on South Campus to Baldy Hall on North Campus in 1973.

Under Hugh Petrie’s leadership (1981–97), faculty reorganized the school and the name, Graduate School of Education, was chosen to reflect the professional nature of the school. In addition to improving upon its long-standing programs, GSE solidified its teacher education program, learning and technology initiatives, and school-university partnerships.

Jacquelyn Mitchell (1997–99) oversaw a comprehensive strategic plan during her brief time as dean. Building on GSE’s diverse strengths, she provided the school with a roadmap for the new millennium. Mitchell focused faculty efforts on urban education and technology, areas where she envisioned GSE playing increased leadership roles.

During Mary Gresham's tenure (1999–2012), GSE expanded its academic mission to support school-based research throughout the pre-K–16 community and embraced a variety of international education initiatives. Her leadership helped develop relationships and create partnerships with universities around the world and articulated a vision for the future of the GSE.

In 2001, GSE introduced its first fully online program in general education. The audience for these programs is global, and our students bring diverse backgrounds and experiences into our online classrooms. GSE is committed to expanding this effort; today, our school offers 26 fully online programs leading to doctoral and master's degrees, and advanced certificates.

From 2002–2012, GSE served the island city-state of Singapore with its school counseling master's degree program, in collaboration with the Center for American Education in Singapore. During that time, the program graduated five cohorts of students, and demonstrated that an American model of education can be successfully tailored to meet the unique needs of Singaporean schools.

Library education at UB had its first incarnation from 1919–44, when approximately 350 students graduated. In 1942, the school sought expansion funding prior to its bid for accreditation from the American Library Association. Chancellor Capen was unable to provide university funding and reluctantly decided to phase out the program. 

The library education program was re-launched in 1966, accredited in 1972 and, in 2000, joined the Department of Communication in UB’s former School of Informatics. In 2007, the Department of Library and Information Studies became GSE’s fourth department, enhancing the natural connection between education and libraries. In 2019, the department was renamed the Department of Information Science.

A generous gift from GSE alumna Jean Alberti (PhD ’70, Educational Psychology) established the Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention in 2011. The mission of the center is to reduce bullying abuse in schools and in the community by contributing knowledge and providing evidence-based tools to effectively change the language, attitudes and behaviors of educators, parents, students and society. The center is a national resource on the prevention of bullying and other antisocial behaviors among school children and provides research and information that addresses these behaviors.

As the eighth dean in the history of GSE, Jaekyung Lee (2013–17) led an ambitious vision for advancing the school's national and international prominence in research, graduate education and educational policy. The guiding principles behind this vision were the Four Pillars of Distinction: (1) Evidence-based educational improvement across the lifespan, (2) Pedagogy of inquiry, engagement and impact, (3) Lifelong support for students and alumni, and (4) Interprofessional collaboration and global partnerships.

Suzanne Rosenblith became the ninth dean of the Graduate School of Education in July 2017. Under her leadership, the Graduate School of Education has advanced its research, teaching and community engagement, while increasing the number of faculty who come from historically underrepresented backgrounds. In addition to new degree programs and experiential learning opportunities, the school has also expanded academic and faculty support that have contributed to enrollment, recruitment and retention gains.

In recent years, GSE has forged partnerships with the Buffalo Public Schools and other area school districts, bringing UB expertise into local classrooms and allowing our students and faculty to draw on-the-ground inspiration from real-life experience. Those partnerships are a key part of GSE’s 2025 strategic plan, “Realizing Our Collective Promise,” which also focuses on building a more diverse community of faculty, staff and students; supporting research; and bolstering student excellence through a rigorous and supportive teaching and learning environment.