Community Outreach and Engagement
The Graduate School of Education is committed to engaging meaningfully with the schools and communities we serve. We are dedicated to building and sustaining partnerships that allow for the mutual exchange of ideas, and working collaboratively to conduct research that solves real problems and informs policy for the public good.
Education Doesn't End at the Classroom.
We believe meaningful change happens when research, practice and community come together.
Community engagement is more than outreach—it's how we learn, teach, conduct research and create lasting impact. Through partnerships with schools, nonprofits, community organizations, government agencies and families across Western New York, we work alongside those closest to today's educational challenges to co-create solutions that improve lives.
These partnerships are reciprocal by design. Community partners inform our research and teaching, while GSE faculty, students and staff contribute expertise, innovation and evidence-based practices that strengthen schools, organizations and communities.
Together, we're preparing future educators, supporting today's practitioners and advancing ideas that make education more responsive, more equitable and more impactful.
How We Engage
We Partner
We believe the strongest solutions emerge when universities and communities work side by side. That's why we cultivate long-term, reciprocal partnerships with schools, school districts, nonprofits, government agencies, community organizations and industry leaders throughout Western New York and beyond. Together, we identify challenges, leverage our collective expertise and co-create innovative approaches that strengthen education and improve outcomes for children, families and communities.
We Learn Together
Community engagement is a two-way exchange of knowledge. We value the lived experiences, perspectives and expertise of our partners as essential to informing our teaching, research and service. By bringing together educators, researchers, students and community leaders, we create opportunities for dialogue, shared learning and collaborative problem-solving that deepen understanding and inspire new ideas.
We Create Impact
Our partnerships are grounded in action. Whether preparing future educators through authentic field experiences, advancing research that addresses pressing educational challenges, expanding professional learning opportunities or supporting community-driven initiatives, we are committed to translating knowledge into meaningful, measurable impact. Together with our partners, we strive to strengthen schools, expand opportunity and improve the well-being of the communities we serve.
Community engagement at GSE happens through four interconnected areas:
Partnerships
Working alongside schools, districts and community organizations.
Learning & Service
Preparing students through authentic community experiences.
Dialogue & Leadership
Convening conversations that bring diverse voices together to address educational challenges.
Research for Impact
Translating scholarship into practical solutions that strengthen communities.
Featured Community Initiatives
Brainy Bulls is a FREE tutoring services to local students in grades 5-12. Tutor-mentors in all subjects are available. We match your student with a UB student who will offer academic guidance in regular one-to-one online tutoring sessions. The program is made possible by UB and GSE.
Schedule a Tutoring Appointment
WNY Education Equity Task Force aims to establish an educational system in Western New York where all community members are accountable and empowered to ensure students meet high academic standards and are supported socially, culturally, and emotionally.
Learn More About the Taskforce
Community–University Conversations is an ongoing public engagement series hosted by the University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education. Through interactive discussions with educators, community leaders and researchers, the series fosters collaboration, shared learning and innovative partnerships that strengthen education and communities.
Learn More About the Series
Engagement in Motion
A bicycle is more than a way to get from one place to another—it can also be a powerful tool for learning. At the University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education, the innovative STEMcyclists program uses bicycles to introduce high school students to engineering, physics, biomechanics and problem-solving through hands-on experiences in their own communities. By taking bikes apart, rebuilding them and exploring the science behind how they work, students gain technical skills, confidence and a new perspective on STEM careers. See how UB researchers and community partners are helping the next generation discover that science is everywhere—even on two wheels.
Connect with Us and Get Involved
Wil Green
Assistant Dean of Outreach and Community Engagement