Message from the Dean
Dear GSE Alumni and Friends,
It is with great pride that I welcome you to the Spring 2026 issue of Learn. This edition marks a meaningful moment in the life of the Graduate School of Education. It is a homecoming both literally and symbolically. With the completion of the $41 million renovation of Foster Hall, we return to a building that holds generations of memories, now reimagined to support the bold, inclusive and forward-looking work that defines GSE today.
The theme of this issue, “Homecoming, Reimagined,” reflects the spirit you will find throughout these pages. Our cover story, “A historic return to Foster Hall: Built then. Revived now,” explores how renewed learning spaces mirror GSE’s evolving mission, blending history, sustainability and community-centered design with reflections from faculty, staff and students on what returning home truly means.
You will also meet members of our community who are shaping education in creative and unexpected ways. Mental health counseling alumnus Dorian S. Withrow Jr. shares how he uses animation and storytelling to model emotional growth and expand conversations around mental health. Faculty research and leadership are highlighted through features on Scott Sabella’s U.S. Department of Education-funded grant, Paris Wicker’s timely op-ed on AI literacy, and practical guidance from Ian Mette on thoughtful, ethical uses of artificial intelligence in the classroom.
This issue also celebrates emerging scholars and students. From Reza Nahid Sahlan’s culturally grounded research on eating disorders and body image to Samantha Didrichsen’s personal reflection on her dissertation journey, these stories remind us that innovation often begins with curiosity, courage and lived experience. We also recognize alumni achievements, such as Iman Lathan’s Spencer Dissertation Fellowship and Jennifer McDonel’s nationally recognized work blending music, STEM and early childhood education.
As you read these pages, my hope is that they remind you of GSE’s shared values and commitments. Thank you for being part of this journey.
Suzanne Rosenblith
Land Acknowledgment Statement
A pledge to peaceably share and care for North America’s five Great Lakes
We would like to acknowledge the land on which the University at Buffalo operates, which is the territory of the Seneca Nation, a member of the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations Confederacy. This territory is covered by The Dish with One Spoon Treaty of Peace and Friendship, a pledge to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. It is also covered by the 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua, between the United States Government and the Six Nations Confederacy, which further affirmed Haudenosaunee land rights and sovereignty in the State of New York. Today, this region is still the home to the Haudenosaunee people, and we are grateful for the opportunity to live, work and share ideas in this territory.