Students from high schools around New York State were given the opportunity to sit in on classes and get a feel for SUNY Buffalo State on Friday, April 10. The event was invitation-only and is held annually.

Provided that the students applied and were accpeted to Buffalo State, this opportunity is given to students to try and give them an idea of what life at Buffalo State would be like for a senior coming from high school.

Usually, there is a mix of students from in and out of state, however, on Friday, there were mostly downstate, and local students in attendance.

They were given plenty of supplemental information and a briefing, alongside their parents, before being sent off onto campus and into classrooms.

Part of that supplemental information was a speech given by Eve Everett, a Buffalo State alumna who is also vice president of the Anne Frank Project. Everette was a theatre major and recieved her Bachelor of the Arts in theatre and art history. Everette enthusiastically engages prospective students by having them chat with her during the presentation, asking where they’re from and what they think they would like to do once they enter college. After her brief chat with students, they were soon sent off to their classrooms.

The high school students were escorted to their classrooms by student ambassadors, who then returned to pick up their students after an hour. In the children’s literature class, taught by Professor Sands, students watched as current students chose books suitable for an elementary school setting. The students sitting in on the class said they were surprised about the structure of the class.

“I thought classes would be structured differently,” said Alexis Illescas, a high school student from Cypress Hill Collegiate Prep in Brooklyn, N.Y. “I thought the classes would be a lot bigger.” Illescas and his prospective classmates also thought the campus was beautiful.

While students enjoyed the time in the classroom, parents asked many questions to a discussion panel, most of which were about safety concerns.

Finally, as the students rejoined their parents, they were then led on a tour around the campus to take a look at dorms, classroom buildings and the library.

Kenneth Robinson, who has coordinated the event since 2007, thought that this year was a very successful run.

The event is done twice a year, first in February, then again in April. Both times, Robinson said, there has been a great turn out. To further his point, Robinson added that the invitation seems to be reliably getting students to come to Buffalo State.

“At least two-third of students attend,” Robinson said. “They usually decide to come here on or after the presentation.”

Robinson also attributes parents as a driving force in this regard. Parents like Lisa Mangino, a Buffalo State alumna, and her husband, who “fell in love with the community,” were more than happy to show their son, Sam, all that Buffalo State has to offer.

“Parents are key,” Robinson said. “Parent pariticipation is a driving force.”

Students will again be invited next year and for years to come. Robinson believes that each year, this program can only get better.

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