student dance performance

Experiential Learning at Buffalo State

Anthropology students digging at Old Fort Niagara
Students excavating at Old Fort Niagara

Experiential learning refers to the process of gaining knowledge through direct experience—"learning by doing."   Students involved in experiential learning activities apply knowledge and skills gained from traditional classroom learning to hands-on activities, often in real-world settings.  Students can then apply new knowledge and skills gained from the experience back to their academic learning. The experiential learning activity often occurs outside of the traditional lecture classroom and is often accessed as part of a special program on campus. At other times, experiential learning is a required component of a course or a program and access is achieved through the faculty or academic department.

Experiential learning activities can take the form of special projects, directed research, immersion in a new culture, working in the community, special training, or gaining experience in a work setting. 

This page is meant to serve as a portal to help students, faculty, and staff find hands-on learning opportunities.

Current Opportunities

Fellowships, Internships, and Awards

  • Cornell ILR Buffalo High Road Fellowship Program-applications open

    Once again, Buffalo State undergraduate students have been invited to participate in the Cornell ILR Buffalo High Road Fellowship program in Summer 2026. This competitive program places student participants with a host organization, working 7.5 hours per day, Monday through Thursday. Every Friday the students are immersed in the city life of Buffalo with neighborhood walking tours, field trips, cultural experiences, and discussions with guest experts and civic leaders.
    Successful applicants are required to attend orientation sessions in Spring 2026. The summer program starts June 1, 2026, and runs for 8 weeks until July 31, 2026. Student fellows receive $5000 and reduced-rate housing (if needed). There are 2-4 spots reserved for Buffalo State students .

    Applications close Feb. 9, 2026.

    Buffalo State application portal

  • The Contribution Project

    Buffalo State is participating in the Contribution Project, a program under the direction of faculty at Cornell Human Ecology.  The Contribution Project offer $400 awards to Buffalo State undergraduate students to “make a contribution” or to “turn their ideas to life” over a 6 week time span in the Spring 2026 semester.  Students can use the funds for almost any contribution they can imagine—there are minimal limitations on the use of the funds.

    Contribution Project web page

  • Advanced Undergraduate Research Award (AURA)

    The new Advanced Undergraduate Research Award (AURA) program supports upper-division undergraduate students to engage in independent research, creative, or scholarly projects (outside of a regular course) conducted under the mentorship of a faculty member. Each selected student will receive a $1,000 award, with up to $500 in additional funding available to support project-related expenses. At the time of application, students must have earned a minimum of 60 credit hours (junior or senior standing), with at least the final 12 credits completed at Buffalo State. Preference will be given to full time students with strong academic records and to those with a previous record of success in EURO.

    AURA awardees are required to present their work at the Spring Student Showcase on May 6, 2026. Student applications are due Wednesday, February 11, and faculty approvals are due by Friday, February 13.

    AURA application

  • EURO program

    The Early Undergraduate Research Opportunity (EURO) program provides Buffalo State students with up to $1000 to assist a faculty member on a scholarly project. Recruited students may support more advanced students (undergraduate and/or graduate) or the faculty member's research/scholarly/creative activities.  Applications from faculty are generally accepted during the first month of each Fall and Spring semester. Information for Spring 2026 is posted on the EURO website..

    EURO website

  • Small Grants Awards-coming in early Spring

    The Small Grant Awards (SGA) program provides up to $500 for an individual undergraduate student to help cover costs associated with an undergraduate research, scholarly, or creative projects with a faculty mentor. Group projecs can receive up to $750. Information for Spring application will be posted early in the Spring semester.

    Small Grants Award

Conferences and Travel

  • Spring Student Showcase

    The 1st Annual Spring Student Showcase at Buffalo State will be held on Wednesday May 6, 2026. All classes are cancelled. The event will feature the SRCC, student performances, an Experiential Learning Fair, informational sessions, and the Graduate Student Research Fair.

    Spring Student Showcase website Tentative schedule of events

  • Student Travel programs

    Funds to assist students to travel to conferences to present research and scholarly findings.  Graduate students may also travel for professional development opportunities.

    Deadline: ongoing

    Undergraduate Research Travel program GSA funding for graduate students

  • Student Research Conferences

    Opportunity for students to present results from research and creative projects:

    • SRCC is a Buffalo State conference for Buffalo State students. In Spring 2026, SRCC will be held during of the  Spring Student Showcase on May 6. abstracts are closed until early Spring 2026
    • SUNY SURC is a system-wide conference. SURC West will be held at SUNY Fredonia on April 21, 2026.
    • NCUR is a national conference April 13-15, 2026 in Richmond, VA.  abstract submission is open.
    SRCC (Buffalo State) SURC (SUNY Fredonia) NCUR website

Offices and Programs

students in Portugal

Global Engagement

The Maurene Callahan Bouras Center for Global Engagement leads the charge for campus internationalization by providing immersive cultural experiences that impact students’ ability to respectfully engage with and learn from differences. At Buffalo State we are on the forefront of applying a social justice perspective to support and cultivate global citizenship. Our experiential learning programs for students include:

  • Study-Away—both short-term, faculty led programs and longer study abroad experiences
  • National Student Exchange
Maurene Callahan Bouras Center for Global Engagement
student volunteers

Community Partnerships and Engagement

Community Partnerships and Engagement form the core of the urban-engaged anchor mission of Buffalo State. Buffalo State builds and maintains numerous reciprocal community partnerships that promote equity; address community-identified priorities through research, volunteerism, teaching, and direct engagement; and provide experiential learning opportunities, such as service-learning, to our students. 

Community Partnerships and Engagement
student researcher transferring liquids

Undergraduate Research

Undergraduate research is a student-faculty collaboration that is forged to examine, create, and share new knowledge or creative works. Undergraduate Research programs support research projects, travel , and fellowship awards for undergraduate students in all disciplines at all levels.  Undergraduate Research also hosts the annual Student Research and Creativity Conference at Buffalo State for both undergraduate and graduate students wishing to share the results of their research, creative, or scholarly activities.

Undergraduate Research
Students attending Social Justice Festival 2023

Anne Frank Project

The Anne Frank Project utilizes story-based programming to provide powerful learning experiences for students, educators, businesses, and community organizations. The Anne Frank Project sponsors the Rwanda study away program, campus workshops, professional internships, student orientations, and social justice festivals.

The Anne Frank Project website
Students at CAPE internship fair 2024

Internships

The Buffalo State University Career and Professional Education Center (CAPE) provides comprehensive services to matriculated undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, employers, and faculty/staff.  An internship is a type of applied learning experience for which a student may earn academic credit in an agreed-upon, short-term, supervised workplace activity, which is often related to a student’s major field. The work can be full or part-time during the semester or summer, on- or off-campus, paid or unpaid.  Career-related internships are usually completed in a student’s junior or senior year.

Internships at the CAPE website
graduate students at the Great Lakes Center

Graduate Student Programs

Graduate academic programs often include an applied-learning requirement (e.g. thesis research, master's project, student teaching) as part of the degree requirements.  The Graduate Student Association (GSA) offers funding to help offset the costs for these and other experiential learning opportunities at the graduate level.  Funding is available for needed supplies, travel, and professional development opportunities.

Graduate Student Association (GSA) funding website