Annual Report 2016-2017 - 5

From the College Council and the Buffalo State College Foundation

On behalf of the Buffalo State College Council and
the Buffalo State College Foundation, we thank you
for your interest in this 2016-2017 annual report
and for your ongoing support of the college.
During the past academic year, alumni and friends
of the college celebrated several events that underlined our confidence in the long-term vibrancy of
Buffalo State.
In March, we dedicated the Patricia H. and Richard E.
Garman Art Conservation Department. The Garman
family made the largest one-time gift in the college's
history in December 2016-a $4 million donation
to support our world-renowned art conservation
program. This gift, which completed a $1.25 million
challenge grant established by the Andrew W. Mellon
Foundation in 2014, ensures that the Buffalo State
art conservation program will build on its reputation as
one of the finest programs of its kind in the world and
continue to attract the most distinguished and highly
qualified students.

In April, the Scholarship Gala celebrated its 20th
anniversary. Renamed the "Bengala" for the occasion,
this premier fundraising event raised critical funds in
support of our Muriel A. Howard Honors Program.
Over the past two decades, the gala has raised more
than $4 million in scholarship funds for honors
students. It has also brought Buffalo State supporters
together for an annual evening of fun and friendship.

These examples-and many more-demonstrate the
enormous affection that alumni and friends have for
our institution.
While Buffalo State boasts a storied history, its
future looks equally bright. Thank you for your
continued support.

Linda A. Dobmeier, '71
Chair
Buffalo State College Council
Gerald L. Cornish, '90
Chair, Board of Directors
Buffalo State College Foundation

Buffalo State College 2016-2017 Annual Report 5

We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of
Richard Garman in August 2017, but we know that
the generosity that Richard and his late wife, Patricia,
displayed throughout their lives will inspire students
for generations to come.

In May, we hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for
the Jacqueline Vito LoRusso Alumni and Visitor
Center. The 10,800-square-foot building will serve as
a much-needed gathering place for alumni as well as
a touch point for prospective students, their parents,
and other campus visitors. This ambitious project was
made possible by a $1 million gift from Jacqueline Vito
LoRusso, a 1962 and 1964 graduate of Buffalo State,
and was guided by the vision of Vice President for
Institutional Advancement Susanne Bair. The center,
located on campus at the corner of Rockwell Road and
Grant Street, is scheduled to open in summer 2018.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Annual Report 2016-2017