Buffalo State to Officially Open New Alumni and Visitor Center
Buffalo State College will hold a ceremonial ribbon-cutting for the new $6.9 million Jacqueline Vito LoRusso Alumni and Visitor Center on Thursday, September 27, at 5:00 p.m.
The 10,800-square-foot two-story facility is located at the corner of Rockwell Road and Grant Street, solidifying the college’s Grant Street entrance as the second main gateway to campus. The center, which will be a gathering place for alumni, will also serve as an information center for campus visitors and a starting point for prospective undergraduate students and their families embarking on campus tours.
“We at Buffalo State are excited to officially open this tremendous facility, which will be a gateway to campus for not only our cherished alumni and future students, but for members of the greater Buffalo and West Side communities as well,” Buffalo State President Katherine Conway-Turner said. “As Buffalo’s college and SUNY’s urban-engaged campus, we are proud to serve as an anchor institution for this great city. We look forward to connecting with and welcoming the community to this wonderful new center.”
A combination of state grants and private donations funded the multimillion dollar project. The most significant donation was a $1 million gift from Jacqueline Vito LoRusso, '62, '64, who earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education from Buffalo State.
Owner of the rental property management firm JVL Management Company, LoRusso has long been involved with Buffalo State alumni events and has made previous gifts to the college.
“Buffalo State is indebted to Jacqueline Vito LoRusso for her tremendous support over the years, including the transformative gifts that made the Alumni and Visitor Center a reality,” said James Finnerty, vice president for institutional advancement. “In addition to Jackie, a number of other individuals believed in this project and generously supported our vision for the center. We invite our more than 100,000 alumni to come back to campus any time and experience the new Jacqueline Vito LoRusso Alumni and Visitor Center.”
Inside, the center includes spaces for public receptions and gatherings. There is a large multi-purpose room with seating for 150, a conference room, an admissions presentation room, along with various support spaces. The Alumni Engagement Office is now located in the center. An outdoor seating and reception space on the north side of the building overlooks the Buffalo State campus.
HOLT Architects of Ithaca, New York, designed the center, while construction was managed by Javen Construction Company Inc., of Penfield, New York.
About Jacqueline Vito LoRusso
After earning her bachelor’s degree in 1962 and master’s degree in 1964 from Buffalo State, LoRusso taught in the Maryvale School District and at Elmwood Franklin School for many years. LoRusso now owns and operates JVL Management Company. She has served twice as a member of the Buffalo State College Foundation Board of Directors, including a current term held since 2010. During the 2012 Transforming Lives: A Campaign for Buffalo State fundraising initiative, she made a generous gift to fund scholarships through the Music Department. In recognition of that gift, the recording studio in the new music complex in Rockwell Hall was officially named the Jacqueline V. LoRusso Control Room and Recording Studio.
Pictured above: Jacqueline Vito LoRusso with Kate Conway-Turner (center) and friends