Buffalo State and Brooklyn STEAM Center create pathways for New York City students

Buffalo State University was love at first visit for current sophomore Jayden Jones.

“There was onsite admission, and I was accepted on the spot,” Jones said. “I absolutely loved the school—the environment, the camaraderie, and how diverse it was.”

Jones, a New York City native, might never have visited Buffalo State at all had he not been encouraged to participate in a bus trip through the Brooklyn STEAM Center (STEAM), which offers shared instructional programming for eleventh and twelfth graders from eight New York City high schools, who split days between STEAM and their home high schools.

STEAM was founded by Dr. Kayon Pryce in 2017, in direct response to a New York Times article that stated New York City is the most segregated school district in the country—a fact that remains true today. STEAM delivers innovative, industry-informed experiences through six New York State Education Department-approved pathways:

• culinary arts and hospitality management
• construction technology
• cybersecurity
• design and engineering
• film and media
• full-stack development

These industries offer high-paying careers but currently lack diversity. STEAM’s programs provide tangible paths to economic mobility and wealth creation for young New Yorkers from a range of socioeconomic and educational backgrounds. 

STEAM’s counselor Mark Teitelbaum has worked to develop relationships with post-secondary institutions, notably Buffalo State University, because, he said, exposure to post-secondary education is essential.

“We only get students when they’re in eleventh grade, which many consider the most critical year for college exploration,” Teitelbaum said. “We do overnight college tours and day trip tours. It’s nice when presenters [from Buffalo State] come to the school, but when students are physically sitting on the campus, it’s a different experience.” 

Jones said the skills and experiences he gained at STEAM have set him up for success here at Buffalo State.

“STEAM allowed me to walk into onsite admissions and feel confident,” said Jones, who is also a member of the Muriel A. Howard Honors Program. “STEAM taught me how to be professional, how to reach out and get a mentor, and how to email teachers when I need to communicate issues. A lot of things that I learned at STEAM I took here.”

Buffalo State is also in active partnership with STEAM, developing articulation agreements with the university’s Communication, Computer Information Systems, Engineering Technology, and Hospitality and Tourism Departments so that students can earn dual credits.

“STEAM has a unique model; our classes are two-and-a-half hours,” Teitelbaum said. “They are rigorous and demanding. It’s imperative that students are recognized at the post-secondary level for content and work they have mastered.”

“Buffalo State is a great fit for Brooklyn STEAM students, who are already benefiting from the experiential learning in the Career and Technical Education Pathways in high school,” said David Loreto, Buffalo State’s executive director of admissions. “Our goal for this partnership is for every Brooklyn STEAM student to earn dual-credit courses in their junior and senior year which can count toward their degree at Buffalo State.”

The current model was piloted last year in the spring semester with the Buffalo State course COM 212: Introduction to Digital Storytelling, corresponding with STEAM’s second semester of video production courses. This year, the agreement was expanded to add a second course, so students can earn a total of six credits.

“I visited the Brooklyn STEAM Center last year and I was so impressed by the high-quality work being done by students in the Center’s film and media pathway,” said Deborah Silverman, associate professor and chair of the Communication Department. “The film and media curriculum makes it a natural fit for Buffalo State’s B.A. in Media Production program, so we were able to create an articulation agreement that will give STEAM Center graduates academic credit for two of our Media Production courses. The Communication Department is excited about this partnership, and we look forward to similar opportunities with other high schools in the future.”

“High school programs like Brooklyn STEAM are an essential tool in cultivating student interest and providing insight into career opportunities prior to getting to the collegiate level,” added Don Schmitter, lecturer in Buffalo State’s Hospitality and Tourism Department. “Brooklyn STEAM has capable and engaged faculty and staff, along with modern facilities to provide these opportunities. Gaining university credits as part of the partnership between Buffalo State and STEAM generates interest among the student to attend Buffalo State, as well as prepares them to be successful once they get here.”

STEAM is also in the process of a significant expansion, scheduled for September 2025, that will see the addition of six additional pathways: audio engineering, climate control systems (HVAC), industrial design, game design, live broadcasting, and manufacturing. As STEAM continues to expand its pathways, Teitelbaum said, the goal is to add even more articulation agreements with Buffalo State, allowing for every student to earn at least two Buffalo State credits within their pathway.

“Hopefully, a lot of the students we bring up in the spring will apply to and attend Buffalo State,” said Teitelbaum. “I was fortunate enough to come to campus recently and everyone was so warm and welcoming. I hope that when we bring the students, they’ll have similar experiences. That’s really the biggest thing—making everyone feel at home—and that’s really the vibe I got when I was there.” 

“STEAM celebrates you for doing well; it motivates you to do good things,” Jones added. “That celebration and positive reinforcement is also here at Buff State—I  feel that my success is celebrated.”

Photos courtesy of Brooklyn STEAM.