Mission, Vision, and Values

Mission

Consistent with the core values of the institution, Buffalo State’s English department is committed to producing thoughtful, engaged global citizens through the rigorous study of language, literature, and their uses. We recognize the contemporary demand for analytical, literate, and creative thinkers, and we strive to empower students, through the study of literature and language, to use these skills to contribute to their workplaces and communities and throughout their lives as lifelong learners.

Vision

Buffalo State’s English department is recognized across the college, by partners throughout the community, and within the disciplines it comprises for

  • its commitment to advancing social justice through the values of liberal arts education.
  • the diverse intellectual, creative, and multimodal activities of its students and faculty in literature, creative writing, composition, and English education.
  • the valuable and far-reaching contributions of its students, faculty, and alumni to their communities, across Western New York and beyond, further inspiring new learners to become global citizens.  

Values

The Buffalo State English department is committed to

  • the development of intellectual curiosity and critical, creative thinking and writing.
  • the study of human experiences and the ways in which our shared realities have been created and communicated throughout history.
  • the use of best pedagogical practices in the teaching of language and literacy to provide students access to a variety of rhetorical strategies.
  • enacting anti-racist teaching pedagogies and upholding the rights of individuals to their own language.
  • cultivating relationships and collaborations with community partners to enhance students’ experiential learning.

Read about Students’ Right to Their Own Language