The Daily Bulletin

Dana Faye Serure, assistant professor of history and social studies education, co-presented with three social studies education graduate students—Christina Birt, Jennifer Kingsley, and Abby Marks—at the Beyond the Classroom: Deepening Campus Community Partnerships Conference held at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania, May 30–31.

Their presentation, titled “Taking Informed Action: Revitalizing the Buffalo Black Rock Historical District with Third Places,” expressed a service-learning project and process that took place during the fall 2023 semester in the graduate course SSE 513: Seminar in Secondary Social Studies. The graduate students’ conference participation was sponsored by the Civic and Community Engagement Office at Buffalo State University.

Dr. Serure, SSE 513 course instructor, facilitated the presentation’s context and led a panel discussion about taking informed action with community partners. Ms. Birt, Ms. Kingsley, and Ms. Marks offered insights about their research of the Black Rock historical district and third places. The aim sought to revitalize the Black Rock neighborhood by focusing on young peoples’ needs for third places while also meeting the Black Rock community priorities. Graduate students worked with William Butler, president of the Black Rock Historical Society, and Sue Cholewa of the Grant-Amherst Business Association.

Third places are important for young people who seek places to socialize with friends or a quiet space to complete schoolwork, such as collegiate commuters seeking a campus-like experience or neighborhood youth needing a space to meet friends. For members of the Black Rock district, finding ways to enrich their community and spur economic growth is welcoming, especially for small- and micro-business owners who compete with other areas of the city.