On Oct. 5, 2023, SUNY Buffalo State University and The Anne Frank Project, a program of SUNY Buffalo State, celebrated the grand opening of the Donn Youngstrom AFP Global Learning Lab.

During the grand opening, Buffalo State students were able to interact live with students and educators from the Urukundo Learning Center in Rwanda, equipped with similar technology. The grand opening and naming ceremony recognized philanthropist Donn Youngstrom, retired Buffalo State theater professor, whose gift funded the technology to make this ongoing dialogue possible.

“It’s like Zoom on steroids,” said Drew Kahn, SUNY distinguished service professor and founding director of Buffalo State's Anne Frank Project. “The learning lab is a terrific way to provide global, mind-expanding opportunities to students of all ages.”

Click here to watch news coverage of the grand opening from Buffalo’s WKBW Channel 7.

The Anne Frank Project uses the power of stories as vehicles for community building, conflict management, and identity exploration. Inspired by the wisdom of Anne Frank, AFP surfaces, develops, and shares stories stifled by oppression.

See photos from the grand opening