Lifelong Learning
The Continuing Professional Studies Office brings together community and industry to create needed and relevant educational experiences. We provide high-quality professional development, workforce training, and lifelong learning opportunities for individuals looking to enhance their skills and advance their careers. Our offerings include microcredentials, customized training programs, and leadership development workshops, all designed to help participants stay competitive in today’s evolving job market.
Beyond professional development, we support educational growth through youth programs and college readiness initiatives, including summer camps and the College Access Program, which help students explore future academic and career opportunities.
Coaching for the Modern Manager
Registration Now Open!
Ready to grow your leadership impact? Continuing Professional Studies is proud to offer the next level of the Supervisor Training Academy, Coaching for the Modern Manager, a powerful program for emerging and current supervisors who want to lead with clarity, empathy, and confidence.
This interactive, four-session workshop builds on the foundation of The Holistic Communicator, helping you develop coaching and mentoring skills, navigate conflict, lead crucial conversations, and foster psychological safety on your team. With in-person learning and virtual coaching check-ins, you’ll gain actionable tools and support to put your learning into practice right away.
Workshop dates (Fridays, bi-weekly):
May 30 | 9 AM – 4 PM
June 13 | 9 AM – 4 PM
June 27 | 9 AM – 4 PM
July 11 | 9 AM – 1 PM
Don't miss out!
Kitchen Confidence Camp
Registration Now Open!
Missed out on Home Ec? Join us for a hands-on summer experience blending nutrition education with real-world cooking skills! Mornings focus on building a strong foundation in healthy eating, meal management, and portion control, while afternoons bring these lessons to life in the kitchen—where you’ll master essential cooking techniques, meal planning, and food safety. Field trips to local farms and markets offer a deeper look at fresh, local ingredients, and the program culminates in a team challenge: preparing a full 4-course meal for family and friends. Get ready to cook, learn, and gain skills that last a lifetime!
Kitchen Confidence Camp dates:
August 11 to 15, 2025 | 9 AM to 4 PM
Don’t miss out!
Comic Book Camp
Registration Now Open!
Unleash your creativity and bring your stories to life at our exciting Comic Art Camp! This immersive two-week experience is perfect for aspiring artists and storytellers eager to craft their own visual narratives.
Guided by expert artists and writers, participants will dive into Character Design, World-Building, and Story Development. You'll learn how to break your story into pages using sequential storytelling, design, and layout techniques. By the end of camp, you'll have your own penciled, inked, lettered, and colored comic art.
The experience concludes with a professionally printed comic book featuring the work of all participants.
Comic Book Camp dates:
July 7 to July 18, 2025 | 9 AM to 4 PM
Don’t miss out!
FITE Camp
Registration Now Open!
Are you a hands-on problem solver with a passion for STEM? National Grid and SUNY Buffalo State invite you to a dynamic 10-day program where innovation meets engineering.
Guided by experts from Buffalo State’s Engineering Technology Department, The Center for Applied Imagination, and National Grid professionals, you’ll explore the foundations of electrical engineering, tackle real-world challenges, and discover exciting STEM careers. You’ll get hands-on experience in engineering labs, work in teams to solve creative problems, and visit National Grid facilities and the Niagara Power Authority to see engineering in action. Along the way, you’ll tour the SUNY Buffalo State campus, gain insight into STEM career paths, and even pitch your own energy solution to National Grid experts.
Join like-minded peers and ignite your future in tech and engineering!
FITE Camp dates:
July 28 to August 8 | 9 AM to 4 PM
Are you up for the challenge?
The Holistic Communicator
Ready to take the next step in your career? Continuing Professional Studies is excited to offer the Supervisor Training Academy: The Holistic Communicator, a transformative program designed for top-performing employees who are ready to step into leadership roles.
This interactive, four-session workshop equips you with essential skills for effective supervision, including emotional intelligence, setting clear expectations, delivering and receiving feedback, and leading impactful meetings. Participants will gain practical tools in a dynamic, supportive environment that blends in-person training with virtual coaching, ensuring guidance every step of the way.
If you're interested in attending our next session, fill out our interest form!
Kudos for RISE UP!
"SUNY Buffalo State’s Hospitality and Tourism Department has a stellar reputation for training individuals to succeed in the food service industry. We jumped at the opportunity to sponsor one of our employees in their summer 2021 RISE UP program. Our employee was very excited to attend! He increased his prep and knife skills and demonstrated more competence in all work tasks. We whole-heartedly recommend RISE UP!" - Sara Mann Kahris & Dave Kahris, The Phoenix
Testimonials
Buffalo Purchasing Initiative, Retreat Facilitation
"The Buffalo Purchasing Initiative engaged the Office of Continuing and Professional Studies to lead our annual member retreat. We worked directly with Director Kristin Fields, who created a custom agenda to help our team collaboratively share and assess challenges and opportunities to our work via Zoom. We emerged from the retreat with a concrete set of tactics to help support our work going forward. It was a fantastic experience for the entire group."
- Antonina Simeti, Program Director
RISE UP! Testimonial
"I would have paid more for this program. The quality of instruction was outstanding and the diverse student body was fun to work with and learn from. Kitchen lab was a great learning experience. Really wonderful program; exceeded my expectations!"
- E. Decker, program participant
Meeting Facilitation, Buffalo Museum of Science
"We were thrilled to be able to engage Kristin Fields as a facilitator in the Buffalo Society of Natural Science’s strategic planning work. Kristin’s facilitation was efficient and productive. She clearly has great command of planning and assessment techniques and the ability to ensure discussion goals are reached. After brief, focused preliminary planning, Kristin understood our project and objectives and crafted an effective activity to help us meet our targets. With this as just one example of what they can offer, the Continuing Professional Studies program is a terrific resource for our community."
- Marisa Wigglesworth, President and CEO, Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences