Statement on Student Belonging
At Buffalo Seminary, we celebrate our diverse identities and perspectives. We embrace diversity as necessary for our collective growth and achievement. To fulfill this purpose, we welcome and seek students, families, and employees who contribute to the richness of our diverse community. And we work every day to ensure that all who come within our walls have what they need to realize their potential and to participate fully in school life.
Buffalo Seminary was founded to challenge the limits placed on girls because of their gender. We expect our students to examine the role gender plays in their lives. Some students may come to question their own gender identity, or may not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. We support all our students on their journey toward self-knowledge, and we provide resources for any student with questions about gender identity. We are a school that empowers women. And we welcome those students who do not conform to society’s traditional expectations of gender. We provide accommodations -- consistent with our identity as a school for girls --for our non-binary or transgender students. If the accommodations we are able to provide do not meet that student’s needs, we will work to find a placement for that student in a suitable school. At all times, we will be guided by the best interests of the student and the school community.
In my role with the Health and Wellness team, my primary focus is to ensure that students feel a strong sense of belonging, where their voices are heard, their concerns are valued, and their needs are met with care and understanding. At SEM, we are deeply committed to creating a community where every student feels safe, seen, and supported, a place they can truly call home. My role as a Faculty Fellow for Student Belonging is centered on listening to students, addressing their needs, and helping them navigate their journey within the SEM community.
Ernest Frimpong- Faculty Fellow for Student Belonging