Making a Difference

Why Western New York?

Image of downtown Buffalo.

The Buffalo-Niagara region is a bi-national region that is steeped in history and diversity. From the nearby Southern Ontario region of Canada, to the reservation communities of the Seneca and Tuscarora Nations, Western New York and the Buffalo-Niagara region have much to offer:

  • Rich architectural heritage, including buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright and Richard Sullivan
  • Extensive Frederick Law Olmstead system of parks and parkways
  • Affordable housing and low cost of living
  • Award-winning schools
  • Thriving arts and cultural scene, including the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Albright Knox Art Museum, the Burchfield-Penney Art Museum, Just Buffalo Literary Center, Shea’s Performing Arts Center, Irish Classical Theater, and Shakespeare in the Park, just to name a few
  • Proximity to three Great Lakes
  • Minutes from Canada (Niagara on the Lake, Niagara Falls, Toronto, The Shaw Festival, Stratford Shakespeare Festival)
  • Urban, suburban, and rural communities
  • Major league professional sports (football, hockey, lacrosse)

Want to know more?

There's a wealth of information available about our region. Here are a few resources to get you started:

  • A Glimpse of Buffalo: Take this virtual tour of Buffalo, a YouTube video that features some of the family members of students from our international student community.
  • Buffalo: This Place Matters: A video overview of the distinct character of Buffalo neighborhoods, architecture, and culture, making it very clear why Buffalo was selected as a site for the conference of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
  • Some Key Regional Resources: Buffalo Niagara Enterprise presents some of the regional assets for living and working here and the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitor’s Bureau describes some of the regional attractions. For local stories about the region, check out Buffalo Rising, one of the major local blogs.