Buffalo Seminary (SEM)

Still celebrating our graduates!❤️🤍🥳 ❤️🤍🥳

Congratulations to the Class of 2026 on their Commencement this afternoon at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Buffalo. We know that you will continue to live out the mission of SEM as engaged scholars and citizens, proud to shape society rather than be controlled by it, and ready to live and lead with honor, courage, and confidence. As you enter into this next chapter, remember the words of our commencement speaker and your fellow alumna, Tara VanDerveer '71: have compassion, be open to learning from others, and spread sunshine wherever you go!
We wish you all the best. ❤️🤍🥳

We welcomed back our alumnae this past weekend with a reunion celebration. Many of our alumna began the weekend at our 175th anniversary bash at the Buffalo Science Museum. On Saturday, we held a mini Morning Meeting led by Associate Head of School Natalie Stothart and outgoing SGA President Hazel C., who then invited our alumnae to take a tour of the building with our Red Key students.

The weekend was jam-packed with mini-excursions, including a tour of the Darwin Martin building, a double-decker bus tour of Buffalo, and a viewing of the Broadway musical SUFFS at Shea's. Saturday evening, during our main event, SEM alumnae came together at the Saturn Club, reconnecting with classmates and sharing their fond memories of their beloved school over refreshments & dinner.

Thank you to our Advancement team, Board of Trustees members, BSAA members, and everyone else who helped make this weekend a memorable one.

Please click the link below to view our photo album. If any alumnae have photos they would like to share, please email to [email protected]
❤️🤍🥳 https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCWgXi

We are excited to welcome back award-winning coach and SEM alumna, Tara VanDerveer '71, this afternoon as our commencement speaker. We know she will be an inspiration to our graduates as they continue on their academic paths. ❤️🤍

Tara has been described as a trailblazer, mentor, and advocate for women’s rights in sports. After coaching basketball at Ohio State from 1980-85, Tara took over the Stanford Women’s Basketball Program. She later served as head coach of the USA Basketball National Team, leading the team to an Olympic gold medal with a perfect 8-0 run at the 1996 Atlanta Games. During her career at Stanford, Tara led the Cardinal to three NCAA Championships and 14 Final Four appearances. In 2024, with 1,216 career wins, she became the winningest coach in NCAA history.

Thank you to everyone who joined us on Friday evening for our Gala celebrating our 175th anniversary. Your support helps us continue to lift up the SEM community through our mission, preparing a diverse group of young women to be engaged scholars and citizens, proud to shape society rather than be controlled by it, and ready to live and lead with honor, courage, and confidence. Here's to 175 more!!!!
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Thursday evening was filled with lots of fun, friends, and fabulous attire as our SEM students attended Prom 2026. With the casino theme as the backdrop, students tried their luck at friendly games of blackjack before dancing the night away on the dance floor. Thank you to our wonderful faculty and staff chaperones, our dining staff for catering the event, and Timeless Tunez for the music and photobooth. 🥳❤️🤍

This year's Prince Lecture Series featured acclaimed screenwriter and SEM alumna Amy Holden Jones '71. Holden Jones' screenwriting career has spanned two decades with credits including “Mystic Pizza,” “Indecent Proposal,” “Beethoven,” “The Getaway,” and “The Relic”, to name a few. In 2018, she created “The Resident”, which recently finished its 6th season with 107 episodes on Fox. Her inspiring discussion encouraged SEM students to make the hard, unpopular decisions, keep fighting for their dreams even when they hit a wall, and remember that the road to success isn't always paved with yellow bricks. This message couldn't be more timely as our students approach their commencement ceremony next week!

A special thank you to the Prince family, who continue the legacy of S. Warren Prince, Jr., who recently passed away. Established in 2004, the Prince Lecture Series was born from a vision to bring dynamic speakers to the Buffalo Seminary community and enrich the educational experience for generations of students.
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This morning, our seniors were inducted into the Buffalo Seminary Alumnae Association (BSAA), marking their lifetime sisterhood with SEM. The reception included brunch, a special welcome by BSAA President Katherine Hornung Fruehauf '90, the recitation of the induction oath, and signature gifts. Congratulations, Class of 2026, you are one step closer to commencement! Thank you to the members of the BSAA, Karen Moden, Chef Tom and Dorothy for helping to coordinate this momentous occasion. ❤️🤍🥳

We can't wait to celebrate with you this weekend! What are you most excited about during reunion weekend? ❤️🤍 🐝🥳

https://www.buffaloseminary.org/alumnae/events-and-reunions/reunion-weekend-clone

Summer Programming at SEM
Foundations of Algebra

This summer SEM is offering a Foundations of Algebra course that will be available to all girls in Buffalo entering grades 8-11 seeking a quick refresh or an improved foundation in Algebra. This three-week course offers a concise introduction to foundational algebraic concepts and is designed to provide essential skills in a condensed time frame. Students will explore key topics such as solving linear equations, simplifying expressions, working with polynomials, and understanding basic functions. Click the link below for more information and to register.
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https://www.buffaloseminary.org/foundations-of-algebra