Education has the power to open doors of opportunity otherwise unseen, and LaCher Reynolds ’22 was able to step through her door the day she saw faculty from the Houghton University Buffalo—East Side campus exploring the halls of her high school. Representatives from various colleges had come to South Park High School to visit classes that day, but Reynolds remained fixed on one. “The only school that caught my eye was Houghton,” Reynolds shared. “They have small classes, and they actually care to help and do whatever they need to do to help the students.” When she was accepted by Houghton, the choice was obvious for her.

Reynolds has established a reliable routine at the East Side campus in her second year. She arrives every morning at nine, attends two classes, participates in group study with her classmates, then she heads off to work at a local hospital. She leaves no later than one in the afternoon feeling fulfilled by her work in the classroom, and the academic support she receives onsite helps with her busy schedule outside of school. According to Reynolds, however, her greatest help comes from the Buffalo East faculty themselves.

When speaking about the highlights of her Houghton experience thus far, Reynolds was quick to offer two names: Prof. Sirgourney Cook and Prof. Shellonnee Chinn. “Professor Cook has helped with anything I need in terms of books and laptops,” Reynolds shared. After suddenly losing her mother in May, Reynolds received unified support from the Houghton East Side community— especially from Professor Chinn. “She called to check on me and made sure I was still able to get work done during that time.”

This small yet tight-knit community is what has defined Reynolds’ experience at Houghton Buffalo. From the class sizes to the one-on-one tutoring, Reynolds has received transformative help in her academics that has encouraged her to think about a future beyond her associate degree. “I came to [Houghton] to get my general studies, but I’m talking to Professor Cook about coming to the main Houghton campus to pursue nursing,” Reynolds said. Though she hasn’t yet fully decided, she knows Houghton has already impacted her future. “Houghton really helps a lot. There’s not a lot more to say!”