Center for Applied Imagination

09/09/2026

The Center for Applied Imagination at Buffalo State is pleased to celebrate The Mid-Century Creativity Reader: Pioneering Lectures from 1950–1975, from Oxford University Press.

Edited by Gerard Puccio, PhD, Vlad Glaveanu, Jo A. Yudess, and Matei Schwartz, the book brings together 27 previously unpublished lectures by pioneers of creativity studies, alongside commentary by contemporary scholars. Their ideas explore questions that continue to shape how we teach, lead, and develop creative potential.

With three editors affiliated with Buffalo State and chapters contributed by our faculty, this publication has special meaning for our community. It reflects our continued commitment to preserving the history of creativity studies while contributing to its future.

Congratulations to the editors and contributors!

Alumni, students, colleagues, and friends can save 30% with code AUFLY30 when ordering through Oxford University Press.

09/07/2026

The Center for Applied Imagination is pleased to co-sponsor the next free Wonderbrink Breakfast on Friday, September 11, from 8:30–10:00 a.m. at Buffalo State’s E. H. Butler Library.

Featured speaker Raziya Hill, founder and executive director of Every Bottom Covered, will share insights from her work addressing diaper need and period poverty through community advocacy, creative programming, and strategic collaboration.

Members of our Creativity and Change Leadership community will find her experience especially valuable as an example of compassionate leadership and creativity applied to meaningful social change.

Come network with some old friends and make some new ones.

To learn more and to RSVP go to:

https://lnkd.in/g5aaGFd6

06/26/2026

Dear Creativity and Change Leadership Community,

The department will be hiring a Graduate Assistant for the 2026-2027 academic year. A brief overview and link for further information, including the application process, are provided below.

Job Description:

This position comes with a tuition scholarship that will cover up to 9 credits of tuition per semester at the in-state rate and a $7500 stipend.

Job Description and Key Responsibilities, including Virtual/Remote Expectations:

The main responsibility of the 2026-2027 Graduate Assistant is to support strategically important projects with the Creativity and Change Leadership Department, as well as to provide general office support. The projects and office responsibilities include the following:

Support and Expand Department Use of Social Media: Develop a social media plan and regularly post in department’s current social media platforms.

Support the Launch of the Doctor of Professional Studies (DPS) Program: Provide administrative support to the DPS program, which may include communication with students enrolled in the program, development of material to support the new program, aiding faculty in course development, among other emerging duties.

Innovation Suite Project: Assist the department chair in the ex*****on of phase three of the innovation suite project, i.e., the creation of the start-up incubator and mentoring spaces. Additional responsibilities might include small upgrades and follow-up activities related to the first two phases of this initiative, i.e., the Alex Osborn Brainstorming Room and Dr. Sidney and Beatrice Parnes Creativity Collection.

Under certain circumstances, and for particular projects, virtual/remote work can be arranged. Graduate Assistant is anticipated to work 20 hours per week.

For further details, e.g., required qualifications and application process, go to:

https://jobs.buffalostate.edu/postings/8331

Dr. Gerard Puccio

This position comes with a tuition scholarship that will cover up to 9 credits of tuition per semester at the in-state rate.Job Description and Key Responsibilities, including Virtual/Remote Expectations:The main responsibility of the 2026-2027 Graduate Assistant is to support strategically importan...

06/23/2026

Last Monday was a landmark evening for the Creativity and Change Leadership Department! 🎉

The night opened with an engaging and inspirational keynote by Sarah Thurber, Managing Partner of FourSight, setting a rich tone for the celebration ahead. Sarah's thought-provoking keynote explored the topic of Artificial Intelligence and its implications for the field of applied creativity.

From there, our very own, distinguished professor, Dr. Gerard Puccio, PhD, facilitated an incredible panel with Drs. Camille McKayle, Margaret Mangion, and Michael Lehman, MD, MBA for the official unveiling of The Palgrave Handbook of Applied Creativity in Global Higher Education. The conversation was alive with perspectives on AI, student engagement, and how each panelist cultivates creativity in their own lives.

And the evening didn't stop there.

Attendees made their way to Butler Library for the unveiling and dedication of the Dr. Sidney and Mrs. Beatrice Parnes Archival Collection — a truly special moment. Waiting for them was the work of former graduates Saira Siddiqui and Mikhaila Ackerbauer: a mural welcoming you into the space and curated archival display that brought the collection to life.

A heartfelt thank you to the collaborative efforts of Charles Lyons, Director of the Buffalo State University's Butler Library, and to the contributors to the Palgrave Handbook contributors for making this such a vibrant celebration of creativity.

The Parnes Archival Collection is now open! We hope to see you soon. 📚✨

06/01/2026

🎓 Congratulations to our recently graduated Creativity & Change Leadership Class of 2026!

We are so proud of the creative leaders you have become. We cannot wait to see where your creative spark takes you!

05/21/2026

A team of faculty, alumni and students, help Saira Siddiqi installing mural in the Sidney and Beatrice Parnes Creativity Collection in Butler Library. Come to the dedication reception on June 15 at 8:30 to see the new space!

To register for free event go to the following link. https://creativeeducationfoundation.networkforgood.com/events/101302-cpsi-2026-buffalo-state-university-events

05/19/2026

Congratulations to our amazing graduates! What fun!

05/06/2026

Dear Creativity and Change Leadership Community,

Join us this Friday, May 8, from 8:30–10:00 AM in Butler Library 210 for an inspiring Wonderbrink breakfast session, co-sponsored by the Center for Applied Imagination and Buffalo State. This month’s speaker, Lorinda John, a graduate student in our Creativity and Change Leadership program, brings a powerful perspective at the intersection of creativity, storytelling, and community engagement.

Come support one of our own as she shares her creative journey and professional work, offering insights that reflect the impact of applied creativity in action. Reconnect with fellow alumni and students, and be part of a vibrant creative community. Learn more and register here:

https://wonderbrink.org/events/breakfast/may-9-26/

Dr. Gerard Puccio

Buffalo State Library - Lorinda John - May 8

05/01/2026

📚 We are proud to announce that Professor Molly Holinger, alongside alumna Lakshmi Sithambaram, have co-authored a chapter in the newly published book Creators: What Makes Individuals Creative (Springer, 2025)!

Their chapter, The Creativity and Mental Health Debate Through the Lens of the Creative Person, examines the long-standing "mad genius" stereotype and what the research actually tells us.

Using a five-part framework spanning creativity level, domain, personality, assessment methods, and the type and severity of clinical illness, the chapter offers a more nuanced picture: while eminent creators in the arts may show higher rates of mental illness, most everyday and professional creators experience little psychopathology — and often benefit from positive links between creativity and well-being.

🔗 Explore the full book here:

This book explores the nature of creative individuals using the seven C’s of creativity framework, with a focus on identity development and well-being.

04/29/2026

Exciting progress at Buffalo State! 🎨

Saira Siddiqui, a Buffalo State graduate and talented local artist, has begun the installation process for the Dr. Sidney and Beatrice Parnes Creativity Collection. Using innovative VR technology to plan and visualize the space, Saira is bringing her mural to life in a truly dynamic way.

We’re thrilled to see this creative vision take shape and can’t wait to share the finished work!