A proven template for statewide impact

Each year, High Road Buffalo selects twenty students to participate in a multi-stage, intensive curriculum. Formal coursework begins with a spring semester preparatory seminar to familiarize students with concepts related to urban renewal, local infrastructure and economic policy and the roles of community organizations, labor and government in aiding workers and advancing communities. 

High Road fellows deploy to summer internships with nonprofit organizations, social enterprises, government officials and labor advocates in Buffalo. They receive constant mentorship from Cornell faculty and engage with peers through weekly group reflections and experiences, parallel coursework and a speaker series. Students live together as a cohort and develop strong relationships. The summer concludes with presentations by each student of their own independent projects.

Despite the program’s reliance on general budget (vs. endowment or state) support, maintaining the high quality and rigor of the High Road experience—and indeed, further expanding the opportunity to include even more students—remains a highest priority for the ILR Dean and associated program faculty. Primary program costs include stipends and affordable housing for the participating students, and compensation for the dedicated staff and outreach faculty who provide academic, practical, career development and social support to the fellows and liaise with the program’s community-based partner sites.