Alex Bianchi
Educational Leadership, C.A.S. (anticipated 2027)
Literacy Education (Birth - Grade 6), M.S.Ed. (2021)
Childhood Education (Grades 1-6), B.S. (SUNY Oneonta, 2020)
National Board Certified
Employment: 1st grade Teacher, Ben Franklin Elementary
Alex Bianchi is no stranger to Buffalo State.
A 2021 Literacy Education graduate, he has since visited campus often to offer his insight on teacher education panel discussions, including the annual Beyond & Back event, Student Teaching Orientation, and Careers in Education conference. Recently he returned to campus to pursue his certificate of advanced study in Educational Leadership for School & District Administration.
A 1st grade Teacher at Ben Franklin Elementary in the Kenmore-Tonawanda school district, Alex had an unconventional entry into teaching due to the COVID pandemic. He taught virtually – initially not seeing his students in person, then only in small cohorts, until finally engaging with the full class just before the end of the school year.
“It was remarkably challenging as a new educator to grapple with learning the curriculum and managing a virtual meeting full of students,” he said.
Alex strongly believes in the power of relationship building in the classroom and that developing a strong background with students and their families lays the groundwork to make every other aspect of schooling successful. His goal is to make students feel loved and safe, and to help them truly enjoy learning through fun, exciting, engaging, and enriching experiences.
“All of the magic we remember from childhood was created by an adult who had an unwavering love for us,” he shared, “It really is a gift to be part of someone’s childhood and give them those magical experiences.”
One of his most deeply-held values comes from putting good into the world in honor of his sister, who he lost just over two years ago.
“I was in the classroom on what seemed like a regular day of teaching and got the call," he shared, "Doing right by her and doing right by students is what motivates me daily.”
Alex served as a Buffalo State PDS Student Representative and attended the national PDS conference presenting research including a project titled, “The Effects of Hurricane Maria on Education in Puerto Rico.” He was involved in numerous activities outside of the classroom, including membership in Kappa Delta Pi National Society for Leadership & Success. He created a volunteer program with the intention of traveling to Baltimore to help reduce barriers to educational success, however this program was canceled due to the pandemic.
Alex also engaged in professional development through participation in multiple study away experiences. In 2018 he traveled to Puerto Rico with the SUNY Stands program and again in 2019 to complete academic research. While there he volunteered on a construction project, repairing homes that had been damaged by the recent hurricane. In 2020 he traveled to Torremaggiore, Italy with the School of Education’s IPDS consortium where he worked on English-language acquisition activities with children at a partner school. Alex is grateful for the financial support he received from Buffalo State to make these enriching experiences possible.
Sherri Weber, associate professor of elementary education, advised Alex to travel to Puerto Rico and Italy. “Her approach-ability and kindness were so meaningful. I always enjoyed my time with her. She was such an amazing mentor through my research and supported me in every opportunity she could.”
Alex built strong personal connections with many of the Buffalo State professors, some with whom he still talks regularly. He remembers, “…sitting in Intro to Education with Dr. Kindzierski my first semester at Buff State and thinking it was such a great experience to get my toes wet and understand what daily life as an educator really is like.”
Additionally, Tiffany Nyachae, former professor of elementary education, had a great impact. He loved the knowledge she brought with her to the classroom each day and how she helped build them up to teach students of any background.
Alex is now focused on finishing his Educational Leadership certificate and is a finalist for the NYS Master Teacher program. He can’t say exactly what the future will hold but has a firm belief that the right opportunities come our way at the right time.
To aspiring educators Alex shares the following advice: “Get out into the world and experience what’s around you. No one dreams of being a boring teacher; we dream of being the teacher who can tell stories about the experiences we’ve had and the knowledge we’ve gained. The time is always now to start learning something new.”
posted March 27, 2026 by Jennifer Seguro-Lopez, SEP Graduate Assistant