Founded in 1871 as the Buffalo Normal School to train the city's teachers, the college recognized four alumni honorees at its 149th Commencement
Baxter wears the Young Alumnus Achievement Award medallion at a Buffalo State reception on July 30, 2021. Photo: Buffalo State
Buffalo State College recognized Raven Baxter with its Young Alumnus Achievement Award during its virtual 149th Commencement on May 15, 2021. Baxter earned her B.A. in biological sciences at the college in 2014 and her M.A. in 2017.
The college's May 6 announcement defined the honor. It goes to graduates of the past 20 years "who have achieved significant professional advancement and have demonstrated service to the community, as well as loyalty and commitment to the college." Baxter shared the 2021 honor with Nathan Mroz, founder of the BFLO Store. The Distinguished Alumnus Award went to Linda R. Appleby and Michael J. Garner.
The college's citation centered on public science education. It described Baxter as a science educator and molecular biologist who combines science and music to teach. It cited her live web series STEMbassy, her COVID-19 song "Wipe It Down" and her role as founder and lead organizer of Black in Science Communication. The college said she had reached more than 4 million viewers and had over 200,000 followers. It also noted her place on Fortune's 2020 40 Under 40 list and her Arthur A. Schomburg Fellowship.
The Buffalo State Alumni Association created the Young Alumnus Achievement Award in 2002. A committee of alumni, faculty and board members recommends nominees, and the alumni affairs director and the association's board president choose the winners. Past honorees include National Hockey League referee Christopher Ciamaga, recognized in 2010. The older Distinguished Alumnus Award has gone to more than 80 graduates since 1965, according to the alumni office.
The award slide shown during the college's 2021 virtual Graduate Ceremony. Image: Buffalo State College video
"At Buffalo State it has been a long-standing tradition to present our alumni awards at commencement in front of our faculty, staff and graduates," President Katherine Conway-Turner said in the recorded ceremony. "While these awards will be formally presented at a later time, we wish to take a moment to recognize our alumni award recipients."
Baxter received the medallion in person at a campus reception on July 30, 2021.
Baxter speaks at the July 30, 2021, reception. Photo: Buffalo State
Buffalo State opened in 1871 as the Buffalo Normal School, which trained teachers for the city's public schools, according to its history page. It is now SUNY Buffalo State University.
The Buffalo State alumna was then in the last year of her doctorate at the University at Buffalo. "I got fed up with the current state of science culture and decided to get up and do something about it," she told the college in an earlier profile.
She has served on the Buffalo State Alumni Association board since 2020, and in May 2023 she gave the address at the university's 151st Commencement.
The 2021 Graduate Ceremony, with the alumni awards at about 55 minutes, is on YouTube.
Cohort Sistas presented Dr. Raven Baxter with its Living Legacy Award and heard her keynote at the doctoral support network's fifth anniversary gala in Washington on March 7, 2026.
The Creative Collective NYC named Dr. Raven Baxter to its 2025 Creative Class, a list of 63 Black culture-shifters revealed by Essence on Feb. 3, 2025.
The Williamsville Education Foundation inducted Dr. Raven Baxter, a 2010 graduate of Williamsville North High School, into the Williamsville Wall of Fame on Nov. 8, 2024.
