Each year, hundreds of Buffalo State student-athletes progress from the campus buildings of the University and into the professional world, ready to build incredible careers and impact positive change in their communities. Here are their stories.
 
A classroom provides an incredible learning experience for children that includes knowledge in a wide variety of subjects: English, math, science, and history to name a few. However, important skills needed to succeed in life can sometimes be lacking.
 
That's where Hordge Camp Youth Wellness comes in.
 
Founded by two of Buffalo State's most accomplished student-athletes in Latoya Edwards-Hordge and Willie Hordge, the Hordge Camp provides a program for children from the ages of five to 14 that promotes a healthy physical, mental, and emotional lifestyle.  
 
"We are very intentional about the experiences that our campers have," said Edwards-Hordge. "We want to make sure that they're gaining nuggets of knowledge that can blossom into something greater!"
 
Based in Austin, Texas, the Hordge Camp takes campers through physical fitness, strength and conditioning, and mental health workshops, as well as teaching valuable life skills such as financial literacy, gardening, and healthy cooking.
 
"Seeing how much fun the kids are having and seeing the smiles on their faces is the most rewarding part for me," Edwards-Hordge said. "Austin is a great city, quite a bit different from Buffalo. We've been able to accomplish so much in our time here."
 
The success on the track for this pair at Buffalo State was incredible, with Willie winning national titles in the 100 and 200-meter dashes in 2007 as the crown jewels of an illustrious career, and Latoya winning 12 SUNYAC titles and being named an All-American six times in her dominant tenure as a Bengal.
 
In 2016, they were both inducted into the Buffalo State Athletics Hall of Fame, the same year that Latoya earned her master's degree in health education from Texas A&M University. Around that time, the idea for this venture slowly began to take roots and grow.
 
"I gained so many valuable life skills from my experience as a Division III athlete that made me want to do this. Whether it was [former strength coach and current director of athletics] Renee Carlineo  teaching me how to squat lower than I ever have before and take care of my body physically, or Dr. Baldwin helping me to manage my coursework and multi-tasking for my mental well-being," Latoya recalled. "Sometimes we don't realize the life lessons and moments until we've completed them, and that is what I want to provide to as many children as I can."
 
In 2020, the Hordge Camp was tasked with dealing with many of the obvious challenges and dangers associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. A silver lining came in the form of virtual sessions that also allowed the camp an opportunity for tremendous growth, an idea which can be partially attributed to the quick thinking and performance under duress that the duo learned as student-athletes.
 
"We began to implement our 'Start the Conversation' series over Zoom, discussing the taboo subjects and important physical and mental health questions that many are too afraid to ask." Edwards-Hordge continued, "The success of this project during COVID-19 was when I was sure that this is what I wanted to do with my life.
 
The camp began to take off coming out of the pandemic, serving a vital role for parents needing to return to work, and during the local school district's professional development days. The Hordge Camp was there, continuing to grow with new ways to engage campers and teach more life lessons.
 
""I'm always planning the new phases and the next steps of the camp and its growth," Edwards-Hordge said. "I'm always thinking about what experiences can we capture out of this and what else can we add?"
 
The camp has continued to thrive over the last few years, reaching the point where sessions are quickly filling up and selling out with both new faces and returning campers.
 
"We've reached the point where we now have repeat campers that keep coming back, and now they're bringing friends or younger siblings in with them."
 
The success of the Hordge Camp has hinged on the ability to engage campers quickly and consistently, while giving them crucial instructional, educational, and enjoyable memories.
 
"Going to a fire hall to learn how to use a fire extinguisher and having the kids put out real fires was really entertaining for them, but a financial literacy class sometimes goes right over their heads. We need to find ways to cater to their attention span, the lessons must be straight to the point."
 
One of the new programs designed by the camp is a running series for children aged two to 14, and an opportunity for the duo connect with one of the things that brought them together. It also gives them the chance to show campers that they still have some of that world-class speed that made them exceptional collegiate sprinters.
 
As it continues to grow, the goal for the Hordge Camp would ultimately be to expand outside of the Austin area, along with a shift to the non-profit sector that would help to provide these skill-learning experiences to the greatest number of children.
 
What Latoya and Willie have accomplished has been incredible, but might not have been possible without the support of people close to them and a supportive environment at Buffalo State.
 
Latoya recalls, "Buffalo State embraced me as a first-generation college student. I had the support of my instructors and coach, and my mother and grandma were the biggest driving forces for completing my degree. It wasn't just my degree, it was all of ours."
 
Now over a decade removed from Buffalo State, would there be anything Latoya would do differently if she could do it over again?
 
"I would bask in the moments, enjoy every one of those hectic weekends, getting on the bus and moving from class to class or a work study position. Relish those moments, it's one of my most remembered four years."
 
For more information on the Hordge Camp, visit the website HERE.
 
If you know of any Buffalo State Athletics alumni that are accomplishing great things in their professional lives that would be worthy of a feature story, please contact Director of Athletic Communications Mitchell Binda at bindamw@buffalostate.edu