Canisius senior Hughes Gitego carries on the legacy of the successful collaboration with BuffSci
- Mikayla Boyd
- Nov 7
- 3 min read
By Mikayla Boyd, Editor-in-Chief
Earlier in October, senior communications student Hughes Gitego assisted the BuffSci Institutional Advancement team in managing a visit from CBS News and national correspondent Steve Hartman as part of his internship with BuffSci. Hartman’s visit was prompted by the viral story of BuffSci 2 Elementary’s principal, Brianna Lanoye, and a surprise wedding that faculty and students threw for her. Gitego successfully aided the BuffSci team in making sure Hartman’s visit went as smoothly as possible. Gitego’s success in the visit and his internship overall is a testament to the deep roots the communications department has with BuffSci and alumni, spanning across decades and generations to bolster the communication department’s success.
Gitego currently interns at BuffSci through the communications department’s internship program. He does not stand alone – he is part of a longstanding collaboration between Canisius’ communications department and BuffSci.
The roots of Canisius’ collaboration with BuffSci began in 1989, when Janine Tramont interned with Michael Pitek at Events Unlimited, Inc. as part of her communications internship here at Canisius. Tramont eventually secured a full-time job with Events Unlimited, Inc. and developed a mentee-mentor relationship with Pitek, who remains her close colleague and mentor. Pitek has, in the recent past, served as a community volunteer on BuffSci’s Capital Campaign Committee.
36 years later, Tramont serves as Director of Institutional Advancement at BuffSci, and in this role, she knows she can rely on Canisius students as interns at BuffSci: “Because of my valuable experience, I always turn to Canisius first when I need an intern.” Just last year, then editor-in-chief of The Griffin, Ava Green, whom Tramont says she “had the pleasure of working with,” held an internship at BuffSci. This semester, Gitego is the next Canisius intern. Executive Director at BuffSci, Dr. Joseph B. Polat, remarked that “Our partnership with the Canisius internship program has been an asset to our schools. As a charter school network that makes up five schools in Buffalo and two schools in Rochester, we continue to grow, and so does our need for talented young people who can contribute to our resources and workforce."
About Gitego, Tramont notes, “It was a true pleasure having Hughes on our team. He treated his internship with complete professionalism, always arriving on time with a fantastic attitude and an eagerness to contribute. I truly enjoyed working side-by-side with him…he became a valued partner in drafting communications, strategizing on fundraising priorities, and successfully planning and participating in key school and community events.”
A marked highlight of Gitego’s successful internship was the visit from CBS News’ Steve Hartman. For this event, Gitego helped carry camera equipment, picked up lunch, prepared swag bags and sat down with Hartman and Tramont over lunch. Regarding the visit, Gitego commented that he “ensured that all event details were in order, assisted with coordination, and observed how the team interacted with donors to better understand professional event dynamics,” and concluding that he “took away a deep appreciation for teamwork, communication and structure, not only from the visit but also from [his] overall experience at BuffSci, which has been both inspiring and instrumental in [his] professional growth.” Overall, Gitego’s meaningful internship experience is an exemplary case of the strength of the BuffSci and Canisius communication department’s partnership.
Comments