Youngstrom Continues Philanthropic Role with Legacy Gift to Buffalo State’s Anne Frank Project

Over his theater career, Donn Youngstrom, Buffalo State University associate professor emeritus, landed more than 50 stage roles, including Polonius in Hamlet, Couthon in Danton’s Death, and Valentine in Faust in off-Broadway productions.

After graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts West, Youngstrom launched his acting career in Seattle, Washington, before making his way to New York City. He went on to earn a master of fine arts in directing from Brooklyn College.

“Because I looked older than I was, I was often cast as a middle-age character in my 20s,” Youngstrom said. “It became clear to me that I was one of those actors people would describe as, ‘I really like him. What is his name?’ Eventually, I realized I’d be better off in academia and directing.”

After joining Buffalo State’s Theater Department in 1994, Youngstrom assumed several academic roles—lecturer, assistant professor, associate professor, and department chair. He also directed 24 Casting Hall productions before retiring in 2018.

In 2021, Youngstrom took on a new role: philanthropist. He presented the Buffalo State Foundation with a $1 million endowed gift to support the university’s Anne Frank Project (AFP), now in its 15th year. AFP has grown from a social justice festival held every fall on campus to story-based trainings for teachers in the Buffalo Public Schools (BPS) and in Rwanda.

Youngstrom said he was pleased to see his first gift evident in AFP’s work. And that inspired him to create a legacy gift to AFP. Upon his passing, the foundation will receive a bequest of at least $500,000, depending on the markets.

“I received a nice inheritance when my father died a few years ago,” Youngstrom said. “I decided to bequest one-third of my estate to support AFP. During my time at Buffalo State, I witnessed the initiative blossom beyond anything we could have imagined at the beginning. I want to see it continue as long as possible.”

James Finnerty, Buffalo State’s vice president for institutional advancement, expressed his appreciation for Youngstrom’s generous contributions to the university, which actually started decades ago.

“Donn’s extensive history of support began in 1996, including 25 consecutive years of contributions to the university,” Finnerty said. “During his time on the Buffalo State faculty, he contributed approximately $100,000 to the annual Faculty and Staff Appeal. His $1 million endowed gift is one of the larger gifts Buffalo State has received in recent years, and I am thrilled that his name will now be affixed to our campus, joining the ranks of our most generous and esteemed emeriti faculty such as Hank Mann and Donald Savage.”

Drew Kahn, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor and AFP founding director, said Youngstrom’s 2021 gift was a game-changer and funded three key initiatives: the AFP social justice festival, AFP in the Schools, and the new campus AFP Global Learning Lab.

“Without his generosity, we wouldn’t have the caliber of keynote speakers at the AFP festival, which attracts thousands of visitors to campus each year,” Kahn said. “And we wouldn’t be sharing our story-based learning with as many Buffalo schools as we are.”

AFP hired two teaching artists in summer 2021 who help AFP meet the demand for BPS invitations; they are now delivering the teachings to eight schools a week.

Kahn is especially excited about the AFP Global Learning Lab, which formally opened this semester on the fourth floor of the Campbell Student Union. It provides a way for Buffalo State students, as well as area high school students, to engage with students living in partner countries including Rwanda and Kenya. Youngstrom’s gift paid for the multiple video and audio components that make such ongoing dialogues possible.

“It’s like Zoom on steroids,” Kahn said. “The learning lab is a terrific way to provide global, mind-expanding opportunities to students of all ages.”

This is the kind of outreach that Youngstrom wants to see continue long into the future.

“Donn’s extreme altruism is equipping AFP with the tools to bring us closer to Anne Frank’s audacious dream of an ‘improved world,’” Kahn said. “That is happening now and will continue in the years to come.”

Top photo by Jesse Steffan-Colucci, Buffalo State photographer.