How long have your worked at Buffalo State College and if applicable what other areas have you worked/positions have you served in at Buffalo State College?
I have been an adjunct at Buffalo State since 2017, I think, and before that I volunteered for a couple of semesters coaching our Moot Court team with Jon Lines. I am a full time lawyer, and one of the things I love about practicing law is that it has given me the opportunity to do a lot of cool things, like teaching.
What motivates you to provide excellent services for your colleagues, students, and supervisor?
My motivation comes from our students, who take their work seriously. Our Buffalo State students are here because they want to learn, and they work hard even though many of them have full or part time jobs and other life commitments. They are not here for a credential- they are at Buffalo State to improve themselves. In the face of that kind of dedication I am inspired to rise to their level. It helps that their energy level is high- it brings out my best.
What do you do when you are not working?
When I am not working I am doing the other things that my law practice has made possible. I do some freelance writing, chiefly for Buffalo Spree, and I'm usually on the board of an arts not for profit group, for example. I am the incoming president of the Buffalo Society of Artists, and have worked with Squeaky Wheel/Buffalo Media Resources. Emerging Leaders in the Arts Buffalo, WBFO, and Western New York Book Arts Center. I'm also a board member of the Academy of Hospitality Industry Attorneys, a professional organization that provides educational programing for lawyers who represent hotels, resorts, and other clients in the hospitality industry. When I am not doing any of those things sometimes I take a nap.
Mr. Altreuter freely offers his time not only for his students in his class but also for the student members of the college's Moot Court team. Not willing to give three hours a week in our formal preparation’s sessions throughout the fall, Mr. Altreuer schedules one-on-one meetings with both students and team members throughout the week to ensure their success.
Mr. Altreuter is the embodiment of the best of what Buffalo State represents. He gives of his time and expertise selflessly to any student or colleague that approaches him. In addition, he represents the university with honor in the community through his law firm.
Mr. Altreuter brings a joy to what he does. Whether it is in the classroom discussing the nuances of civil procedure of working through the sophisticated appellate arguments with the members of the Moot Court team, he exudes a joyous wonder and appreciation for our students and their efforts to improve.
I have had the honor of working side-by-side with Mr. Altreuter this past decade in building the best and most extensive pre-law offerings of any university in our region, as well as, co-coaching our moot court team with him. He has never asked for anything from Buffalo State except the willingness to learn and join in the experience.
Ask any student that has taken his class or worked directly with Mr. Altreuter on the moot court team. He is accepting of all no matter what their difference. He and I both share in the strong belief in that what makes for excellence in not familiarity but difference. As such, Mr. Altrueter highlights the importance of difference among our students and colleagues and encourages all to benefit and become enriched by that difference.
