Not Just Hard Work, but Heart Work

Darrell Buckingham, MBA ‘25 is passionate about Central New York. A self-described native son, Buckingham grew up on Syracuse’s South Side, cultivating an appreciation for everything that makes the region special – its culture, its natural beauty and, most importantly, its people. Buckingham’s lived experience taught him how critical it is to provide individuals with the opportunity to build the lives of their choosing. That understanding now serves as the centerpiece of his professional life.

Buckingham is the senior program officer for the Central New York Community Foundation (CNYCF). As such, he supports a range of initiatives that enhance quality of life and advance social, economic and environmental justice throughout the area. He oversees partnerships designed to promote early childhood education and literacy, combat lead poisoning, and develop the workforce. In addition, he also leads the Black Equity and Excellence fund, which provides financial support to community-based projects that uplift and serve Black communities in Central New York.

What’s more, it is work that Buckingham and his colleagues are undertaking as the community is on the precipice of incredible change. The impending construction of Micron’s new semiconductor fabrication facility in Clay and replacement of I-81 with a new community grid will shape the area’s landscape – and bring an influx of people to the region. They will also provide community leaders with the chance to evaluate things that might not have been done correctly in the past and to learn from them.

“I can’t help but to be excited about what’s next,” Buckingham says. “This is a time for us to come together.”

This is a season of transition, not just for Central New York, but for Buckingham personally, as he recently graduated from Le Moyne’s Master of Business Administration program. Over the course of his time in the Heights, he found that the College’s mission, vision and values closely aligned with his work at the CNYCF. His graduate studies also provided him with what he called a “personal and professional tuneup” that will help him to continue to grow in his work.

“It is not my job to have all of the answers,” he says. “However, it is my responsibility to care for others, and to do everything I can to form alliances to address the area’s challenges and maximize its opportunities. My experience at Le Moyne will help me to do that.”