New memorial on SUNY Erie city campus pays tribute to former legislator

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — There’s a new memorial on the city campus of Suny Erie.

The memorial, located inside the atrium of the former post office building, pays tribute to longtime former Erie County legislator Joan Bozer.

Bozer was instrumental in saving the historic building from demolition. On Thursday, the atrium was dedicated to her during a ceremony attended by 250 people.

“If it wasn’t for Joan, there was a lot of conversation about having this building demolished and Joan was not only an advocate for the building, but for preserving it, in fact, for ECC allowing students to continue taking classes in the city location,” Erikson Neilans, ECC vice president of enrollment management, said.

Organizers also launched the Joan K. Bozer scholarship fund Thursday, which will provide money for future Suny Erie students.

News 4’s Jacquie Walker served as the event’s emcee.

Adam Gorski is a Buffalo native who joined the News 4 team in 2022. You can find more of his work here .