Rooted in Buffalo

To Kayla Gaczewski, this was more than a stop on her academic path, UB was the place that gave her confidence, community, and the foundation to grow a dream. Today, that dream is Wildroot Floral, a luxury floral boutique infused with European charm and grounded in the relationships she began building as a student.

When Gaczewski transferred to UB, she jumped in immediately—balancing classes with shifts in the campus mailroom. What seemed like a simple campus job became her first network. ‘I still have those connections,’ she says. ‘People I delivered mail to back then order flowers from me now.’ UB’s spirit and strong business program drew her home to Buffalo after a brief stint studying in Florida, giving her the confidence and foundation she needed to pivot quickly and pursue opportunity.

Her business education at UB was broad and practical, equipping her with the skills she would rely on constantly in the years ahead. "Even if my perfectly laid‑out plan faltered, I knew I’d be okay," she says. UB prepared her to problem‑solve, adapt and keep moving, essential traits for any entrepreneur.

Inspired by her Oma’s German roots and the European flower shops she admired, Gaczewski opened Wildroot Floral to bring that aesthetic home to Buffalo. Beyond florals, the boutique also features small‑batch goods from makers she admires. But flowers remain her passion—the heart of the shop and the reason she pushes herself every day.

Looking back, graduating from UB didn’t feel like an ending—it felt like momentum. "I walked away knowing I could do this," she says. "You really do use those tools you learned back at school." Today, every bouquet she designs carries a little bit of UB with it: the confidence, the connections, and the belief that she can build something beautiful, right here in Buffalo.

True Blue isn’t just a color—it’s a connection. It’s the determination students carry into their careers and the loyalty alumni bring back home. The series celebrates UB Bulls who are shaping their communities, making their mark around the world and showing what it means to live with pride, purpose and passion. Watch Gaczewski tell her True Blue story.