MVCC student elected community college regional representative for SUNY Student Assembly
Mohawk Valley Community College student Ohma Ma of Utica, N.Y., was elected Community College Regional Representative at the Spring SUNY Student Assembly Conference, held April 25-27, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y.
The SUNY Student Assembly (SUNY SA) is the official student governance body representing all 64 campuses in the State University of New York. It serves as a link between students, the Chancellor, and SUNY Board of Trustees, providing a forum for the exchange of information on matters that affect all SUNY students, allowing for advocacy around student needs and the facilitation of university-wide student engagement. SUNY SA represents students at the local, state, and federal levels and oversees all SUNY student governments.
 As Regional Representative, Ma will advocate on behalf of community college students across the SUNY system, focusing on critical issues such as tuition, financial aid, and student services. In this role, she will participate in key meetings, serve on committees, and attend conferences, collaborating with student leaders from across New York State to ensure the voices of community college students are heard.
A graduate of Proctor High School, Ma came to Utica with her family after fleeing war in Burma and spending time in a refugee camp in Thailand. Currently a Health Sciences major at MVCC, she aspires to enter the College’s Radiologic Technology program and pursue a career as an MRI technician. An engaged and dynamic student leader, Ma is active in MVCC’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and CSTEP. She is a member of the Future Business Leaders of America and Hiking Club. She has served as president of both Student Congress and the International Club, and as secretary for the Black Latino Student Union and Muslim Student Association. In Fall 2024, Ma played a key role in organizing MVCC’s Asian Heritage Festival. She has performed traditional Burmese dances at that event, as well as the International Festival and Thingyan Festival in Spring 2025.
In recognition of her academic excellence and leadership, Ma was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges, where she currently serves as Vice President of Scholarship. She is also a recipient of the Board of Trustees Scholarship, awarded to a student who demonstrates outstanding involvement in student government.
About the SUNY Student Assembly
The Student Assembly of the State University (SUNY SA) is the official organization by which SUNY students can participate in university-wide governance. The Assembly brings together student leaders from all 64 SUNY campuses to advocate for the needs and concerns of students across the state. Comprised of community colleges, agricultural and technology institutes, statutory colleges, university colleges, and doctoral granting institutions, SUNY is the largest public university system in the United States, serving over 1.4 million students each year. Learn more at www.suny.edu/student-assembly.
