Mohawk Valley Community College’s Board Trustee David Mathis recently was awarded the Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency’s Treva Wood Community Activist Award as part of their Community Champion awards. He received the award at the agency’s Anniversary Gala in early May.

The award is presented to an individual who has dedicated themselves to fight for the empowerment of the low-income members of our community.

Mathis has served as a member of the Mohawk Valley Community College Board of Trustees successively since 1977, acting as vice president of the Board from 2002 to 2004 and 2011 to 2013, and has been chair of the Board of Trustees three times, with terms held from 1983 to 1987, 2004 to 2006, and 2013 to 2015.

Named a “Living Legend” by the Oneida County Historical Society, Mathis has been director of Oneida County Workforce Development since 1986. Incredibly active in his community, he sits on numerous other boards including Stanley Center for the Arts; New York State Workforce Investment Board; The Arc, Oneida-Lewis Chapter; Insight House; the Oneida County NAACP; Mohawk Valley Community College Alumni Association; and the Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES School & Business Alliance Program. He most recently was elected as vice chair of the Association of Community College Trustees Board of Directors.

As a testament to his commitment to this community and MVCC, Mathis also has received many awards. Among them are United Way “Hero Award,” Oneida County NAACP Achievement Award, Utica College Outstanding Alumnus Award, Mohawk Valley Community College Alumni of Merit Award, New York State Governor’s African Americans of Distinction Award, American Red Cross-President’s Fund Award for Cultural Diversity, Association of Community College Trustees Northeast Leadership Award, the M. Dale Ensign Trustee Leadership Award, the Joseph R. Carucci Legacy Award, and the Anne M. Bushnell Memorial Award for Special Achievement.

Mathis earned an associate degree in retail management from MVCC and a bachelor’s degree in business and economics from Utica College.