Mohawk Valley Community College students Madison Houppert of Lowville and Ash Paul of Ava were selected to receive the 2024 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence, the highest honor bestowed upon students by the State University of New York.

The SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence recognizes students for outstanding achievements throughout their SUNY experience in areas including academics, leadership, campus involvement, community service, and the arts. This year, 193 students from 62 campuses received the award.

Madison Houppert, a Graphic Design major, is a hard-working and talented student with a cumulative GPA of 3.95. Houppert has excelled in every area of her studies at MVCC; she has been named to the President’s List, was inducted into MVCC’s Lambda Beta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (the international honor society for two-year colleges), and was awarded the MVCC Professional Association Scholarship. Houppert’s artwork has been selected for the Best of SUNY art exhibition, as well as MVCC’s Signature magazine, which is put together by MVCC’s School of Art students. She also illustrated an anatomy and physiology textbook while completing many other commissioned pieces in her free time. In addition to her academic achievements, Houppert served as president of the MVCC Fine Arts Club.

Ash Paul, a Psychology major, was a fully homeschooled student in a rural town before starting college. Paul has excelled academically while being actively involved on campus at MVCC. He has been named to the President’s List and was inducted into MVCC’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, for which he serves as Vice President for Honors in Action. Paul also completed MVCC’s Student Leadership Academy, is Vice President of the MVCC Gender and Sexuality Alliance, and an active member of the Film Club, Drama Club, and Student Congress. He also works as a peer support staff member, providing guidance and support to other students. After graduating in May, Paul plans to continue his education and become a counselor working with children.

“There is a place at SUNY for every New Yorker, and each year we come together to herald and celebrate the achievements of a diverse group of some of SUNY’s most accomplished students,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. “This year's winners include first-generation students, researchers, a single mother and grandmother, a cancer survivor, international students hailing from over 16 nations, athletes, and a student who worked with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center — among so many more with inspiring stories of excellence in the classroom and beyond. It is my honor to celebrate the achievements of the nearly 200 CASE awardees as they inspire others and illustrate what is possible with a SUNY education.”