Mohawk Valley Community College student Matthew Marvel of Utica is one of 49 students in SUNY’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) to be honored with the Norman R. McConney Jr. Award for Student Excellence, which recognizes outstanding EOP students for academic merit and perseverance. The students were honored on March 9, 2026, during a reception and ceremony hosted by SUNY in Troy, N.Y.
A lifelong Utican, Matthew Marvel graduated from Proctor High School in 2024 and is now a Fire Protection Technology student at MVCC, where he is excelling academically while being actively involved on campus and in the community. In addition to being a part of EOP at MVCC, Marvel is a member of the International Club and Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges. He also works as a lifeguard at the MVCC Pool. Always looking for ways to help others, Marvel gives back to the community as a volunteer member with Frankfort Center Fire, the Utica Karen Baptist Church, and the Midtown Utica Community Center.
“Over nearly 60 years, SUNY’s EOP has supported tens of thousands of students and empowered them to achieve their full potential,” said SUNY Chancellor Johnn B. King. “I am honored to recognize this year’s recipients of the Norman R. McConney Jr. Award for Student Excellence. Our McConney award winners’ hard work as they move forward on their path to academic excellence and upward mobility makes them an inspiration for all of our students, faculty, staff, and administrators.”
The award is named in memory of Norman R. McConney Jr., a 1971 graduate of the University at Albany and former assistant dean for special programs at SUNY who helped create EOP as a statewide program alongside former Assembly Deputy Speaker Arthur O. Eve.
Since its inception in 1967, the EOP has provided access, academic support, and supplemental financial assistance to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college. In its 58-year history, the EOP has graduated more than 90,000 students and served as one of the country’s most successful college access programs. EOP eligibility is based on income and academic readiness. EOP currently serves more than 9,000 students across 55 SUNY campuses. Learn more about SUNY’s EOP: https://www.suny.edu/attend/academics/eop.
About Mohawk Valley Community College
Mohawk Valley Community College, established in 1946, is New York State’s first community college with a mission to provide accessible, high-quality educational opportunities for everyone. As the community’s college, MVCC is committed to student success through partnerships, transfer and career pathways, and personal enrichment. With campuses in Utica and Rome, MVCC is the region’s primary provider of college education, offering 90 academic program options. Learn more at mvcc.edu.
