The University Student Senate Steering Committee chairs for 2025 – 2026
Meet the Committee
We are a committee dedicated to steering the USS Agenda.
AKKEEM POLACK
Akkeem Polack serves as the 39th Chairperson of the University Student Senate and the Student Trustee on the CUNY Board of Trustees, representing more than 240,000 students across 26 campuses. His advocacy is informed by his personal experience navigating academic responsibility, work, and community life. These experiences provide a grounded understanding of the challenges facing CUNY students.
Before becoming Chairperson, Akkeem served as the student representative on the Committees for Finance and Administration and Education Policy of the CUNY Board of Trustees. He also served as Vice Chair for Legislative Affairs for the 2024 to 2025 academic year, chairing the Legislative Affairs Committee and co chairing the Student Voter Awareness Committee, promoting civic engagement across the university.
BIANCA JONES
Bianca Jones is a graduate student at The City College of New York, pursuing a Master of Arts in the Americas with a concentration in Human Rights, and is set to graduate in Spring 2026. At CCNY, Bianca serves as the Executive Chair of the Graduate Student Council and as the University Student Senate (USS) Delegate for the college.
Passionate about advocacy and student empowerment, Bianca is dedicated to representing and advancing the interests of her peers. As the USS Vice Chair of Fiscal Affairs, she is committed to strengthening financial systems, enhancing student life, and reinforcing institutional trust across CUNY. Bianca aims to leverage her dynamic leadership skills to support USS’s operational needs, amplify the visibility of student representatives, and champion the voices of the CUNY student body.
JOSIAH RAMESAR
Josiah Ramesar is a 3L and the Daytime Co-President at the CUNY School of Law. He is from Queens, New York, and plans to stay in his community. He is going into public defense after graduation, and his goal is to dismantle the criminal justice system. Josiah is passionate about politics, sports and likes to watch movies.
Josiah is now in his 7th and last year at CUNY. He started at the Borough of Manhattan Community College in 2019, transferred to Hunter College in 2021, and started CUNY Law in 2023. Josiah has co-chaired the Scholarship Committee and plans to make an even bigger impact in his second term. Josiah is excited to represent Graduate students for the second time in USS and invites you to reach out to him if you have any questions or concerns you’d like to see him work on.
DAMIR SHAVKATOV
Damir Shavkatov is a first-generation immigrant from Uzbekistan and is pursuing a Psychology major with a Marketing minor at Brooklyn College. He started out as a campus tour guide in Undergraduate Admissions, helping prospective students find their feet and get a sense of what college life is actually like. As a peer mentor, he’s been there to offer guidance to first-year students who are adjusting to a new college environment. His volunteer work around campus led to being named the 2024 Brooklyn College Volunteer of the Year.
In student government, Damir served as a senator for USG and now works as the Deputy Events Director, helping to organize student activities and keeping campus life active. Outside the classroom, he’s on the Board of Advisors for CUNY Startup and is a student leader for the CUNY Malave Leadership Academy, where he continues developing as a leader. As Vice Chair for Senior College Affairs, Damir works to address student concerns and push for practical solutions. His goal is to listen and collaborate to keep CUNY as the beacon of accessible and affordable education.
TYLER WOODS
Tyler is a firstgeneration New Yorker from the Bronx completing his Associate degree at Hostos Community College in Spring 2026 and pursuing a BA at Hunter College with plans for doctoral work in psychology. He began his advocacy work as a student senator and now serves as Hostos VicePresident for Student Affairs and as the University Student Senate delegate and ViceChair for Community Colleges. In those roles he sits on multiple governance committees, including the Senate executive committee at Hostos, where he pushes for transparent decision making, improved student services, and streamlined pathways for transfer and workforce outcomes.
Tyler combines grassroots student organizing with evidencebased strategy, building coalitions across campuses to amplify community college priorities and deliver concrete improvements in advising, affordability, and campus life. Energetic, collaborative, and results focused, he is committed to empowering CUNY students and strengthening systemwide connections, so every community college voice is heard.
SHAWN RAJKUMAR
My name is Shawn Rajkumar, and I proudly serve as a USS Delegate for Part-Time and
Evening Affairs. In this role, I advocate for the thousands of CUNY students who balance their
education with full-time work, family responsibilities, and personal commitments. My mission is
to ensure that part-time and evening students receive equitable access to the resources,
representation, and opportunities they deserve.
I’m currently pursuing dual degrees in Corporate Finance and Economics at CUNY Queens
College, where I’ve worked to create meaningful change through leadership, mentorship, and
service. As Student Government President, I reallocated over $2 million in funding, tripled the
annual budget, and launched new initiatives that provided jobs, scholarships, and career
support to more than 5,000 students.
In my professional life, I’ve served as a Business Career Advisor, collaborating with 50+
Fortune 500 companies to expand internship opportunities and create professional
development programs that have supported 15,000+ students. I’ve also worked at Wells Fargo
Wealth and Investment Management and Bloomberg LP, where I strengthened financial
operations, reconciled multimillion-dollar accounts, and contributed to client success.
Outside of these roles, I founded Rajkumar Consulting, a digital and civic engagement firm
that has raised over $70,000 and reached 7M+ weekly impressions, empowering communities
and small organizations through data-driven strategy.
At my core, I’m driven by the belief that education should empower every student — regardless
of schedule or circumstance — to reach their potential. Through USS, I aim to elevate the
voices of part-time and evening learners, expand access to career pathways, and create lasting
systems of support across CUNY
FATIMA-ZAHARA KAMIL
My name is Fatima-Zahara Kamil, and I am an international student from Ghana. I was raised in Suame, a municipality within the Kumasi Metropolitan area known for its industrious spirit and strong sense of community. I am a Biology major at Kingsborough Community College, where I am deeply engaged in leadership, research, and advocacy. As a first-generation college student, I see education as both a privilege and a responsibility to uplift myself, my family, and others in my community.
I aspire to pursue an MD-PhD program to become a physician-scientist, combining medicine and research to address critical health challenges. My goal is to specialize in pediatrics, and if successful, I will be the first female doctor in this specialty from my community. I am passionate about children’s health and committed to investigating the causes of neonatal mortality, a growing concern in many parts of Africa.
At Kingsborough, I serve as the Vice President of Legislative Affairs and the Secretary for International Students. I am also part of the CUNY Research Scholars Program (CRSP) and the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), where I continue to strengthen my leadership and research skills. Additionally, I am an advocate for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those focused on health, education, and poverty reduction.
Outside academics, I love nature, photography, and exploration. Traveling and capturing the world through my lens inspire me to stay curious, creative, and committed to making a global impact.
WEI CHONG
USS Bio for Wei Chong
As a lifelong New Yorker and first-generation college student, I take pride in my journey through New York’s public higher education system. I’m currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer systems at City Tech, building on my earlier studies at BMCC and LaGuardia Community College.
Beyond the classroom, I’ve been deeply involved in student leadership. As the University Student Senate Vice Chair of the Technology Fee Committee, I work collaboratively with administrators and student leaders to ensure equitable and effective use of technology resources across the CUNY system. This role has strengthened my skills in advocacy, budgeting, and project management.
My professional experience as a surgical technologist taught me the importance of precision and teamwork, while my work in network administration support fueled my interest in problem-solving and technology. Together, these experiences reflect my commitment to leadership, service, and continuous learning.
