Sumaya Ugas was born and raised in San Diego, California by her parents, Sahra and Mohamed, who are both from Somalia. She comes from a large family, with seven sisters and one brother, and is a first generation African American. Ugas moved to Minnesota when she was in high school, and was dedicated to working with affinity groups throughout her high school career. She was a major contributor to the development of clubs for a wide variety of identities, including race, gender, and sexuality.
Ugas is the first vice president of BSA (Black Student Association), which is a major point of pride for her that empowers her to continue her work in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
In addition to these impressive accomplishments, Ugas was also a student athletic trainer during high school which acted as a starting point for her career goals. She would like to be the first black woman athletic trainer in the National Football League (NFL), and is currently pursuing a degree in Exercise Science and Wellness to assist her in achieving this goal.
Ugas was initially drawn to the University of Minnesota Crookston due to the positive influence of her brother, who attended the university over ten years ago to play football.
“Celebrating Black History Month means a lot to me because I am a member of a group that is frequently overlooked in our country," said Ugas. "Having a month dedicated to us in a country where we are often unseen feels like the spotlight is being shifted away from those who are normally in it and placed on us.”
This Black History Month, UMN Crookston is proud to highlight Sumaya Ugas as a valuable student leader within our campus community.
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