Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed Adrian Caraves, a graduate student at the University of Houston-Clear Lake, as the next student regent on the UH System Board of Regents. Caraves’ term began on June 1, and he will serve on the Board until May 31, 2026, representing students across all four UH System universities.
A first-generation college student from Galveston, Caraves earned his Bachelor of Science in Health from the University of Houston and is pursuing a Master of Business Administration and Master of Healthcare Administration from UH-Clear Lake.
“Being appointed student regent is one of the greatest honors of my life. To me, it’s more than a title. It’s a responsibility to represent tens of thousands of students across the UH System, and I am committed to showing up fully engaged, fully informed and fully read to serve.”
-Adrian Caraves, Student Regent for the UH System Board of Regents
When he’s not in class or studying, Caraves leads two student organizations that he founded, serves on the boards of several civic organizations, including the Hispanic Business Network of Galveston, volunteers at the Houston Food Bank and UTMB Health, and works full-time to pay for his education. Caraves believes those experiences have positioned him to succeed in this new and important role.
“Serving as student regent gives me the chance to elevate student voices at the highest level of our university system,” he said. “I want to make sure students from all backgrounds feel seen, heard and supported. This is my opportunity to give back to the system that has shaped me, and to help ensure it works even better for future generations of students.”
Caraves, who is replacing UH graduate student Tomas Bryan as student regent, will work with the members of the UH System Board of Regents to make governing decisions for the system and each of its four universities. Although he won’t have a vote on the nine-member board, he will be the voice of the system’s more than 75,000 students.
“I will work closely with my fellow Board members to uphold and advance a sustainable vision for the UH System,” Caraves said. “This commitment will solidify our reputation as a powerhouse of innovation, academic excellence and community impact, setting the standard for university systems across Texas.”