Reflections on a Year as TSUS Student Regent

by Olivia Discon

Serving as Student Regent for the Texas State University System was both an honor and a rare opportunity to better understand the intricacies of higher education and governance. From the outset, my goal was simple but ambitious: to learn as much as possible about the system I was entrusted to represent.

In true LEAP Center fashion, I approached this role with intentionality, aiming to grow throughout the entirety of the year-long term.To better understand the broader context of higher education policy, I turned to literature and public resources detailing statewide initiatives and governance structures. This helped me grasp the current landscape, the challenges facing higher education, and situate my responsibilities within that larger framework.

Early in my term, I attended the orientation hosted by the Governor’s Office, where I had the chance to meet the six other student regents from across Texas and the student representative to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. It was great to be surrounded by other students similarly engaged in public service. It was here that I gained a broader perspective of the role and the expectations moving forward.

At the Texas Tribune Festival, I attended sessions focused on higher education policy and heard from leaders such as Chancellor Tedd Mitchell (Texas Tech University System), Dr. Harrison Keller (Commissioner of Higher Education), and Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp. Learning from the leaders across our state in higher education in this setting helped contextualize what I had been learning in “theory” and translate it into real-world context and application.

Serving during a legislative session added another educational component. I had the opportunity to witness, in real time, how policy decisions shape institutions. Beyond watching the many bills being deliberated on, I also had the opportunity to attend some events that only occur during session. This included a gubernatorial appointee training, the State of the State Address, and other events like the TSUS Foundation Gala and Sam Houston’s Birthday Celebration. 

Still, the most meaningful part of this experience was participating in board meetings. It was a privilege to sit alongside nine regents—each an alum of a TSUS institution—who have not only achieved success in their respective fields but remain dedicated to advancing public education. Learning from their example was both humbling and inspiring.

Above all, this year reaffirmed my commitment to public service. The role of Student Regent is intentionally open-ended, designed to adapt to the individual. For me, it became a space to explore what civic engagement and leadership mean in practice. With the guidance of the LEAP Center, Sam Houston State University, and the Texas State University System, I was able to take what had once been an abstract interest and turn it into a concrete path forward.

As a first-generation college student—and the first in my family to graduate high school—I wasn’t always sure what my college journey would look like. The time I’ve spent at Sam Houston State University and with the LEAP Center has shaped me in ways I could not have anticipated. I carry that investment with deep gratitude, and I look forward to building on it in the next chapter of my public service career.