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A UTSA graduate student has been selected as the newest University of Texas System student regent, the first from UTSA to serve in the role. Jaciel Castro, who is pursuing an M.B.A. with a real estate finance concentration, will represent the student voice at Board of Regents meetings.

Over his one-year term, Castro will travel to all 14 UT System institutions. “I will listen to their needs and visions,” he says, “and take that voice to the regents and help them understand how their decisions affect students.

In his role Castro will attend four annual meetings and three to four special meetings. As a student regent, he has the same rights as regularly appointed board members, except the right to vote.

Castro says his priorities are student success and retention. He wants to find out what programs are working at other universities and bring new ideas back to UTSA. “I know there are some awesome things happening that I can share,” he explains. ”I also want to be part of the process as we enhance some already successful practices.”

He believes UTSA also has a lot to teach the other institutions. “There is so much diversity among our students,” Castro says. “I believe UTSA represents what universities will look like across the country in the next 30 years. It has the potential to show the country what can be done for minority students.”

He believes UTSA also has a lot to teach the other institutions. “There is so much diversity among our students,” Castro says. “I believe UTSA represents what universities will look like across the country in the next 30 years. It has the potential to show the country what can be done for minority students.”

Through his efforts and drive for education, Castro is also inspiring his own family. Born and raised in Mexico, he is the first in five generations to not only attend college but earn a bachelor’s degree and pursue a master’s. Now, his sisters are also college graduates and several of his cousins are going to college as well.

Castro says he’s excited to represent UTSA as its first student regent. “The UT System as a whole has a lot to say when it comes to research, innovation, and program development,” he says. “It’s exciting to be among such an outstanding group of people and learn about the universities and what they’re achieving in Texas and across the world.”