Texas A&M University System Welcomes Appointment of Lisa D. Cantu as Student Regent
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The Texas A&M University System on Thursday welcomed the appointment of Lisa D. Cantu of Mission, Texas, as the next student regent on the Board of Regents by Gov. Greg Abbott.
Cantu, a first-generation Aggie and doctoral student at Texas A&M University, is pursuing a Ph.D. in educational administration with an emphasis in educational leadership and policy. She earned both a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Master of Public Service and Administration from Texas A&M in 2024.
“It is a tremendous honor to have been appointed as the next student regent of the Texas A&M University System,” Cantu said. “I extend my sincere gratitude to Governor Abbott for this appointment. I look forward to working with the Board to serve students across the System as well as the future of our great state.”
Cantu will serve a one-year term as student regent through May 31, 2027.
“The student regent serves as an important voice for students across our System, and Lisa will bring both insight and genuine passion for higher education to the Board,” said Board Chairman Robert L. Albritton. “She has already distinguished herself as a servant leader at Texas A&M, and we are grateful to Governor Abbott for appointing someone so deeply committed to students, service and the future of Texas.”
Raised in South Texas, Cantu attended Sharyland High School before enrolling at Texas A&M. She has remained deeply involved in student leadership, advocacy and alumni engagement throughout her time in Aggieland.
Cantu has previously served as executive vice president of the 1879 Society Ambassadors program and president of the Appelt Aggieland Visitor Center tour guides.
She also serves on Texas A&M’s 2040 Strategic Plan committee and Student Experience committee and was recognized with the university’s Buck Weirus Spirit Award, which honors students who make outstanding contributions to student life and the Aggie community.
“Lisa has already shown a real commitment to serving other students and strengthening Texas A&M,” Chancellor Glenn Hegar said. “She cares deeply about education, leadership and public service, and I look forward to the perspective she will bring to the Board.”
Cantu has said her passion for education and public service was shaped by her mother’s career as a public-school teacher and her father’s 31 years of service as a federal agent. After completing her doctorate, she hopes to pursue a career in education policy and advocacy.
The student regent position was established by the Texas Legislature in 2005. Student regents serve as non-voting members of their respective university system boards and are appointed by the governor.
About The Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest and most impactful higher education systems in the country, with an annual budget of $8.1 billion. Its statewide network includes 12 universities, a comprehensive health science center, eight state agencies, Texas A&M–Fort Worth, and the Texas A&M–RELLIS Campus. The A&M System serves nearly 175,000 students and reaches millions more through research, service, and outreach programs each year. With nearly $1.6 billion in annual research expenditures, the A&M System fuels innovation, supports communities, and drives Texas’s economy forward.