Shayla Owens appointed Student Regent for 2017-2018

Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed Shayla Owens to serve as the Midwestern State University Student Regent for a one-year term effective June 1, 2017. Shayla was the 2016-17 Student Government Association president and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration in management.

On the MSU campus, Owens has volunteered as a Student Ambassador, peer counselor, and as a student representative for the Budget Oversight Committee. She is president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and is co-founder of the Black Student Leadership Initiative.

During the summer of 2016, she participated in the Study Abroad program at Queen Mary University in London studying international issues in business.

Student regent is the highest appointed position of a student at Texas public institutions of higher education. The student regent represents all students, both undergraduates and graduates, for a one-year term on the Board of Regents, the university's governing board. This position represents students in discussions of key issues in higher education. Although the student regent does not vote, he or she has the opportunity to have important input in decisions affecting the future of the university.

Owens will replace Lindsey Shelley, whose term expires May 31.