Miguel Craven, a current graduate student at UC Davis, is stepping into one of the most influential student leadership roles in the University of California system: student regent-designate. He is this month’s guest on Face to Face With Chancellor May.
As the newest voice on the UC Board of Regents, Craven is poised to represent more than 280,000 students across all 10 UC campuses, advocating for their concerns, needs and hopes for the future of public higher education in California.
“It's really exciting where we get to meet with students across the entire system, not only hear about what kinds of problems but also getting to see the things that are going great for them, Craven said. “I know in the upcoming meeting we have an item to look at how students across the UC are really shaping their communities and helping others.”
Among the issues topping Craven’s list of priorities is student housing — a challenge that affects nearly every UC campus. He also remains watchful of broader issues, such as the potential fallout from federal research funding cuts, and emphasizes the need for flexibility and responsiveness in student leadership, especially in unpredictable political and financial climates.
“I think housing is where I provide a lot of input and support, but at the same time, there's times that you kind of have to be flexible and you have to be willing to prioritize other efforts,” Craven said. “We're seeing that right now with federal funding at stake over at UCLA and kind of trying to get support across the entire UC.”
Chancellor Gary S. May agreed.
“UCLA is in the spotlight now but those challenges affect all of us very much,” May said.
Craven said his leadership philosophy centers on empathy, listening and inclusion. He acknowledged that many students still feel unheard or disconnected from UC decision-making processes — and he wants to change that.
Watch the full video above to learn more about Craven’s journey, the person he admires the most, his biggest goal in this position and more.
Media Resources
Anila Lijo is a writer and editor for the Office of Strategic Communications, and can be reached by email.