The Honorable Joseph V. Carter

The Honorable Joseph V. Carter (Detroit, Michigan) 

Student Regent Joseph V. Carter was appointed to the Texas Southern University (TSU) Board of Regents by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in June 2026. 

Regent Carter is a senior Political Science major, Thomas F. Freeman Honors Scholar, and undergraduate researcher at Texas Southern University, serving as the 2026–2027 Student Regent on the TSU Board of Regents. Appointed by Governor Greg Abbott, Regent Carter represents the student body and participates in university governance. He maintains a 3.8 GPA and focuses his studies on constitutional law, civil rights, urban politics, and public administration.

Regent Carter has gained valuable experience through research, public policy, and legal advocacy initiatives. As a W.E.B. Du Bois Scholar at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, he authored Sick Homes, Silent Minds, a working paper synthesizing more than 100 peer-reviewed studies on mold exposure, housing inequity, and public health outcomes. His work in legal advocacy was recognized at the 2026 Southwestern Black Law Students Association Regional Convention, where he won the Plessy Legacy Advocacy Challenge before a sitting United States Court of Appeals judge. 

Currently, Regent Carter serves as a Legislative Intern through the Texas Legislative Internship Program at Lone Star Legal Aid, conducting policy research to support eviction defense and housing justice initiatives. He is also developing Regulating the Final Frontier, a policy project examining federal aerospace oversight and environmental risk management. 

Regent Carter is honored to serve as an Andrew Goodman Foundation Ambassador, where he has helped mobilize more than 1,000 student voters at Texas Southern University. He is also the founder of Changed by Carter, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing essential health resources to underserved communities. Regent Carter is dedicated to advancing public policy and promoting equitable opportunities for communities across Texas. 

Term: June 1, 2026 – May 31, 2027