This post was updated July 14 at 2:01 p.m.

The UC Board of Regents appointed Jordan Roiland to be the 2027-28 student regent Tuesday. 

Roiland, who is the first medical student to serve in the role, earned a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics & statistics and biochemistry from Stony Brook University and earned a Master of Science in Health and Medical Sciences from UC Berkeley in 2025. He is currently a student in the UC Berkeley-UC San Francisco joint medical program. 

Roiland was appointed at the UC Regents’ July meeting taking place Tuesday and Wednesday at UCSF. 

Following his graduation from Stony Brook University in 2021, Roiland worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

During his time at UC Berkeley, Roiland has served as a student advisor to the vice chancellor for student affairs and worked as a graduate student instructor. 

Roiland said in a press release he is excited to be the first medical student on the board and honored to represent UC students. 

“I’m proud to have wholly come up through public education. My time at UC Berkeley and UCSF has shown me how strong these institutions are, thanks to our impressive faculty, amazing staff and incredible students,” he said in the press release.

Student leaders reviewed student regent applications and interviewed semifinalists for the position, the press release said. A special committee of regents then interviewed the finalists, the press release added.

Regent Gregory Sarris, the chair of the selection committee, said Roiland distinguished himself from the other finalists through his commitment to public service and student advocacy. 

“He is busy, he is exceptional,” Sarris said at the meeting. 

Miguel Craven, the 2026-27 student regent, who was the first in the role to have an engineering background, began his term July 1. Roiland will serve as the student regent-designate, allowing him to attend meetings but not vote on the UC Regents’ agenda items until July 1, 2027, when he will begin his one-year term.

The regents also announced that Paco Retana and Jessica Lum, UCLA and UC Santa Cruz alumni, respectively, will serve as the 2027-28 UC alumni regents, beginning July 1, 2027. Before this date, they will be alumni regent-designates.

Charles Melton, a UC Berkeley and UC Davis alumnus, and Karl Tokita, a UCLA and UC Irvine alumnus, assumed their roles as alumni regents July 1. 

“I don’t expect to have ready answers for every challenge before us. I’ll approach this work by listening carefully, engaging honestly across differences and continuing to learn,” Roiland said at the meeting. “My responsibility will be to build relationships across our campuses and help ensure that student perspectives are presented with accuracy, context and respect.”