USD's Griffin Petersen Appointed as Student Regent to the South Dakota Board of Regents
A double major in political science and criminal justice from Onida, South Dakota, Petersen brings extensive leadership experience to his role.
"It is an incredible honor to be the new student representative on the South Dakota Board of Regents," Petersen said. "This role is held by only one student out of the tens of thousands who attend our public universities, and I appreciate the opportunity to represent my fellow students in a body that does so much to advance our great state."
At USD, Petersen serves as president of Lambda Chi Alpha and recently completed his term as president of the USD College Republicans. He has also served as a senator for the Student Government Association for several years, collaborating with student leaders across the state’s higher education system. As student regent, he plans to prioritize keeping education affordable and ensuring that students from all backgrounds are prepared for professional success.
He also hopes to strengthen communication between students and the Board by working closely with student government leaders across the regental system.
“I have experienced firsthand how valuable our higher education system is because it has already changed my life for the better during my time at USD,” Petersen said. “I look forward to helping the Board continue this level of growth as Student Regent.”
“Griffin Petersen has been a consequential leader at our university and in our state since he first stepped on campus,” said Eric Jepsen, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Political Science. “He will make significant contributions to the work of the Board as it continues to enhance South Dakota’s higher education system.”
The South Dakota Board of Regents is the state governing board for the six state universities and two special schools. The student member is one of the board's nine members and is a full voting member of the board.
Petersen succeeds Brock Brown, who served on the Board for four years. Brown graduated from South Dakota State University in 2022 and is set to graduate from the USD Knudson School of Law in May 2025.
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