Throughout my time at Rice, some of the most engaging and impactful communities I’ve found are in the student-led clubs and organizations that I’ve joined. Two groups that have been especially meaningful to me are Rice Alzheimer’s Buddies and the Student Association Students with Disabilities Commission.
Rice Alzheimer’s Buddies is the Rice University chapter of the National Alzheimer's Buddies organization. For the past two years, I’ve been lucky enough to cultivate connections with dementia residents through this program. Once a week, I travel with four other Rice students to a senior housing complex in Houston to interact with patients in memory care and assisted living programs.
During our weekly buddy sessions, we socialize with the patients in every way imaginable, from singing and decoding puzzles to playing bingo and baking. Interacting with the patients is a truly gratifying experience, and I look forward to having fun with them each week.
My favorite moments include the one-on-one exchanges that I have had with the residents. Hearing their personal stories is inspiring, and I have gotten emotional on multiple occasions as I listen to them reflect on their lives with both gratitude and wisdom. Even though some of the memory care patients have sadly lost the ability to speak, I can feel how much a buddy’s presence brightens their day when I hold their hand and share about my own life.
Many of these residents have been isolated from social connections with the outside world, and their excitement when they see us come in each week is contagious. Though I am considered a volunteer, I honestly believe that I benefit just as much, if not more, from the experience than the dementia patients. The community that I’ve found in this organization and the meaningful connections that I’ve created have been vastly impactful on my perception of the world. I leave each week’s visit feeling enlightened and inspired, and I can only hope that I bring that same positivity to the residents in return.
Another student-led organization that has been especially impactful to my Rice experience is my involvement with the Students with Disabilities Commission in Rice’s Student Association. Student Association is Rice’s campus-wide student government and is composed of both elected offices and specified commissions. SA addresses different student issues like well-being, labor and DEI. Last year I was chosen to become a part of the Students with Disabilities Commission, and I have continued working with the group this year. Our group works with the Rice Disabilities Resource Center in order to improve accessibility and accommodations for disabled students at Rice, both in and out of the classroom.
This semester we’ve taken on many specialized projects, including initiatives to make the Rice website more accessible and cultivating learning modules to help train faculty on how to properly accommodate students with disabilities. Being a part of this commission has solidified my involvement in the Rice community and created a medium through which I can see how my work has a tangible impact on bettering the Rice experience for students with disabilities. Participating in these groups has truly been invaluable in forming my Rice community, and I look forward to contributing to both of these organizations throughout my undergraduate journey!
-Virginia, Wiess ‘27 (Published on 02/04/2025)
