When I (Phoebe S., Hanszen ‘28) first arrived at Hanszen College for O-Week, I didn't expect to make new friends on my very first day! But fast forward a year later, and I found myself serving as an O-Week Coordinator on the other side of orientation. O-Week is a key part of how community is built at Rice, and setting the tone for a new class of Owls was truly a full-circle experience!

Representing Rice on a national stage is always amazing, but heading to the SASE National Conference in Seattle felt extra special because it marked a huge milestone five years in the making! As Internal Vice President of Rice SASE, I (Gayla G., Sid Richardson ‘29) had a front-row seat as our chapter connected classroom theory with real-world engineering in real time. Here’s a look inside our experience and the community we are building on campus.

If you’d told high school me that a single campus visit would overrule my neatly coded college spreadsheet, I (Lucy C., Lovett ‘29) never would’ve believed you! But looking back on Owl Days 2025 at Rice, that warm afternoon wasn’t just another stop on the tour — it was the moment I found my home.