VISIT

Meet Our Owl Guides

Rice is full of amazing students who come from a diverse set of backgrounds and interests, and we are so excited for you to meet some of them! Our owl guides are passionate about sharing their Rice experience and eager to show you a glimpse of what it’s like to be a Rice Owl.

Qais '29

Liberty Hill, Texas

Residential College: Duncan

Why did you choose Rice?
From a young age, my interest in Pokemon led me to discover MandJTV, a big Pokemon YouTuber and a very famous Rice alum, and he spoke so highly about the university's culture and their embracing of unique interests. Even as I grew up and began to really think about where I wanted to end up beyond a surface level, I knew I wanted to apply to and attend Rice. My personal attachment to the university, coupled with the incredibly open academic curriculum at Rice that easily allowed me to balance a Neuroscience major with my interests in Arabic, religion, politics, creative writing, etc., were the main drivers for why I ended up applying to Rice as an Early Decision 1 Applicant, and it's been an incredibly fulfilling experience and a dream come true so far.

Interests: ATHLETICS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, RESEARCH, SOCIAL JUSTICE
Ramon '27

Chicago, Illinois

Residential College: Duncan

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour and why?
My favorite question to be asked on tour is which residential college I am part of. This gives me the opportunity to show incoming applicants the strong ties associated to the residential colleges. The meaning it holds to be part of Duncan and how it's now part of my identity.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, SOCIAL JUSTICE, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Reva '29

Wichita, Kansas

Residential College: Duncan

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice because I fell in love with the campus and the way every student and staff member took the time to smile, wave, and spend time with me during my visit here. It was obvious that this was a school where I wasn't going to be just another statistic.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, RELIGION, SOCIAL JUSTICE
Ryan '26

Ocala, Florida

Residential College: Jones

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour and why?
What is your favorite class that you have ever taken because the classes I give are one unrelated to my major and it is super fun to see everyone's reactions.

Interests: RESEARCH, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Salvador '27

Florence, South Carolina

Residential College: Duncan

Why did you choose Rice?
Plain and simple, I chose Rice for the amazing community. Any college has the opportunity to provide you an education that can take you far in life, but not a single other college provides an amazing education in a way that changes you for the better. Everything at Rice is about the students! Even housing is designed to bring people together through the residential college system! Very blatantly put, Rice gives you a stellar education while also giving you a community that will build you up.

Interests: ATHLETICS, ENVIRONMENTAL, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Sarah '29

Allen, Texas

Residential College: Brown

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice because of all the research and extracurricular opportunities available as well as the welcoming student environment that fosters friendship instead of competition!

Interests: ARTS, MUSIC, RESEARCH
Sarai '28

Fort Worth, Texas

Residential College: Will Rice

What is your favorite Rice experience?
My favorite Rice experience is participating in Will Rice Will Surfside. Our entire college goes to Surfside Beach to celebrate the end of the academic year. There we sing campfire songs, have S'mores, and play in the ocean!

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, RESEARCH, SOCIAL JUSTICE
Stella '28

Los Angeles, California

Residential College: McMurtry

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice because of the small size and in turn smaller class environment. I really appreciate and excel with one-on-one attention when it comes to learning, and I did not want to compete with other students when it came to office hours or other meetings with professors. I always feel so seen when professors know my name and remembers me from previous semesters, it makes me feel like I have a place here at Rice.

Interests: ARTS, CULTURE, MUSIC, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Summer '29

San Diego, California

Residential College: Will Rice

How have you experienced Rice's Culture of Care?
I experienced Rice's Culture of Care at the end of O-Week when the feelings of homesickness finally caught on to me. I told some of my friends and advisors about it, and they all shared their own experiences and helped me realize that my situation is very common among first years. Being able to confide in my peers showed me that Rice students genuinely care about supporting each other.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, RESEARCH, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Tamara '29

Honolulu, Hawaii

Residential College: Martel

What is your favorite Rice experience?
My favorite experience at Rice so far has been Orientation Week or O-Week. Prior to applying, I had no idea about O-week and was terrified to start college. Yet instantly, once I stepped foot into Martel, I felt at home. Although it was a little overwhelming at first, the fun energy that all the advisors brought made me feel welcome and I quickly got to know and love my O-week family. I loved going on late night adventures and competing with the other new Martelians. Finally, by the end of the week, I felt ready to take on the new experiences of college and was comforted that I already had a group of friends I could talk to.

Interests: ARTS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, RESEARCH
Valeria '29

San Salvador, El Salvador

Residential College: Baker

Why did you choose Rice?
Moving to a new country alone is not an easy decision, but Rice offered exactly what I was looking for. I was initially attracted to apply to Rice for its green campus, warm location, and outstanding academic reputation. Nonetheless, in the end I decided to choose Rice because of the financial aid available to meet my needs. The amount of support I was offered was very unique to Rice. It was very important for me to attend a university with that type of personal care which I hoped to find in other areas as well. I liked the 6:1 faculty ratio as it helps to have a closer relationship with professors. Moreover, the residential college system felt like a good place to build community in an environment where meeting new people can feel intimidating.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, RESEARCH, SOCIAL JUSTICE
Victoria '27

Glenview, Illinois

Residential College: Baker

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice because of the community. Rice's campus is a true embodiment of the Culture of Care, filled with people who genuinely want to lift you up and see you succeed. The opportunities, support services, and members of our community come together to form an environment that nourishes learning and prepares students for success in whatever future lies ahead of them.

Interests: ARTS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, RESEARCH
Virginia '27

New York City, New York

Residential College: Wiess

Why did you choose Rice?
The Culture of Care. I see it in both my academic and social lives here. My teachers and peers offer me constant support and opportunities in my scholarly and career goals without overwhelming pressure or competition. Additionally, every person I've met at Rice is genuine, unique, and caring. I've never witnessed so many remarkable individuals in one place and I admire Rice's ability to bring all these special people together to cultivate COC. Even from just visiting campus before I matriculated, I could feel Rice's incredible culture emanating from the campus and students, and I knew that I wanted to enroll in Rice to contribute to that community myself.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, MUSIC, RELIGION
Wenshi '27

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Residential College: Hanszen

Why did you choose Rice?
Unlike others who pledged to be lawyers or doctors, I never set myself on a particular path. However, I found myself constantly seeking connections among interdisciplinary subjects. From my interests in music, humanities, and technology, I enjoy discovering the common ground that allows the in-depth exploration of all. Only at Rice that the diverse offering of courses lies where I may expand my horizons. With the freedom to take classes across seven divisions of study, I won’t be limited to just one field as a musi; in fact, I may take advantage of the comprehensive curriculum and distribution courses by investing in hands-on learning driven by genuine curiosity. Whether it is taking a cross-disciplinary course in AI History, fiddling music technology with Lilie Lab entrepreneurship, or hopping on a summer trip to France with CLIC, I can see myself thriving in an environment where even the craziest of my dream can turn into reality.

Interests: ARTS, CULTURE, MUSIC, RELIGION
Zhibo (Michael) '26

Shanghai, China

Residential College: Lovett

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour and why?
I like being asked about the curriculum and academic planning at Rice because I was amazed by the flexibility and variability of our courses, as well as the endless possibilities to explore your genuine interests and combine majors. Also, there are just so many resources and programs specifically for supporting your academic planning.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, MUSIC, STUDENT LEADERSHIP