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.

Connor '25

Nashville, Tennessee

Residential College: Hanszen

What is your favorite Rice experience?
Beer Bike! It creates an incomparable atmosphere on campus that both strengthens residential college pride as well as inter college friendships. Having been involved in the race for two years, it is something I know I will always be part of at my time at Rice.

Interests: ARTS, ATHLETICS, ENVIRONMENTAL, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Daan '25

Houston, Texas

Residential College: Martel

What is your favorite Rice experience?
My favorite Rice experience would have to be my friendsgiving dinner. Me and my friends got to use Martel’s amazing kitchen to prepare a huge dinner. We messed around with the TVs and cameras that the kitchen is equipped with and it really felt like we were in a TV cooking show. I also think that cooking things together brought me and my friends closer together and that evening I got to enjoy a huge dinner with a lot of amazing people that I was able to meet in my first semester.

Interests: ENVIRONMENTAL
Delaney '25

Los Angeles, California

Residential College: Jones

Why did you choose Rice?
While I deeply valued that Rice is strong in my academic areas of interest, I really chose Rice for the caring, collaborative student culture. The residential college system creates a home that everyone fits into. The students here are the kindest, most passionate, motivated people I have ever met.

Interests: ATHLETICS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, SOCIAL JUSTICE, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Emma '26

Boston, Massachusetts

Residential College: Sid Richardson

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour and why?
I love talking about residential college committees because they often get overlooked but are a great way to finance and organize whatever you want to do with your friends at your college. Shoutout Hanszen cheese committee and Lovett sushi committee.

Interests: ATHLETICS, ENVIRONMENTAL, RESEARCH, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Fredrick '25

Kiambu, Kenya

Residential College: Sid Richardson

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour?
I like being asked about my life as an engineering student and the various activities I’m involved in. I can go on and on about my experiences in each of my clubs because they’ve formed such a core part of my experience so far at Rice.

Interests: CULTURE, RESEARCH
Genesis '25

Honolulu, Hawaii

Residential College: Hanszen

What is your favorite Rice experience?
Cooking with my friends in the college kitchens! One of my favorite Rice experiences is making fried rice and spam musubis late at night and eating a “second dinner” together, while talking and talking about other dishes we could try. I love making (and eating) food with the people I care about and it was really special to be sharing food from my hometown. I love that at Rice I’m able to meet people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, and that I’m able to share mine as well! That moment helped me connect my life at home to my life at Rice, and though I sometimes feel homesick, I also feel like Rice and moments like these are home too.

Interests: ARTS, ENVIRONMENTAL, RESEARCH
Giulia '25

São Paulo, Brazil

Residential College: Will Rice

What is your favorite Rice experience?
O-Week!! So much happens from the moment you step out of you car to people chanting your name to the end of the week, when you have not only signed up for your classes but met a community that will be there for you no matter what! I think that is our most beautiful demonstration of culture of care!

Interests: CULTURE, MUSIC, RESEARCH, SOCIAL JUSTICE
Gwyneth '26

Houston, Texas

Residential College: Will Rice

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice because for as long as I can remember I went to schools with a larger student body. As an introvert, it sometimes made it difficult for me to ask for help and get a teacher’s undivided attention. Therefore, when choosing a college, I knew I wanted to go to a smaller University where I can work one-on-one with professors. With Rice also being a research institution, that is nothing but encouraged here. I have enjoyed working hand-in-hand with scholarly and high achieving professors, even as a freshman.

Interests: CULTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL, MUSIC, RESEARCH
Hayley '25

The Woodlands, Texas

Residential College: Lovett

What is your favorite Rice experience?
My favorite Rice experience is supporting my friends working at student-run food establishments! Along with my other friends, I love racing to the front of their long lines and trying to be their first customers of the day. Typically, we grab food from The Hoot and boba from East-West before studying in Sammy’s. I love how food brings people together at Rice, and I have so much fun supporting and studying with my friends.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, RESEARCH, SOCIAL JUSTICE
Ipek '25

Istanbul, Turkey

Residential College: Sid Richardson

What is your favorite Rice experience?
My favorite Rice experience was touring the campus for the first time. I didn’t have the opportunity of touring our campus before O-Week, and even though the online tours were great, standing in the academic quad for the first time is a feeling I’ll never forget.

Interests: ARTS, ATHLETICS, MUSIC
Isabella '26

Scottsdale, Arizona

Residential College: Lovett

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice because I wanted a place that had great academics, but also I place I could develop deep connections. Rice had the small school vibe I was interested in and has also provided me with so many resources to succeed post college.

Interests: ARTS, CULTURE, MUSIC, SOCIAL JUSTICE
Jaylin '25

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Residential College: Sid Richardson

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour?
What is my favorite drink at Rice Coffee House? The answer is always the mango smoothie

Interests: ARTS, CULTURE, MUSIC
Josh '25

San Francisco, California

Residential College: Martel

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour and why?
My favorite question to be asked on tours is anything related to studying abroad at Rice. Studying abroad is a unique experience that I was fortunate enough to be able to do during the summer after my freshman year. It is a great opportunity I would recommend to any student, which is why I enjoy talking about it on tours.

Interests: ATHLETICS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL
Krish '26

Denver, Colorado

Residential College: Sid Richardson

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour and why?
"What is your favorite part about Houston?"

This is my favorite question to answer because I love to highlight the amazing diversity of Houston and how fun it is to interact with the diverse cultures and people from Houston. For example, Houston has some of the best Pakistani, Indian, Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Brazilian, and almost every international cuisine in the entire United States in our city and it is so fun to go and try these different foods and restaurants. I always shoutout Hillcroft (Little India) and Chinatown as some of the best places to get food in Houston, plus they are super accessible to Rice students for free by the Houston METRO public transit system! "

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, RESEARCH, SOCIAL JUSTICE
Kushal '25

Houston, Texas

Residential College: Duncan

What is your favorite Rice experience?
My favorite Rice experience is when I drove up to my college dorm during Move-in day at O-week. The excitement and buzz all around me was indescribable. All the advisors yelling my name and my own advisors leading me to my room was a moment I will never forget. Little did I know that I was about to enter what would become the place I cherish so much.

Interests: ATHLETICS, CULTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL, RESEARCH
Lara '25

Houston, Texas

Residential College: Duncan

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour and why?
My favorite question to be asked on tour is: “What is your favorite part of being at Rice?” I love this question because my answer changes every tour. One day my favorite part may be a super interesting class I’m taking, the next it’s the Karaoke we did in the commons, or laughing with my friends while walking to the Zoo. There are so many different aspects of the Rice experience that I enjoy and being able to share all of these moments with prospective students is so much fun.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, RESEARCH
Layal '26

Saar, Bahrain

Residential College: Wiess

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice because it encapsulates everything I've dreamt of in my college experience. The intimate and collaborative learning environment ensures close interactions with professors and peers, fostering meaningful connections that extend beyond the classroom. The residential college system creates a tight-knit community, offering diverse perspectives and a supportive network. I knew that Houston's diverse culture and endless activities would enhance my college experience, providing a balance between academics and real-world exposure. The idea of internships, cultural events, and the chance to engage with industries relevant to my studies excited me. It's like getting the best of both worlds – a tight-knit campus and a bustling city right next door.

Interests: ARTS, CULTURE, MUSIC, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Lily '25

Henderson, Nevada

Residential College: Hanszen

Why did you choose Rice?
There are many reasons why I chose Rice! While it may sound cliche, my tour of Rice and the people that I interacted with on my tour were one of the major factors that made me fall in love with Rice. Everyone that I interacted with was so nice and hospitable, they really made me understand the sense of collaboration and community that Rice lauds itself on. Additionally, as an FGLI (First-Generation Low Income) student, Rice's financial aid awards made it so I could still attend a top-tier university without worrying about how I was going to have to pay for such an education. There is a variety of other resources that Rice offers for students such as myself, meaning that I have been able to experience the university in the same way that anyone else has the opportunity to do so. Although there are many other factors that made me choose Rice, these are definitely the top two!

Interests: ARTS, ATHLETICS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE
Lívia '26

Brasilia, Brazil

Residential College: Lovett

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice because of its academic reputation, diverse student body and financial aid. I came in knowing that I would study Astrophysics and Rice is one of the best schools for that. Rice is also one of the only schools that has a long lasting connection with NASA and the space industry in general so that made me even more excited to apply here. I also wanted to meet other international students like me and Rice gave me that opportunity with a student body that has people from all the 50 states and 100+ countries. Finally, without the International Student Grant I wouldn't be able to afford the cost of an undergraduate degree in the US, so the financial aid I got was also vital for me to choose Rice.

Interests: CULTURE, RESEARCH, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Luke A. '25

Knippa, Texas

Residential College: Duncan

What is your favorite Rice experience?
I have had so many amazing experiences here at Rice! If I had to choose it would be the first time I participated in my favorite Duncan college tradition which is Thirsty Thursday. Thirsty Thursday is a tradition where every other Thursday we go up to one of the suites and get a milkshake! It is so much fun interacting with all of my friends and meeting new people through an amazing frozen treat. I had even more fun working at the event for the first time. You see you can volunteer to be a server and blend the milkshakes for everyone. It was so much fun talking and interacting with everyone in line while discussing classes or our favorite ice cream flavors (cookies and cream is the best hands down). This experience really embraced the sense of community there is at each residential college hence why the residential college system is my favorite part about Rice.

Interests: ARTS, ATHLETICS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, RESEARCH
Mark '25

Savage, Minnesota

Residential College: McMurtry

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour?
I love giving restaurant recommendations! One of my favorite restaurants is CoCo crepes, within walking distance from campus. Rice Village has many other great lunch and dinner options, including Tiger Noodle House and Velvet Taco. If you are looking for something even closer to campus, Brochstein Pavilion is a great place to relax and enjoy a tasty sandwich.

Interests: ARTS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, RELIGION, STUDENT LEADERSHIP