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.

Lucy '29

Lighthouse Point, Florida

Residential College: Lovett

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice after first visiting campus during Owl Days. I immediately sensed a shift in the energy on campus--everyone I met was overwhelmingly welcoming, passionate about learning, and eager to show me why Rice was so special. Additionally, I love the intellectual curiosity Rice encourages, allowing flexibility for someone like me, who has interests across fields of study, as I plan to major in mathematics and neuroscience while being pre-med.

Interests: ARTS, ATHLETICS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, RESEARCH
Lyla '29

Cave Creek, Arizona

Residential College: McMurtry

How have you experienced Rice's Culture of Care?
I really felt Rice's Culture of Care for the first time during O-Week. My advisors already knew everyone's names before we'd even met, which genuinely blew me away, and set the tone for everything. People here actually care about how you're doing. It's genuine. And academically, it's nothing like I expected. There's no cutthroat competition, rather people study together, and are genuinely happy when their peers succeed. I've never been in an environment like that before. At Rice, you always feel like someone's in your corner and that means everything.

Interests: ATHLETICS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, RESEARCH, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Mara '29

Madrid, Spain

Residential College: Duncan

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice because of how supportive the entire community is towards its students. I often tell my tours that any resource you can think of, Rice probably has, and if it doesn't they will help you create it. From the multicultural organizations, to the peer-to-peer resources, to the leadership coaching at the Doerr institute, to the funding opportunities for professional programs, Rice has ways of supporting its students for anything and everything they might need. Rice's abundance of resources combined with its small student population makes all of these resources incredibly accessible. What I most wanted from a university was to know that I would feel seen and that I would have the help I needed to reach my full potential, and that's something I quickly realized I would get at Rice.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, ENVIRONMENTAL, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Mckayla '29

Houston, Texas

Residential College: Will Rice

Why did you choose Rice?
I wanted to attend a smaller but still very academic school. I also knew that I wanted to go to school in the south (because of the weather). I felt like Rice checked all these general boxes and more. When I toured Rice, the guide made me feel so welcome and just liked they loved Rice. After attending Rice for a little more than a semester, I can confirm that I also love Rice.

Interests: ATHLETICS, ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL JUSTICE, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Megan '28

Houston, Texas

Residential College: Duncan

How have you experienced Rice's Culture of Care?
Getting caught in the rain at the Houston Zoo can easily ruin anyone's day, but when my friends and I returned soaked and chilled to the bone, the Duncan Magisters greeted us with warm towels to help us dry off and warm up. It was a simple gesture, but it reflected the everyday kindness that makes the Rice community feel so supported. Moments like that make it clear that the culture of care isn't just a phrase people use at Rice, it's something you genuinely experience.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, MUSIC, RESEARCH
Michael '28

Seattle, Washington

Residential College: Brown

How have you experienced Rice's Culture of Care?
Students are very open to helping each other out even when they don't know you personally. Last year, I lost my ID for a while, and students I had never met before were willing to donate me a swipe so that I could eat in the servery when I didn't have a student ID.

Interests: ARTS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Molly '29

Albany, New York

Residential College: Wiess

How have you experienced Rice's Culture of Care?
I’ve experienced Rice’s Culture of Care in small but meaningful ways—like professors checking in during busy weeks, classmates sharing notes without being asked, and my core team genuinely looking out for my wellbeing. Rice makes it clear that you’re never expected to handle everything on your own, and that sense of support has shaped how comfortable I feel taking academic and personal risks here.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, RELIGION, RESEARCH
Nicole '28

Los Angeles, California

Residential College: Sid Richardson

Why did you choose Rice?
I initially chose Rice because of its top-ranked academic programs and the opportunity to study in a rigorous, creative environment. However, when I visited campus, what truly convinced me was the atmosphere and the people. The campus itself is beautiful, but it was the welcoming and supportive nature of the community that really stood out to me. Everyone I met seemed genuinely excited about being at Rice and eager to share their experiences. That sense of openness and care made it feel like a place where I could both challenge myself academically and feel supported along the way. Rice quickly felt like somewhere I could grow, explore my interests, and be part of a close-knit community.

Interests: ARTS, CULTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL
Nikita '27

Houston, Texas

Residential College: Baker

How have you experienced Rice's Culture of Care?
Through Rice's Culture of Care, I got to advise new students as an O-Week parent! I loved cheering my freshmen on whether it was birthday scavenger hunts (group chat disguised as "MATH 101 study group"), hand-drawn signs with their full names for basketball games, or late-night check-ins during exam stress. It was fulfilling to be a mentor, and I appreciate how Rice's culture encourages you to be a peer who supports collaboratively instead of constantly competing, because we each have different strengths.

Interests: CULTURE, MUSIC, RELIGION, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Owen '29

Southlake, Texas

Residential College: Will Rice

How have you experienced Rice's Culture of Care?
I have experienced Rice's Culture of Care through my friends and residential college RAs. Whenever I'm stressed due to work or exams, my friends go out of their ways to cheer me up, making informal study breaks for me to rest, talking through my struggles, and cheering me on as I walk to the actual tests. Similarly, my residential college RAs know me by name and check in with me whenever we cross paths. They've taken the time to learn my interests and courses, and they regularly find opportunities to sit down and chat about studies, life, etc. Both groups of people (and so many more) constantly support me on campus, so I always feel the presence of Rice's Culture of Care.

Interests: CULTURE, MUSIC, RESEARCH, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Paris '28

Shanghai, China

Residential College: Brown

Why did you choose Rice?
Rice offered the resources that align well with my goals of going into biomedical research, as well as the flexibility to explore and protect my curiosity. But most importantly, I think I chose Rice for its people, whose vibe really resonated with mine even before I step foot on campus. Here, there's no single definition of success, nor is it a cut-throat environment where competition reigns above all else. People are truly passionate about their studies and goals and they are willing to give it all.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, RESEARCH, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Princess '27

Atlanta, Georgia

Residential College: Brown

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice because of the extensive resources available to students, and the welcoming atmosphere which allows students to be more collaborative than competitive.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, RESEARCH, SOCIAL JUSTICE, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
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
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
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
Sweetie '29

Dallas, Texas

Residential College: Duncan

What is your favorite Rice experience?
My favorite Rice experience would definitely have to be O-Week. I was and am so grateful for all the support I was met with the second that I stepped foot on campus. Being able to meet and grow alongside other new students while doing fun and silly activities was such a great introduction to Rice, and truly a highlight of my time here so far.

Interests: ARTS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, MUSIC
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