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.

Aarish '27

Tarrant County, Texas

Residential College: Sid Richardson

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour and why?
Why did you come to Rice? This is because I can share my own experiences!

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, RELIGION, RESEARCH
Abby '26

Lebanon, Ohio

Residential College: Sid Richardson

What is your favorite Rice experience?
My favorite Rice experience has been having the chance to advise the new students and welcome them to the university. I loved preparing for the students to come, moving them in, and supporting them throughout O-Week and beyond. I have loved the chance to make new students feel welcomed and loved!

Interests: MUSIC, RELIGION, RESEARCH, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Abhishek '27

The Woodlands, Texas

Residential College: Brown

What is your favorite Rice experience?
One unique experience I had as an undergraduate was planning and running Dhamaka, SAS’s and Rice’s largest cultural event. Throughout the fall semester leading up to Dhamaka, I worked alongside the rest of the board and gained experiences that not only taught me, but quickly integrated me into the ins and outs of leadership at Rice. As well, I was able to connect with the South Asian community and meet many people I have not met otherwise. On the final culmination of a semester’s work, watching the hundreds of people fill up the Grand Hall, groups perform, and dancing my own choreography made me proud of who I was at Rice and the community I could share it with. Having all my friends come, both South Asian and not, allowed me to showcase my culture and what makes me who I am today.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, RESEARCH, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Abigail '26

Clinton, Mississippi

Residential College: Sid Richardson

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour and why?
I love being asked what my favorite part of Rice is because I love talking about the traditions and community of the residential college system.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, MUSIC, RELIGION
Alessa '26

Houston, Texas

Residential College: Baker

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose to come to Rice for multiple reasons. First, I love the emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion that makes everyone feel welcome no matter their identities, which is carried out by not only the faculty but also the students. Second, the campus is beautiful and one can find a new study spot every day. Third, there are some very cool classes that you can take just for fun, like one that just consists of working in Rice's garden. Last, there's a myriad of student-run businesses like Chaus, Ktru, Hoot, East-West, etc. that are continuously expanding and supporting the student-life on campus.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Alex Li '26

Memphis, Tennessee

Residential College: Brown

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice first and foremost because of its number one ranked Sport Management program. I’ve always had a passion for working in sports, so Rice made the most sense. Additionally, Rice’s people, location, and diversity also stood out to me.

Interests: ATHLETICS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Alex Little '26

Dallas, Texas

Residential College: Will Rice

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour and why?
I really like getting asked about Rice's social scene when I give tours. I think Rice offers a pretty vast array of opportunities when it comes to social activities, which means every student -- whether they prefer small gatherings or large events -- can find their place and explore their interests. I feel that the diversity in regards to social offerings is one of Rice's greatest assets, and I could talk about the friends I've made here for hours!

Interests: ARTS, ENVIRONMENTAL, RESEARCH
Amy '25

Rockville, Maryland

Residential College: Sid Richardson

What is your favorite Rice experience?
My favorite experience at Rice is playing volleyball with my friends in the Sid Quad in our free time. We originally formed a team for a volleyball tournament during one of our residential college’s KITC (Keg in the Club) events near the beginning of the year and enjoyed playing with each other so much that we played together again for the intramural volleyball season and now use it as a way to destress throughout the semester.

Interests: CULTURE, MUSIC
Andy '27

Shenyang, China

Residential College: Lovett

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice as my ED option most notably because of its culture of care. When I reached out to Rice alumni for their experience at Rice, they all replied enthusiastically. They gave me a sense that whatever problems I would meet at Rice, I'd always have someone to help me work things out. After coming to Rice, I genuinely feel the culture of care, and I'll pass this care to every prospective Rice owl interested in Rice.

Interests: ARTS, ATHLETICS, CULTURE, MUSIC
Anirudh '26

Austin, Texas

Residential College: Wiess

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour and why?
"What are ways you have gotten involved on campus?"

I like this question because I have gotten involved in many different ways at Rice. In addition to being involved in student government (I was the freshmen rep at Wiess and am now head treasurer), and holding an on-campus job (in the OIT), I am also a member of numerous clubs (Rice South Asian Society and Rice Business Society). I think there are ample opportunities at Rice to get involved in something that interests the student."

Interests: ATHLETICS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Anne '25

Atlanta, Georgia

Residential College: Lovett

What is your favorite Rice experience?
One of my favorite Rice experiences was during fall semester of freshman year. The day happened to be jam-packed with events, such as former President Leebron’s BBQ as well as Esperanza, which is RPC’s fall formal dance. So, my friends and I basically all pulled up to the BBQ in some fancy clothes (and got to take a picture with Leebron himself!). Then, we went to Esperanza and took the cutest photos ever. But, it didn’t end there. I was also volunteering for the clean-up shift for Esperanza as a part of RPC, and I got to take back all the leftovers (2 bottles of sparkling cider + a whole box of cake) for the rest of us to enjoy as a late-night snack in between going to another event that Lovett was hosting that night. Admittedly, that made for one super long day, but never in my life would I have ever imagined for that day to be possible.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, RESEARCH, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Annie '25

Dallas, Texas

Residential College: Wiess

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour?
My favorite question to be asked is Why did I choose Rice? For me, the question is a great way to show how all of the different topics I've talked about on my tour connect together to make the entire university so unique. It gives me the chance to talk about Rice in a more personal way than other tour topics do. I also think by sharing how I decided on Rice, I can perhaps help prospective students figure out what they are looking for in a college and how they might decide.

Interests: ARTS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, RESEARCH, SOCIAL JUSTICE
Annika '25

Seattle, Washington

Residential College: Martel

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice because of the welcoming community and culture of care. Especially being pre-med, I really valued how collaborative and supportive the Rice student body was, and have found it to be totally true in the past 3 years.

Interests: ATHLETICS, CULTURE, RESEARCH, SOCIAL JUSTICE
Anthony '26

New Orleans, Louisiana

Residential College: Sid Richardson

What is your favorite Rice experience?
It definitely has to be O-Week (or Orientation Week). For me (and all of my friends), O-Week was more than just all of the informative events, fun social get-togethers, or a helpful transition into college. O-Week provided me with a group of friends that is always there for me and a group of people that I can trust and confide in– exemplifying Rice’s culture of care.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL JUSTICE
Anuska '25

The Woodlands, Texas

Residential College: Sid Richardson

Why did you choose Rice?
As a pre-med, I chose Rice because of the opportunities, resources, and close community provided to pre-health students. In addition, the residential college system promised an avenue for me to form diverse friendships beyond my academic peers!

Interests: ARTS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Aoife '27

Tampa, Florida

Residential College: Wiess

What is your favorite Rice experience?
O-Week has been my favorite Rice experience. I have never so quickly been inculcated into a culture, and felt like I had a home. Additionally, it was one of the best weeks of my life, which included many experiences including playing broom-ball late at night in the Galleria or capping off the week with a water fight.

Interests: ATHLETICS, CULTURE, RELIGION, RESEARCH
Aria '27

Knightdale, North Carolina

Residential College: Wiess

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice because it seamlessly blended academic excellence with a vibrant social atmosphere. The allure of receiving a rigorous education was matched only by the promise of engaging in a community that constantly challenged and inspired me. As I set foot on campus for the first time, I was captivated by the palpable energy and the diverse array of individuals who I knew would shape my experience over the next four years. In choosing Rice, I felt drawn to a place where every interaction, every conversation, felt like an opportunity for growth and connection.

Interests: ATHLETICS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, RELIGION, SOCIAL JUSTICE
Arryana '26

Beaumont, Texas

Residential College: Jones

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour and why?
My favorite question to be asked is why I decided to attend Rice. I love talking about how welcoming our community is, and how I really felt like I belonged here as soon as I moved in for O-Week!

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, MUSIC, RESEARCH, SOCIAL JUSTICE
Arturo '25

Fort Payne, Alabama

Residential College: Hanszen

What is your favorite Rice experience?
One of my favorite experiences from my time at Rice was going to the Houston Zoo and Museum of Natural Science for the first time. I got to explore new parts of Houston and have fun with some of my new friends. Since then, I've gone back to the Hermann Park area many times because it's a very integral part of Houston only a short walk away.

Interests: ATHLETICS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, RESEARCH
Austin '25

Katy, Texas

Residential College: Sid Richardson

What is your favorite Rice experience?
I knew Rice was my home after this moment.

It was about 9:01 pm on September 14th, 2021: a whole month since I first arrived to Rice. It was pouring rain outside. Immediately, I texted the fourth-floor group chat and told them to change quickly— we were going to play in the rain.

Sure, we had homework to finish and projects to complete. But for the thirty minutes that we were outside in the rain, that didn’t matter. There were sprinklers shooting out waves of water all around our residential college quad— it was a whole waterpark. I looked around at all the other kids from my Residential College screaming in joy and running around. The rain brought a cathartic release of emotions as I realized that Rice had given me everything I had wanted from the college experience: a place of happiness and a sense of belonging within my residential college, and the entire Rice Community overall.

Interests: STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Ava '26

Nashville, Tennessee

Residential College: Hanszen

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour and why?
I love being asked about how Rice's size has affected my experience. Because Rice has multiple layers of nested communities, you can make it as big or as small of a community as you want. Rice gives you small families like your O-week group and clubs, but also larger communities to be a part of like your residential college and North/South college culture. Rice gives you all the tools to build the university experience you're looking for, all you have to do is seize it.

Interests: ARTS, RESEARCH