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.

Abby '29

Falls Church, Virginia

Residential College: McMurtry

What is your favorite Rice experience?
My favorite experience was probably first meeting and hanging out with my O Week family the first day of Orientation Week. We immediately got on, joking wiht each other and had the best time. We are super close and our O Week dinners are always well attended.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE
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
Akul '29

Dallas, Texas

Residential College: Wiess

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice for its Open Curriculum. In my opinion, it offers the perfect balance of academic freedom with taking classes across disciplines and schools, while also offering amazing career and 4-year plan support

Interests: ARTS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL
Aleena '29

Houston, Texas

Residential College: Brown

What is your favorite Rice experience?
I loved Dhamaka, which was Rice's South Asian cultural showcase! I performed with Rice Riyaaz, Rice's South Asian fusion dance team, and had the opportunity to watch other dance teams, acapella groups, and individual performers take the stage. The food was also delicious! The dance practices leading up to it and the celebration afterwards were also super fun experiences.

Interests: CULTURE, RELIGION, RESEARCH, SOCIAL JUSTICE
Alvina '29

Sugar Land, Texas

Residential College: Hanszen

What is your favorite Rice experience?
O-Week was genuinely unforgettable! Hanszenites were screaming my name when I arrived, and my family is like my built-in friend group. The entire O-Week experience, from the late-night activities to jam-packed days filled with activities, was the best way to start my four years at Rice!

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, RELIGION, RESEARCH
Andria '29

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Residential College: Duncan

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice because the architecture program supports my academic goals and Rice has the most welcoming and caring student community!

Interests: ARTS, ATHLETICS, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Annie '29

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Residential College: Sid Richardson

Why did you choose Rice?
Hong Kong has a very similar climate to Houston (hot and humid), so Rice feels just like home!

Interests: CULTURE, RESEARCH, SOCIAL JUSTICE, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Antonio '29

Adelanto, California

Residential College: Lovett / Chao

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice because of its stellar humanities program. People often talk about Rice as a STEM school, but that reputation completely overshadows the university’s immensely rigorous, personal, and intellectually rich humanities courses. Every class is taught with real dedication and care, and every professor brings such intention to the experience that the humanities at Rice have become one of the strongest selling points of the university for me.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, MUSIC, SOCIAL JUSTICE
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
Azahir '27

Toa Baja, Puerto Rico

Residential College: McMurtry

Why did you choose Rice?
The liberty when it comes to choosing your studies is unrivaled here. Having the opportunity to explore all kinds of fields and disciplines while still pursuing your main course makes Rice a great place for those who just want to know everything there is to know about the world around us. I chose Rice because I knew I’d want to explore as many fields as possible while also firmly pursuing my primary degree.

Interests: ARTS, CULTURE, MUSIC, RESEARCH
Bess '27

Stillwater, Oklahoma

Residential College: Lovett

What is your favorite Rice experience?
One of my favorite Rice experiences was celebrating my birthday during O-Week. From the moment I sat down for breakfast, I was greeted with countless happy birthday wishes from students and advisors I had only talked to once or twice. They knew my name and face after I had only been on campus for a few days! My O-Week family later surprised me with a gift (a jar of peanut butter - my favorite food), cupcakes, and a card with heartfelt messages from each family member. In typical O-Week fashion, the rest of my day was filled with more water guns, shaving cream, and unicorns than I ever would have expected, and I would not have wanted it any other way! It was the perfect introduction to Rice’s culture.

Interests: ATHLETICS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, RELIGION
Brian '27

Maywood, New Jersey

Residential College: McMurtry

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour and why?
My favorite question to be asked is "What is your favorite thing about your residential college" because I could talk about McMurtry forever. It's amazing how easy it is to identify with your residential college simply because you were placed into it and the sense community that results from that. I love feeling like I have a home base on campus that is bigger than my dorm room.

Interests: ATHLETICS, ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL JUSTICE, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Caleb '29

Atlanta, Georgia

Residential College: Hanszen

What is your favorite Rice experience?
One of my favorite Rice experiences so far has been the BASYK K-pop dance workshops! I had no experience with dance before coming to Rice but the instructors and other dancers were very enthusiastic with helping me learn the various steps of each dance. I was enabled to go past my comfort zone in a way that was vulnerable yet fun, and at the end, I was able to perform the dances in front of some of my old and new friends.

Interests: ARTS, CULTURE, MUSIC, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Carmina '28

Houston, Texas

Residential College: McMurtry

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice because of its excellent academic reputation and quirky culture. Rice offers so many opportunities, whether academic, professional, or leadership, but it’s also really special in its weird traditions and residential college system. Rice really feels like a home, not just a very good university!

Interests: RESEARCH, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Charissa '28

Dallas, Texas

Residential College: Duncan

How have you experienced Rice's Culture of Care?
I would say the residential college system is a big part of the Culture of Care, since you have your friends and adult support systems to lean on. Whether it be stress, personal issues, or something else, I've always felt like the people around me had my back, and that's really what Culture of Care is about!

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, ENVIRONMENTAL, MUSIC, RESEARCH
Chidalu '27

Boston, Massachusetts

Residential College: Martel

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice University for its great community and strong support for students. The diverse affinity groups and Student Success Initiative help me feel supported and motivated to step out of my comfort zone.

Interests: CULTURE, RELIGION, SOCIAL JUSTICE, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Christian '29

Las Vegas, Nevada

Residential College: Will Rice

What is your favorite Rice experience?
O-Week was definitely my favorite Rice experience. The first week of transition to college is very difficult, but O-Week made it feel seamless. Getting to bond with my O-Week family, being enveloped into Will Rice college traditions, and forming a strong first-year community was really empowering. By the end of O-Week, I knew I would love Rice.

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

Changsha, China

Residential College: Hanszen

What is your favorite Rice experience?
My favorite Rice experiences are the spontaneous conversations I have with people - whether with friends or someone I just met! Rice students come from incredibly diverse backgrounds, and everyone has very fascinating stories and perspectives. I love talking with those who have lived on multiple continents and hearing how different cultures shape identity, discussing the future of technology and the ethics of AI, or comparing linguistic nuances with bilingual or trilingual friends. All these "random" conversations have broadened my perspective on people and the world so much. What I love most is how approachable and open everyone at Rice is: it’s just so easy to strike up conversations and explore different experiences and viewpoints together.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, RELIGION, RESEARCH, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Deivanai '29

Cypress, Texas

Residential College: Wiess

How have you experienced Rice's Culture of Care?
I have experienced many instances of Rice's Culture of Care. One time, I was really stressed about a presentation I had to give the next day, and I was in Wiess Commons practicing it. Some of my classmates in commons saw me struggling, and offered to sit down and be an audience for me. It was really helpful to have other people listen to my presentation, and I'm so grateful that the people here are willing to take time out of their days to do things like that for us!

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

Short Hills, New Jersey

Residential College: Will Rice

What is your favorite Rice experience?
One of my favorite Rice experiences was during O-Week. Our sister college came to us and started chanting at us, and of course, we immediately yelled chants back. By the end, every Bakerite had a rubber duck, and they gave one to each of us. Together, we all walked over and placed the ducks into our dunk tank. It was a small but meaningful moment that showed what makes Rice special. Even though residential colleges have a lot of pride and love competing with each other, there is still a strong sense that we are all part of the same community. At Rice, competition and school spirit ultimately bring us together rather than divide us.

Interests: ATHLETICS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, RESEARCH