VISIT

Meet Our Tour 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 tour 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.

Rita '25

Herndon, Virginia

Residential College:

Why did you choose Rice?
I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted to study, but I felt reassured that Rice had top-caliber academics in virtually all departments that were accessible to anyone. I wanted to go to a school in a big city that still maintained a safe and homey campus. I hoped to discover the sense of tight-knit community that I could always lean on that sounded too good to be true. Now I'm here, and I have found just that.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, MUSIC, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Ryan '26

Ocala, Florida

Residential College:

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
Sara '26

Wrocław, Poland

Residential College:

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour and why?
I am often asked where I am from, and then how I ended up studying in the USA and at Rice. I like being asked this question as my background demonstrates that students at Rice are very unique and come from all over the world. I also like this question because my journey of coming to the States is interesting and special.

Interests: ATHLETICS, CULTURE, RELIGION
Sarah '24

Merion Station, Pennsylvania

Residential College: Lovett

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour?
My favorite question to be asked on tours is whether or not it's easy to change academic plans or prospective career paths at Rice. I think that this question is my favorite because I have changed my mind many times and Rice's support networks have always allowed me to feel a sense of security and calmness.

Interests: CULTURE, RELIGION, RESEARCH, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Saumya '25

Houston, Texas

Residential College:

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour and why?
What's your favorite restaurant in Houston? I love this question because I can help students find great spots to eat across any cuisine!

Interests: CULTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL, RESEARCH
Scott '25

Houston, Texas

Residential College: Sid Richardson

Why did you choose Rice?
I chose Rice for many reasons, but the primary reason was the strong sense of community. The residential college system is such a fun and unique way of meeting people across all different majors, grade levels, and backgrounds, and it has been really nice being able to walk across campus and see familiar faces. When I was learning more about Rice, I got the sense that Rice students were kind and genuinely cared for one another, and I have definitely found that to be true during my time at Rice. In addition, I also knew that Rice had so many opportunities for clubs, research, and extracurriculars, which has definitely enhanced my Rice experience!

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, RESEARCH, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Shannon '24

Friendswood, Texas

Residential College: McMurtry

What is your favorite Rice experience?
My favorite Rice experience is the summer internship I participated in after my freshman year. I was an intern in the Summer Experience in Engineering Design Internship at the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK), in partnership with Rice 360 Institute for Global Health. During this program, I collaborated with an interdisciplinary team of peers on a global health engineering design project. Spending 8 hours a day in the OEDK is any engineer’s dream, and my technical skills increased greatly as a result. I also discovered my passion for global health during this internship, which prompted me to begin the global health technologies minor. Finally, I loved this internship because of the friendships I formed and the memories I made. I met so many amazing Rice students, and we quickly formed lasting bonds.

Interests: RELIGION, RESEARCH, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Siddhi '25

St. Louis, Missouri

Residential College:

What is your favorite Rice experience?
One of my favorite experiences at Rice has been the joy of meeting new people. Despite its simplicity, the campus fosters an extraordinary atmosphere of friendliness and warmth. The people here possess a captivating blend of kindness and quirkiness that's distinctively Rice. I've formed friendships in the most unexpected ways, cherishing the uniqueness of each interaction. From chance encounters to shared interests, every connection feels like a vibrant part of the Rice experience.

Interests: RESEARCH, SOCIAL JUSTICE, STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Swetha '26

Odessa, Texas

Residential College:

Why did you choose Rice?
Rice has been the best school in Texas and I wanted a fresh start. Here at Rice, the diversity, community, and academics are the main reason why I wanted to come to Rice and considered Rice as my dream school. The diverse community has let me meet so many people whether it be through clubs or my residential college. The academics are rigorous, but is rewarding to be a part of once you study and meet other like minded people in your class.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL, RESEARCH
Tanya '25

Round Rock, Texas

Residential College:

What is your favorite Rice experience?
Filling up water balloons for a week leading up to Rice's giant water balloon fight has been one of my favorite experiences. Will Rice is especially dedicated towards water balloons, so everyone comes out to fill balloons at some point during that week. I especially loved the various conversations we had when every spout on the filling apparatus (cherished the "cow") was being used with people I had never talked to before. In the end, we had 58 trash cans full of water balloons and I'm very proud of our efforts :D.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, ENVIRONMENTAL, MUSIC, RESEARCH
Tegan '26

Pearland, Texas

Residential College:

What is your favorite question to be asked on tour and why?
I like being asked why I chose Rice because I can talk about the supportive and hard-working community of Rice students.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, RESEARCH, SOCIAL JUSTICE
Zabrina '26

Houston, Texas

Residential College:

What is your favorite Rice experience?
Joining Rice Bhangra has been integral to my amazing Rice experience. I love weekly practices with our mini community of people from all backgrounds and residential colleges. I especially enjoy the opportunity to connect with my Punjabi culture and share such a fun dance at showcases.

Interests: COMMUNITY SERVICE, CULTURE, RESEARCH, SOCIAL JUSTICE
Zhibo (Michael) '26

Shanghai, China

Residential College:

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