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Friday, March 29, 2024 — Houston, TX

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NEWS 2/16/21 11:08pm

Hundreds of students rush to get vaccinated after Rice receives last-minute vaccine doses

Rice students, staff and faculty dashed to the East Gym amidst the ongoing winter storm to claim one of the hundreds of Moderna vaccines administered on campus Monday afternoon. Harris County Public Health gave the vaccines — which would have otherwise gone to waste due to a power outage at their building — to Rice and other institutions that were already equipped to administer the vaccines. 810 vaccines were distributed to Rice’s campus, according to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo.




A&E 2/9/21 10:09pm

The Ultimate Guide to Celebrating Valentine’s Day in COVID Times

Love is in the air, but so is the novel coronavirus. Thus, everyone’s favorite Hallmark-sponsored holiday is going to look a bit different this year. It may seem like the only option for Rice students is to buy your special someone a fancy latte from Brochstein or take a romantic couple’s walk to Reckling Roost for a LAMP test, but we’re here to broaden your options. Whether you’re looking for a socially distant picnic date, cupid-themed photoshoots or even just sending yourself a well-deserved box of chocolates, there’s something for everyone this Valentine’s Day. Check out our guide down below for date ideas, local events, florists and chocolatiers.  


FEATURES 2/9/21 9:47pm

‘My college career fizzled out’: Three alumni talk graduating a semester early

Although many Rice seniors are eyeing their May 15 graduation date, Emily Duffus (McMurtry College '20) transitioned from student to alumnus sooner than she had expected. Instead of settling into a new semester’s schedule these past few weeks, she has been working full time at a mobile urgent care in Houston as a medical technician and part-time as a contact trader with Rice Crisis Management. She spends her time driving around in an SUV with a nurse practitioner to address patients’ medical concerns in the comfort of their own homes. Duffus is one of various Rice alumni who decided to graduate early last fall after the pandemic turned their senior year plans upside down. The Thresher checked in with three graduates to see how their transition out of Rice has gone.  



FEATURES 2/2/21 11:15pm

Students talk hopes and fears for next four years under Biden administration

The confirmation of Donald J. Trump’s victory in the 2016 presidential election set the stage for a political rollercoaster that lasted four years. It drove countless Americans to take a stand and voice their support for and opposition to the former president, whose controversial policies and actions sparked heated debates. On campus, those conversations served as fuel for movements and organizations that sought to politically engage and inform students. Rice saw a surge in voting rates in recent years and high engagement in the past election as a result of the efforts of various on-campus clubs and groups. 


SPORTS 2/2/21 11:01pm

Owls to take to the pitch for the first time in over a year

Following a hiatus of almost 15 months, the Rice women’s soccer team will start its season tomorrow squaring off against McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The Owls will rely on a deep roster, with eight of 11 starters from the 2019 season returning, as they hope to put together a successful 2021 campaign.  




NEWS 1/8/21 12:17pm

Students cannot return to campus and all classes are remote until Feb 15

Undergraduate students will not be able to return to campus until Feb 15, according to an email from President David Leebron sent out this morning. The email also states that all classes this semester will begin in an online format and that Rice will move to Research Stage 2 in which essential on-campus research will be able to continue but with added safety protocols. 


NEWS 11/17/20 11:57pm

Rice alumna blasts off on historic SpaceX flight

Shannon Walker, Baker College ‘87, MS ’92, Ph.D. ‘93 is one of the four astronauts on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station. The Crew Dragon spacecraft launched on Sunday evening and arrived on Monday night at the ISS, where the crew will spend the next six months, according to NASA. This is Walker’s second space flight to the ISS.


FEATURES 11/17/20 11:36pm

Alone at Sid: Life in the isolation tower

The tower that used to house the Sid Richardson College community is quiet these days: hallways are bare and most floors are vacant. The only people living there are a handful of students from across the residential colleges, and they mostly keep to their rooms. 




A&E 11/10/20 11:21pm

New Horizons: Bryan Washington talks debut novel and A24 deal

2020 has been action-packed for everyone and Bryan Washington is no exception. For this acclaimed writer and Rice English professor, this year brought about great positive changes. His much-anticipated debut novel, “Memorial,” was published last month by Riverhead Books. Picked up for adaptation by entertainment company A24 prior to publication, the novel’s release made waves in literary and television communities alike. A native Houstonian, Washington published his award-winning short story collection, “Lot,” last year and was appointed Rice’s first Scholar-in-Residence for Racial Justice in July, a title he holds alongside his distinction as George Guion Williams Writer in Residence.