Owl Days visitors to stay two nights instead of one
Next week, over 400 excited prospective students will come to campus for Rice's annual Owl Days program, and they will be staying here for a day longer than usual.
Student Admission Council Director Ashley Pelton said the lengthened visit will enhance the experience for prospective students.
"[Making Owl Days a day longer] allows students and parents to get an even better feel for what it's like at Rice," Pelton, a Wiess College junior, said.
The rescheduling of Owl Days activities will also give the prospective students a better opportunity to settle in and make some friends before all the activities on Thursday, Pelton said.
This year, no matter how late prospective students arrive Wednesday, April 10, when registration is scheduled to take place, they will not miss anything because the welcome is not set to take place until Thursday, Pelton said. Additionally, rather than having a parade in the academic quadrangle, this year, representatives from each college will escort the prospective students to their hosts as they arrive.
On Thursday, prospective students will attend activities during the day, including campus tours and panels on research opportunities, pre-professional programs and study abroad programs. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to attend classes and a student clubs and organizations fair, as well as the Rice Undergraduate Research Symposium and Owl Days closing ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Pelton said.
Pelton said the rest of the Owl Days programming, such as the panels and information sessions, will remain similar to previous years'. However, the goal for Owl Days this year is to have fewer but larger activities, as opposed to many smaller ones.
Despite hosting prospective students for two nights instead of one, overnight hosts' tasks will remain the same as in previous years, Pelton said.
Martel College senior Devon Morera, who has been an overnight host for Owl Days in the past, said she thinks extending the program is a good idea.
"During Owl Days, I didn't get too much time to spend with my prospies because I really only saw them at dinner the night they were there," Morera, a Martel College senior, said. "While it's good that there has always been plenty of stuff for prospies to do, ... I personally like getting to actually know the people who are spending the night in my room. Also, I think it's good for prospies to get a more honest perspective on what Rice is like by actually seeing students in their natural environment."
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