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Features

FEATURES 4/18/23 10:57pm

Ranking Rice publics, best to worst

By Hugo Gerbich-Pais

While I maintain that the best party a Rice student can attend are University of Houston parties, some of this year’s publics have been bearable — enjoyable, even. A few might even be worth their ticket resale price on the Rice Clothing Resale GroupMe.

FEATURES 4/18/23 10:53pm

‘We’re still working’: The future of inter-college events

By Sloane Domingo

Rice’s residential college system is a cornerstone of the university’s culture, frequently touted for its ability to foster a sense of community for students. With 11 different colleges boasting unique structures, traditions and inhabitants, many students find it easy to connect with others within their college. However, while these dynamics produce tight-knit support systems and friend groups, some might find it challenging to broaden their relationships across colleges, and sometimes lack organized opportunities to develop them.

FEATURES 4/18/23 10:51pm

Golden Talon scavenges on campus

By Adam Leff

Normally, the steam tunnels under Rice are off-limits to students. But on Tuesday, April 6, as part of a scavenger hunt organized by a student group called the Order of the Golden Talon, two intrepid teams got the privilege of exploring the steam tunnels under Rice. Duncan College junior Ethan Peck, who was on the winning team, noted that this was one moment when the team had doubts about the hunt.

FEATURES 4/18/23 10:51pm

Leebron lives up sabbatical year

By Michelle Gachelin

After 18 years as the president of Rice, David Leebron has been spreading his wings. During what he refers to as his sabbatical year, emphasizing that he is too young to be retired, his pastimes have included skiing and attending musicals. He also spends his time listening to Aretha Franklin and Bob Marley.

FEATURES 4/11/23 10:56pm

Alumni re-explore Rice lore

By Jonah Sposito

From setting off fireworks in students’ rooms to painting the ceiling of Hanszen to massive food wars, anything can happen within the hedges at Rice. The Thresher compiled some of the best lore and unique stories from Rice over the years.

FEATURES 4/4/23 10:14pm

‘Disgraced financial analyst’ Matthew Broussard talks being funny

By Riya Misra

A self-described “disgraced financial analyst,” Matthew Broussard (’10) was crowned Houston’s Funniest Person a mere two years after graduating from Rice with a degree in computational and applied mathematics. What started as doing open mics as a hobby before transitioning to full-time comedy, Broussard has since appeared on shows like Comedy Central and Conan, prodded John Mayer about his ex-girlfriends on Roast Battle and created a puzzle app called Monday Punday. He has also met Chris Hemsworth once in an elevator.

FEATURES 4/4/23 10:14pm

Black at Rice: Zahrah Butler keeps good company

By Nithya Ramcharan

According to Zahrah Butler, everyone should shave their head at least once. Now a senior, Butler commented on their growth over the years and how shaving their head after wearing long dreadlocks came to symbolize that growth and the environment that propelled it. Looking back, they said they have become stronger and more capable of thriving in the face of adversity.

FEATURES 4/4/23 10:09pm

Rice Eclipse launches rockets, shoots for stars

By Adam Leff

While most Rice students were sleeping in the morning of March 26, a group of students were in transit to launch rockets an hour away. These students had spent hours working in the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen on their rockets with Rice Eclipse and were now ready to get their L1 rocketry certification.

FEATURES 3/28/23 10:15pm

VADA events coordinator Maria Martinez does it all

By Sarah Knowlton

As events coordinator for Rice’s Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts, Maria Martinez is currently booking films for Rice Cinema, distributing events calendars, finding studio models, assisting with student-run gallery Sleepy Cyborg, talking to local artists and responding to emails. She’s also making a lot of coffee. 

FEATURES 3/28/23 10:11pm

Thresher Declassified: Beer Bike Survival Guide 2023

By Morgan Gage

With a grand total of one Beer Bike under my belt — and signing up for a water balloon filling shift my freshman year — I am basically a Beer Bike expert, at least on a campus recovering from the cultural impact of COVID-19. For freshmen who are eagerly awaiting Saturday morning or seniors experiencing their first and last Beer Bike (it’s probably just my roommate to be honest), I have put together the most stellar and totally serious guide to Beer Bike. 

FEATURES 3/21/23 10:29pm

Do it yourself: Students talk designing area majors

By Adam Leff

Any prospective student flipping through Rice’s major offerings would miss Computer Science and the Arts — probably because it’s not listed. This specific program is an area major, a type of unique student-designed major made by students looking to forge their own curriculum. Bria Weisz said she created the Computer Science and the Arts major upon finding out that the curricula lacked adequate flexibility for her intended double majors, computer science and visual and dramatic arts.

FEATURES 3/21/23 10:28pm

Agnes Ho talks wellbeing, social work and sushi

By Juliana Lightsey

Agnes Ho has two loves: sushi restaurants and genuine connections. The latter is one that she’s spent the past decade cultivating at Rice as director of the Wellbeing and Counseling Center. Her experiences as a first-generation, international student have enabled her to tackle mental health issues for a wide variety of adolescents at Rice and in the Houston community as a whole. 

FEATURES 3/21/23 10:25pm

Senior Spotlight: Grace Walters spells her way through Rice and beyond

By Lauren Yu

In 2019, the Scripps National Spelling Bee saw an unprecedented eight-way tie after the competition ran out of words. The person partially responsible for three of those eight wins was spelling bee coach Grace Walters. Walters, a Jones College senior, has coached two other spelling bee champions, including last year’s winner, Harini Logan. 

FEATURES 3/21/23 10:24pm

ASB groups ditch the beach, connect with community

By Jonah Sposito

According to just about every college stereotype ever, spring break is associated with partying and hanging out on the beach. However, some Rice students spent their recent breaks a little differently. Some wrote policy briefs on mental health in migrant communities. Others volunteered at clinics for Vietnamese refugees or visited local arts organizations. These students all have one thing in common: they were a part of Rice’s Alternative Spring Break Program,  which aims to work with community partners on a range of social issues.

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