Special Projects

Over 1,000 students petition against new meal plan

When Konstantin Savvon opened the Housing and Dining email announcing the new unlimited meal plan, he was instantly concerned about the impact on off-campus students like himself. 

Rice football kicks off Abell era with commanding road win

For the first time since 2018, Rice football opened its season with a victory. Scott Abell was soaked with yellow Powerade following a 14-12 win on the road Saturday against the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, which won 10 games and made it to the Sun Belt Conference championship last season. 

Former Rice basketball player Chadd Alexander talks Broadway show ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’

Underneath Chadd Alexander’s Broadway costume, there’s ankle tape and wrist braces — same protective gear he wore as a walk-on basketball player at Rice, though now he’s performing eight shows a week in the ensemble of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” instead of running conditioning drills in Tudor Fieldhouse.

Rice shuttle bus drivers reflect on changes and connections behind the wheel

Martine Stewart has spent the past year behind the wheel of Rice’s greater loop shuttle, circling the inner campus from the early morning to late afternoon. She said she has come to recognize many of her regular riders – not just their faces, but the exact spots where they wait to be picked up. 

Rice lands high on Niche, Forbes college ranking lists

Rice recently ranked No. 10 on Niche’s Best Colleges in America list and No. 12 on Forbes’ annual America’s Top Colleges list in 2026. It was also recognized in several categories by the Princeton Review, placing in the top 10 in four categories.

From post-human novels to augmented reality, Rice hires new faculty

Rice welcomed 97 new professors this fall across disciplines, including a posthumanist Harvard scholar, a husband-wife duo and a computer science professor who graduated from Rice thrice. 

09-03-2025 Crossword Solutions

09-03-2025 Crossword: "Once Upon A Time"

HOLE PARTY

Rice’s Martel College Texas Party responds to Dis-O and NOD alcohol issues

After a Dis-O that saw four times as many calls for intoxication-related transports of students to the hospital compared to the prior three years, Cory Voskanian, a Martel College socials head tasked with planning the first public of the year, said that he was feeling the pressure. 

Over 466 students received meal swipes from Student Success Initiatives

A Housing and Dining feedback event about the new meal plan — about which many students expressed concern –- was scheduled for Sept. 1, and a handful of students showed up in the pouring rain. Over 30 minutes after the event was scheduled to begin, and with no H&D representatives in sight, H&D announced via Instagram story that the event was postponed due to weather.

Career expo expands to two days, sees more employers across industries

Rice’s Career and Internship Expo, which will take place Sept. 9-10, has expanded from one to two days, featuring over 120 employers across engineering, business, finance, consulting, arts and other industries, said Agustina Fernandez-Moya, director of employer engagement and experiential learning at the Center for Career Development.

Students see expanded merch and restaurant discounts

The Campus Bookstore will now offer a 30% discount to any one apparel item on the first Friday of every month, a change from the previous 10% discount on a designated “spirit item” introduced last April, according to an Instagram post by the Student Association. 

Chair of U.S. House committee talks floods, space at Baker Institute

U.S. Rep. Brian Babin gave public remarks entitled “The Future of American Science” at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy Aug. 27. Babin, who chairs the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and represents Texas’ 36th Congressional District, discussed the Kerr County floods, NASA programs and scientific collaboration with China at the event. 

“Love Island” Season 7: A Messy, Magnetic Reality Show

It was my first time watching “Love Island,” and I get it now. There's a cycle to this show: you swear you won't get sucked in, you dismiss it as background noise, and then, one week later, you're canceling plans just to hear a group of twenty-somethings debate the meaning of the word "exploring." The truth is, “Love Island” has plenty of flaws. It’s too long, too produced and too ridiculous, but I'll be the first to admit it: I'm already planning to watch next season.

Review: “F1: The Movie” puts pedal to the metal

Joseph Kosinski, Claudio Miranda and Jerry Bruckheimer — the trio behind “Top Gun: Maverick” — return to high-octane spectacle with “F1,” a sports drama that blends spectacle with surprising humanity. It’s loud, stylish and frequently overwhelming, but it’s also one of the most engaging racing movies in years. 

Fall festival films to check out when they leave the circuit

With the Venice and Telluride Film festivals underway and the Toronto and New York Film Festivals coming soon, the season that brings the most critically-acclaimed flicks of the year is in full swing. Here are some of the films that have already generated buzz this fall.

Houston theaters to satisfy your art house fix

With Rice Cinema on hold for the semester as Sarofim Hall gears up to open its new theater space, one may be wondering, “how do I get my fix of independent, art-house and classic cinema?” Well, you’re in luck, because the Houston area has an ample selection of theater at a reasonable distance that show the films that your local AMC may not.

Broadway’s “Life of Pi” is colorful, brutally beautiful

Fueled by vibrant colors, energetic voices and beautiful contrasts, the seamless ambiance of the Broadway tour of “Life of Pi” engulfed the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, taking Houstonians into Pi’s vivacious world. 

Review: “Tomashi Jackson: Across the Universe” uses color to challenge race at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston

Courtesy Image (Installation view of Tomashi Jackson: Across the Universe at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH). Image courtesy Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. Photo: Alex Barber.)