Rice University’s Student Newspaper — Since 1916

Sunday, June 15, 2025 — Houston, TX

Special Projects



NEWS 2/4/25 11:25pm

Federal immigration policies draw ire, conversation

Thousands of Houstonians marched down Sunset Blvd. on Sunday to protest President Donald Trump’s new immigration policies. Students like Rocio Vides, the daughter of two Salvadoran immigrants, joined the protesters in marching for immigration rights.



NEWS 2/4/25 11:24pm

Student Judicial Programs investigates snow day antics

Rice students climbed onto the roof of Lovett Hall Jan. 21 during a snowball fight in the academic quad. The Rice University Police Department received a call about students on the roof, which prompted officers to respond and direct students to leave. Student Judicial Programs is still investigating the situation.  



A&E 2/4/25 11:23pm

Student-run “Sleepy Cyborg” brings abstract art to life

Tucked away in the basement of Sewall Hall is a small 10-by-12-foot gallery, with an extension in the sculpture courtyard nicknamed “the pit.” “Sleepy Cyborg,” a gallery initially started in 2009 under the name “Matchbox,” is run entirely by students, allowing student artists to experiment, curate and showcase their work outside of more formal programs.






SPORTS 2/4/25 11:13pm

Seniors named semifinalists in NFL’s sports analytics competition

The NFL Big Data Bowl attracts thousands of participants annually. Sponsored by the NFL, the competition provides player tracking data and challenges participants to develop insights to inform real-world football decision-making. This year’s competition focused on pre-snap movement — how players move before the ball is snapped and its impact on gameplay. The competition took place virtually from Oct. 10, 2024 to Jan. 1, 2025.





A&E 2/4/25 11:03pm

Review: “Nickel Boys” is an intimate and potent masterpiece

Oscar season might have crowned Brady Corbet as the new “great American director” for his ambitiously sprawling “The Brutalist,” but with Nickel Boys — his adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel — RaMell Ross stuns us all, staking a bold claim as a visionary, essential voice in American filmmaking. 


A&E 2/4/25 11:02pm

Oscar snubs and surprises

On Jan. 23, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominations for their annual much-anticipated Academy Awards. Like every year, this slate of nominees was full of snubs and surprises; here are some that the Thresher believed were especially notable.





FEATURES 2/4/25 10:53pm

Dancing with the Owls

It can feel hard to fit in exercise as a student outside of joining an intramural sports team or running Baker 13 in an effort to recoup some high-school sprinter glory. However, though the dance community at Rice may be subtle, its offerings are vast and diverse.