Recently, I was looking through pictures from my freshman year and discovered something startling — they all depicted me as an unhappy and miserable student. Transferring to Rice was never part of my postsecondary education plans. In fact, like most students, I graduated high school with the expectation that I would spend only four years in college. My complex college journey has led me to realize how important it is for us as individuals and an institution to actively work towards maintaining our diverse student body and prioritizing inclusion. In light of Rice’s plan to expand its undergraduate enrollment, it is imperative that students educate themselves about student movements and hold the institution accountable for its actions and promises, paying closer attention to the “Down with Willy” protests, the work being done by the Task Force and the steps the university will take to attract new students while also meeting the needs of current students.
Over the past weekend, Rice students participated in a platelet donation drive with the Houston Methodist Hospital. This project was organized by the Rice Student Association as well as the Rice Emergency Medical Services leadership.
From spotty Wi-Fi connections in the middle of class discussions to talking to students over six feet of distance, Rice’s professors have faced countless difficulties adapting to yet another semester of online instruction this year. But for professors who were hired in the past year, this virtual and distanced mode of teaching has been all they’ve known at Rice. The Thresher caught up with four new professors to see how their first year at Rice has been going from behind the screen.
The Rice men’s track and field team placed No. 4 overall at the Conference USA Indoor Championships this past weekend. Relying in large part on the “field” half of their name, the Owls owned the medal stand in the pole vault and took home the gold in the weight throw, giving Rice 88 points for the weekend. The Owls were just two points shy of the University of Texas, San Antonio, who placed third.
I wanted to write a quick note of thanks to the Rice students who braved the coldest day in Houston in over 30 years to bring people waiting in line for a vaccine on Feb. 15 hot water, hot chocolate and snacks.
The Rice Women’s track and field team placed No. 4 out of the 12 teams at the Conference USA Indoor Track and Field Championships over the weekend in their first meet of the season. The Owls finished the meet with a total of 75.50 points, 33.50 shy of first place, the University of Southern Mississippi. Sophomore distance runner Grace Forbes stole the show for the Owls, setting a school and meet record in the one-mile run, and scoring more points than any other participant over the weekend.
The Rice baseball team’s 2020 season lasted just over three weeks before the start of the pandemic brought it to a halt, but that was enough time to raise some questions about the team’s direction going forward. In 16 games, as opposed to their originally scheduled 55, the Owls managed just two wins and 14 losses. For a program that is just three years removed from a streak of 26 consecutive winning seasons under former head coach Wayne Graham, last season’s results were alarming.
After the GameStop short squeeze a few weeks ago, interest in the stock market and investing has surged. But Komal Virani’s interest in the stock market started years ago.
Last weekend, valentines and palentines alike joined visual artist Topher Sipes and the Houston Symphony as they performed “Music Illustrated: Virtual Reality in Concert” at the Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts. 3D digital art drawn live by Sipes with Google Tilt Brush software and orchestral music conducted by Ming Luke combined to create a mesmerizing experience for viewers.
Applications for medical schools are rising locally and nationwide, and Rice students are part of the trend. Medical school applications from Rice undergraduates have increased in the past two years, according to Director of Academic Advising Aliya Bhimani.
Rice was always a goal for Tamara Siler (Brown College ’82). The native Houstonian recalls how when her aunt wanted to apply to college, Rice wasn’t an option for her. Siler and her aunt are Black, and the university didn’t admit Black students until 1965.
Amid the chaos, Rice professor Daniel Cohan has been called on by dozens of reporters for his climate and energy expertise. Between weighing in on the Texas freeze for pieces in the New York Times, NPR and WBUR’s Here and Now and Vox, Cohan sat down with the Thresher to answer some of our questions about what went wrong this week.
Savannah Parrot, a sophomore from Sid Richardson College, is both the incumbent and sole candidate for the Student Association secretary position.
Madison Bunting, a Martel College sophomore, is running uncontested for the position of Student Association internal vice president.
Elliot Riesman-Tremonte, a Martel College sophomore, is running uncontested for the role of Student Association treasurer. The voting period starts on Feb. 18 at 12 p.m. and closes Feb. 26.
After a disappointing and shortened 2020 campaign, the Rice baseball team is hoping its plethora of veteran talent can inspire and lead the team in a new direction in 2021. Their season begins on Friday against the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. According to junior shortstop Hal Hughes, the depth of this Owls roster will be vital to their success.
