Rice University’s Student Newspaper — Since 1916

Tuesday, September 09, 2025 — Houston, TX

Special Projects






SPORTS 11/14/23 11:11pm

Rice WBB outrace Wildcats, lose to Horned Frogs over weekend

Rice Women’s Basketball is now 2-1 following two road games this past week against Abilene Christian University and Texas Christian University. The Owls defeated ACU 69-58 Thursday evening in a game where the Owls maintained the lead over the Wildcats for the entire 40 minutes of the game. However, the Owls’ early undefeated start to the season ended on Sunday when they were defeated 67-42 by TCU. The loss to the Horned Frogs also broke the Owls’ 13-game win streak against non-conference opponents, which dated back to the 2021-22 season. 



A&E 11/14/23 11:04pm

Review: ‘The Marvels’ reflects the MCU’s currently untapped potential

At this point, the Marvel discourse has become as ubiquitous as the film series itself. Since “Avengers: Endgame” was released, clickbait articles about superhero fatigue have flooded the internet. And while this commentary is often completely hackneyed, it comes from a very legitimate place. Upon announcement, “The Marvels” felt like an obligation to longtime fans, rather than an event to look forward to. 


A&E 11/14/23 11:03pm

Shop around the block: local goods stores in Houston

Houston is a city bursting with creatives, many of whom are local, getting their art, crafts and food onto the scene — only if you know where to look. If you don’t, though, the Thresher has got you covered. Here’s a list of local markets for those looking to shop small or find their next eccentric buy.


A&E 11/14/23 10:59pm

Public art on campus: ‘Ash and Spirits’

Situated just outside Hanszen College is a structure that at first seems to be yet another construction site on Rice campus. As you look closer, it eventually reveals itself to be a multimedia piece of art, weaving together sight and sound. “Ash and Spirits,” created by artist Devin Kenny, is the newest installation on campus and the most recent addition to the Moody Center for the Arts’ Platform series.


A&E 11/14/23 10:58pm

Peruse the paranormal at Rice’s Archives of the Impossible

In a world dictated by facts, seemingly everything can be explained by some scientific principle or research. Certain events, though, just can’t be explained, falling outside our conceptions of how the world works — which many call the paranormal. Records of unordinary events have been kept for centuries in the form of books, photographs, letters and government documents. Since 2014, the Woodson Research Center at Fondren Library has been gathering these accounts detailing the supernatural, placing them in a collection aptly named the Archives of the Impossible.


FEATURES 11/14/23 10:54pm

RNASA reconnects with Indigenous community on campus

Rice currently has less than 10 Native-identifying students on campus, according to Catherine Clack, the associate provost for diversity, equity and inclusion. Houston, however, is home to over 80,000 people who identify as American Indian or Alaskan Native and is a city with a deeply rooted Indigenous history and culture — though it’s a history often forgotten and rarely spoken about. 


FEATURES 11/14/23 10:52pm

‘A force of nature’: Elaine Howard Ecklund makes her mark

Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences, director of the Boniuk Institute for Religious Tolerance, sociology professor — Elaine Howard Ecklund has many titles to her name. However, she said being this year’s president of the Religious Research Association — a position to which she was recently elected — is among the most meaningful.








NEWS 11/14/23 10:34pm

Rice goes to the polls

Members of the Rice community lined up to vote on Election Day at the Sewall Hall polling location Nov. 7. According to presiding judge Vivian Zheng, there will also be an on-campus polling location in Sewall Hall during the mayoral runoff elections Dec. 9.


NEWS 11/14/23 10:33pm

IJM fashion show fundraises to stop human trafficking

Eleven student models took the stage for the International Justice Mission’s Interwoven: Celebrating Resistance & Resilience to Trafficking fashion show Nov. 11 at the Rice Memorial Chapel. The models showcased garments ranging from an English trenchcoat to a scarf made in Rwanda. All proceeds were donated to the IJM field office in Ghana, according to Rice IJM president Sarah Sowell.