Spotlight

The power of clothing: how one student is spreading Culture of Care through T-shirts

People often say that clothing has power: what someone wears can send a message about anything from their personality to their belief system. Now, thanks to McMurtry College sophomore Mel Xiao, Rice students can wear a T-shirt that sends the message: “You R Welcome Here.”

Invisible burdens: students talk accessibility challenges

Each semester a Rice student will spend hours carefully crafting a course schedule that fills their major requirements, impresses future employers, and avoids that dreaded 8 a.m. section. But students with disabilities often have to worry about another factor: accessing their classrooms.

11-20-2019 Crossword solutions

New students on the block: Transfer students talk dream schools and transfer credits

Omar Moussa Pasha, a Martel  College sophomore, described transferring to Rice as his “dream come true.” Moving to Houston from Saudi Arabia in the last year of high school, it was too late for Moussa Pasha to apply for universities and he had no option but to go to Houston Community College, which had a later application deadline. 

Senior Spotlight: Kate Nezelek

Kate Nezelek, Hanszen College senior and swimmer, loves everything about Coffeehouse, except for one thing: Their coffee, she says, has ruined all other coffee for her. 

Black at Rice: Jayson Taylor

Succulent fruits, green vegetables, bright hues and caterpillar-nibbled leaves. Jayson Taylor is a gardener, but he cultivates more than just plants. Taylor began gardening the fall of his freshman year on a friend’s suggestion. Along with the fresh food and the environmental benefits of composting, the tranquility gardening provides has kept Taylor’s thumb green.

Bryant Colin talks being a Forbes Under 30 Scholar

Bryant Colin, a Hanszen College Senior, was recently selected as one of one thousand Forbes Under 30 Scholars nationwide. 

Ahimsa, karma and justice: how religious values shape students’ lives

If you search the word “church” on Google Maps, the results show at least 40 churches of various denominations within two miles of Rice. Coming from California, Snigdha Banda says she wasn’t used to seeing so many churches. 

Crossword solutions 11-6-2019

Students respond to ICE costumes

After three McMurtry College students dressed up as Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for Halloween at Willy’s Pub last Thursday, the response in the Latinx community at Rice was overwhelming. 

Students study abroad as part of Latin American Studies major

José Aranda’s office looks like a typical professor’s workplace, filled with books and personal knickknacks. But on his bookshelves sit two Latin American-style wooden statues. This is fitting, because Aranda is a professor of Latin American studies.

Students reflect on political atmosphere at Rice

This fall has been marked by a series of political events for Rice students, ranging from the climate action strike to the protests against Baylor’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies in the halftime show. Many of the recent political events at Rice have been varied, reflecting the general political climate at Rice. 

Queer in the Country: Rice students talk LGBTQ+ identity and country music

Leaning into Texas’ big personality is a fun way for Rice students to connect with the state’s lifestyle and aesthetic, as they two-step through the Houston bar Wild West and attend parties like Don’t Mess With Texas and DuncStep. But for some LGBTQ+ students, living in a state with a notoriously poor track record for respecting and protecting marginalized communities can be a challenge in balancing identity. 

Ambushes and serenades: birthdays at the residential colleges

You probably didn’t expect your birthdays in college to be commemorated by a ring on a gong or an involuntary full-body soaking. It’s a far cry from the typical fare. At Rice, the birthday experience gets an upgrade, thanks to the traditions of the residential colleges.

From I-PREP to graduation: the international student experience

Being airdropped into a foreign country to fend for yourself may sound like the stuff of spy movies. But for 11.4 percent of Rice’s population, it’s just life as a college student. 

Senior Spotlight: Alex Dunbar

For Alex Dunbar, one of the most special places at Rice is the Turrell Skyspace. He said he loves seeing Skyspace on cold winter mornings when the rest of campus is silent. 

Unraveling the effects of mass shootings through members of the Rice community

Following the tragic events in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio, which took place a little over two months ago, we at the Thresher sought to investigate the extent to which the Rice community has been affected by mass shootings.

Black at Rice: Taylor Crain

Taylor Crain is many things. She is a novelist, poet, aspiring fashion designer, club leader — and she is Black. Crain believes these are all equal facets of her identity.

Crossword solution 10-2-2019

Baker comes first: Chef Jaymeshia Carter becomes first Black female executive chef at Rice

It’s hard to avoid Tasty videos on Facebook. They pop up everywhere, showing you how to make an entire meal using aesthetically pleasing dishware in 10 seconds or less. If you’re addicted to watching these videos, you’re not alone.