Will Patel

FEATURES 4/22/25 10:40pm

Head over handlebars: a brief history of Beer Bike accidents

By Will Patel

In the first heat of the women’s race in this year’s Beer Bike, Melissa Geng said she was biking faster than she ever had, adrenaline pumping through her veins. All was going well, until she crashed into the fence of the alumni viewing area at the turn of her second lap. 

FEATURES 3/25/25 10:08pm

Lecturer Oz Ocampo talks sports scouting, leadership

By Will Patel

Before he scouted future All-Star pitchers internationally, Oz Ocampo was a college student studying abroad, searching for his career path. While in Buenos Aires, he watched the Superclásico, a fierce rivalry match between Argentina’s top soccer clubs. After Boca Juniors, his newly adopted team, won, he realized he wanted to work in baseball.

FEATURES 2/4/25 10:54pm

Owls on the run: Rice’s Houston Marathon history

By Will Patel

Since 1972, runners have laced up to take on the Houston Marathon in the brisk chill of a January morning. Among them ran Rice students, faculty and alumni weaving their own history into the race one stride at a time. 

FEATURES 1/14/25 10:15pm

Electives to fill your final credit hours

By Will Patel

No matter how long you spend perfecting your schedule, the urge to drop a class after syllabus week is inevitable. Whether you’re looking to drop the 8 a.m. that seemed like a good idea or the class with mandatory attendance, consider these three credit-hour electives with open spots to complete your schedule. 

FEATURES 11/19/24 10:42pm

Nets Katz on skipping grades and solving problems

By Will Patel

Nets Katz has always liked numbers. As a child, he played with numbers in his head and quickly learned to add and multiply. Katz’s elementary school grouped students in classes based on test scores. However, Katz didn’t land on the top track.

FEATURES 10/22/24 11:08pm

POLI 224 simulates running for office

By Will Patel

Election season is in high gear: Campaign signs litter front yards, texts from candidates blow up phones and in a new class, students make their own election bid. In POLI 224: How to Run for Office, students create mini-political campaigns, learning the realities of being a candidate as they go.