Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion seeks to foster positive, productive collaboration among all members of a diverse Rice Business community—students, faculty, staff, alumni and other stakeholders. By ensuring that every member of the community feels welcomed, valued and respected, our efforts will help to create and sustain a community well-versed and equipped with competencies and resources necessary to succeed in a world that recognizes and embraces our individual and collective uniqueness. This year, we are proud to be recognized as No. 7 for Greatest Resources for Minority Students by the Princeton Review.
Diversity — Psychological, physical, and social differences that occur among all individuals; including but not limited to race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, socioeconomic status, education, marital status, language, age, gender, sexual orientation, mental or physical ability, and learning styles.
Equity — Guarantee of fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement while at the same time striving to identify and eliminate barriers that have prevented the full participation of some groups. The principle of equity acknowledges that there are historically underserved and underrepresented populations and that fairness regarding these unbalanced conditions is needed to assist equality in the provision of effective opportunities to all groups.
Inclusion — The act of creating environments in which any individual or group can be and feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued to fully participate. An inclusive and welcoming climate embraces differences and offers respect in words and actions for all people.
Collectively, all three of these are necessary to create a culture at Rice Business where we respect and value our differences, leveraging them as sources of strength and innovation — on campus — and in the business world.
Upcoming Event
Diversity Preview Weekend
Our Diversity Preview Weekend is our flagship recruiting event to attract top talent from our diverse communities, including U.S. underrepresented minorities, women and LGBTQ prospective students.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Conference
Sparking Success is a forum for awareness, dialogue and skill-building around issues of diversity and inclusion in the business world.
Student Diversity Associations
Several student clubs and organizations exist to help the Rice Business community to share, explore career opportunities and support long-term relationships.
Strategic Partnerships
Rice Business is dedicated to making academic experiences inclusive and forward thinking. We’re proud to support all our students through strategic partnerships with local and national affinity organizations.
What I think Rice really prides itself on is not just admitting veterans, but admitting the right veterans, and admitting the kind of people of the right character and caliber who are going to go on and build this program.
Winston Elliott
Full-Time MBA, Class of 2017
ADMIT IT: RICE BUSINESS MBA BLOG
Few resume items command instant respect like the word "veteran." At Rice Business, this respect translates to a major investment in attracting military veterans as students. The most concrete evidence: our participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program at the highest level possible for all our MBA programs. This means veterans in our programs who meet the length of service requirement are able to obtain funding for up to 100 percent of tuition and fees, a monthly housing allowance, and an annual book stipend.
The Rice Business Student Experience
Glossary and Resources
These learning and discovery resources are meant to spark thought, reflection and self-education.
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The purpose of this glossary is to promote dialogue around equity and inclusion.
Click here to see our glossary terms.
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About Race
- America is more diverse than ever, but diversity doesn’t equal equality
The Kinder Institute - Talking About Race
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Cultur
Bias & Microaggressions
- Kirwan Institute Implicit Bias Training
Ohio State University - Ways You Can Become More Conscious Of Your Unconscious Bias
Forbes - Project Implicit
Harvard University
The mission of Project Implicit is to educate the public about bias and to provide a “virtual laboratory” for collecting data on the internet. Project Implicit scientists produce high-impact research that forms the basis of our scientific knowledge about bias and disparities.
Imposter Syndrome
- How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome
Poets & Quants
Allyship
- Be An Ally: Ally Up! Practice Effective Allyship
Cornell University - What is Allyship?
National Institute of Health - Office of DEI
Anti-Racism
- Deep Dive: Why Shallow Efforts Against Discrimination Don’t Work
Rice Business Wisdom - 11 Anti-Racist Actions You Can Take at Work
The Muse
Resources for Faculty
- DEI Syllabus Tool
University of Kansas - Recognizing and Addressing Cultural Variations in the Classroom
Eberly Center Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation, Carnegie Mellon University
Career Related/DEI in the Workplace
- Power To The People: What Makes A Corporation Wade Into Social Justice Issues?
Rice Business Wisdom - Talking About Pronouns in the Workplace
The Human Rights Campaign - Countering otherness: Fostering integration within teams
McKinsey Quarterly - Workplace Gender Norms
NPR
- America is more diverse than ever, but diversity doesn’t equal equality
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Intergenerational Considerations
- How to Manage a Multi Generational Team
Harvard Business Review - What is an Intergenerational Workplace?
Inclusive Employers - Gen Z: The Workers Who Want It All
BBC - How to Manage Millennials in the Workplace
Business News Daily
Culture
- What Rubi's Quinceañera Can Teach The U.S. About Latinos
Rice Business Wisdom - The Impact of Culture In the Workplace
Forbes
Disability
- Digital Accessibility: Accessible Documents
Rice University - Accessibility & Inclusion For All (3 min video)
World Economics Forum - Accessible design means better design
McKinsey & Co
First Generation Professionals
- How Does Your Company Support ‘First-Generation Professionals”?
Harvard Business Review - Understanding the Needs of First-Generation Professionals
National Career Development Association
Gender and LGBTQ+
- Houston is a top city for women in tech. Gender equity will make it better.
Kinder Institute for Urban Research - About 5% of young adults in the U.S. say their gender is different from their sex assigned at birth
Pew Research Center. - How to make workplace more equitable for trans people
NPR - Should Women Apply for the MBA Differently Than Men?
Poets & Quants - Women and Business School 2022 (Infographic)
Graduate Management Admission Council
Global Perspectives
- Do Your Global Teams See DEI as an American Issue?
Harvard Business Review - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in International Business: Dimensions and Challenges
Academy of International Business
Military and Veterans
- How to Manage a Multi Generational Team
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Fireside Chat Series: Making DEI Work at Work
Exemplary Stories of Corporate DEI Initiatives. Held in fall and spring semesters. Previous speakers include:
- Fall 2023: Julian Duncan, Dr. Connie Porter
- Spring 2023 – Jerry Guerrero, Brad Burke
- Fall 2022 - David Enrique Ruiz, Dean Peter Rodriguez
- Spring 2022 - Janet Pope, Dr. Doug Schuler
Annual DEI Conference
Sparking Success: A forum for awareness, dialogue and skill-building around issues of diversity and inclusion in the business world. Learn more
Continuing the Conversation Workshop
Rice Business is dedicated to making academic experiences inclusive and forward thinking. We’re proud to support staff through learning opportunities. Previous topics include:
- 21 Day Equity Challenge
- Disability & Accessibility
- Gender
- Race, Allyship, and Inclusion
- Learnings and Looking Ahead
EmpowerHer
EmpowerHer is an annual community building event for women at Rice Business. The event invites undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, and staff to connect, engage in thoughtful table topic conversation, share their experiences and resources, and grow in community with one another.
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- Diversity Equity and Inclusion Office of the Provost
- Access @ Rice
- Baker Institute for Public Policy
- Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality
- Disability Resource Center
- Fondren Library- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Titles
- Kinder Institute for Urban Research
- Military MBA
- Office of Multicultural Affairs
- Student Health Services
- The SAFE Office
- Wellbeing and Counseling Center
- Women at Rice Business
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- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) National Network
- Anti-Defamation League
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Catalyst
- Center for the Healing of Racism
- Forte Foundation - Rice Business Strategic Partner
- Holocaust Museum Houston
- Houston Coalition Against Hate
- Montrose Center
- Houston Area Women’s Center