Like most B-School deans, I have given more than a few talks on the value and transformative power of an MBA. In official, academic settings this message is thoughtfully delivered within the context of the value of education writ large and is rightly connected to a message of personal, life-long growth. But, in a casual setting or an elevator, brevity rules and I just say, ‘this is the best career decision you’ll ever make.’
With a few more moments, I like to expand the conversation and talk about what all of us try to do every day: make a difference. We’re all working with teams of people trying to advance towards a goal that has meaning for us. That’s why we form groups and teams in the first place. Because we can’t accomplish big goals alone. Put another way, the purpose of any organization is to solve a particular set of problems, for their stakeholders, customers, and/or society. And, to that organization, you are worth the size of the problem you can solve. A business school’s job is to teach you to solve bigger and more complex problems – the ones all organizations face. In order to do that, we believe our students must be broadly and rigorously trained, empathetic and passionate. We’re looking to make leaders.
My name is Peter Rodriguez. I’m dean of the Jones Graduate School of Business, an economist, a family man and a wannabe photographer. If you don’t know Rice University and you don’t know Houston, I’d love to introduce you.
Rice Business is a young business school, founded in 1974 and named after Jesse Jones, a prominent Houston business leader, and philanthropist. The school sits in the heart of the Rice University campus — 300 wooded acres next to the Texas Medical Center, the museum district and the zoo. A short Metro ride to the innovation hub, downtown, the theater district and sports stadiums, Rice is a big part of the vibrant fabric of Houston. It was named one of the nation’s top five private universities and is consistently ranked in the top 15 in U.S. News.
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the U.S. and has one of the youngest, fastest-growing and most diverse populations in the world. At the same time, it feels accessible. You name it, we’ve got it. Oil. Gas. Healthcare. Banking. Tech. Startups. Food. Arts. Sports. (Did I mention the Astros?) And Texas charm. Whether you live here for two years and go off to a great new job in Seattle or New York or stay to make Texas your home, Houston is a great place to land for graduate school.
Even in such a large city and dynamic location, Rice Business offers a personal, tailored approach. We’re an intentionally small program in the nation’s most diverse city. With students and scholars from 89 countries, Rice is the second most international university in the U.S. Every student is handpicked for their experience, perspective, background, and interests.