Pillar 1

2025 marked the fifth annual Rice Business Staff Awards celebration. This event is anchored in appreciation and marks the incredible accomplishments and contributions made to this community by Rice Business staff members. Those who were selected as award winners were nominated by their peers, with over 100 nominations submitted this year. Dean Peter Rodriguez emceed the event and toasted the vast success of Rice Business, which is made possible by the commitment of our staff community. 

This year marked the first in which area leaders were encouraged to identify individuals within their departments who consistently go above and beyond to support the mission of Rice Business. These individuals were selected by their supervisors and recognized during the annual winter holiday party. Senior leaders united to pilot this initiative to ensure that top performers were recognized by the community in a meaningful way.

This year, Rice Business staff members paused their professional duties to come together to be of service to the city of Houston. Staff members served at the Houston Food Bank this year to support the hunger relief efforts within the Houston community. Over 100 volunteers were present on that specific day, and Rice Business was proud to be among many of the companies and organizations present. Connection and laughter were copious throughout the day as we wrapped up the tradition with a social gathering.

Every year, the Rice Business Staff Council comes together to lead the Annual Step Challenge. This year, Victoria Nguyen and Zhanar Imanbaeva were crowned as the winners with the most steps. The distances covered by walking and running were impressive. This initiative always takes place in the spring to encourage movement and connection within the community during a fast-paced season within the academic year. The competition always launches with a kickoff and wrap-up social gathering, which is a great way to celebrate those who have previously won and the new winners of the year. 

The MBA@Rice Residential is a cornerstone of the online MBA experience, designed to bring students together for a high-impact, in-person weekend that blends academic rigor with intentional community-building. All MBA@Rice students are required to participate in the Residential once during their program, and some return for an additional experience. The event is held twice a year, with each four-day session welcoming over 100 students from across the country to Rice’s Houston campus.

Over the past year, students participated in intensive, faculty-led courses during the Residential, including required core courses such as Negotiations and Organizational Change. Returning students had the option to enroll in elective courses focused on timely business topics, including artificial intelligence. These immersive learning experiences offered a unique opportunity to apply classroom concepts in collaborative, in-person settings, deepening both academic engagement and peer connection.

Outside the classroom, the Residential featured curated networking events and opportunities for meaningful interaction with Rice Business leadership and faculty. These moments, whether during receptions or casual gatherings like Partio, helped students feel part of the broader Rice Business community.

Over the past academic year, the MBA@Rice Residential continued to serve as a vital touchpoint in each student’s journey, fostering belonging, strengthening connections and reinforcing the culture and values of Rice Business from the very beginning of the student experience.

This spring, we launched the inaugural Business Major Spring Fling, a new annual celebration marking the moment students officially declare their business major. Designed to welcome and recognize the newest members of the Virani Undergraduate School of Business community, the event brought together 140 undergraduate students for an evening of food, fun and connection. Hosted on Jamail Plaza, the celebration featured a full BBQ dinner, yard games, boba tea, a photo booth and custom Rice Business swag. Students had the opportunity to engage with faculty, staff, current majors and members of the Virani family in a relaxed, festive atmosphere. The event not only celebrated a major academic milestone, but also reinforced a sense of belonging and excitement for the journey ahead at the Virani Undergraduate School of Business.

To honor the achievements of our 33 graduating MAcc students, we hosted a dedicated graduation reception immediately following the university’s convocation ceremony in the Anderson Family Commons at McNair Hall. This celebratory event provided graduates and their guests with a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the year’s accomplishments together. The reception included a curated selection of food and beverages, a photo slide show capturing highlights from the program, a parting gift for each graduate and heartfelt remarks from program leadership. The gathering created a warm and personal atmosphere that celebrated both academic success and the strong community students built throughout the program.

Our one hundred and five graduating business majors were recognized through two signature events. First, Dean Rodriguez hosted an intimate lunch with graduating students who received top honors: the Rice Business Outstanding Student Award and the Student Impact Award, which is peer-nominated. Later that week, the graduating class gathered inside the business school for a reception held on the Friday before commencement. The event featured a custom coffee bar, light bites, a group photo and remarks from Dean Rodriguez as well as the Student Impact Award recipient. Graduates also received customized Rice Business swag, intended to accompany them into their future workplaces as a reminder of their time at McNair Hall. The event struck a balance between celebration and reflection, helping students mark this important transition with pride and community.

To mark the culmination of the MBA@Rice experience, we hosted an on-campus celebration for our 60 graduating online students and their families. This was a rare and meaningful opportunity for students — many of whom had completed their coursework remotely — to gather in person and connect beyond the screen. During the event, students heard remarks from program leadership as well as faculty who taught them during their very first quadmester, creating a powerful moment of reflection on how far they had come. For many, it was also the first chance to meet the families of their classmates and to express gratitude for the support systems that made their journey possible. The celebration offered a strong sense of closure, connection and pride for our online graduates as they transitioned into the Rice Business alumni community.

Launch continues to serve as the foundation of the student experience at Rice Business, welcoming new MBA students into the community with an immersive introduction to academic expectations, leadership development and peer connection. Through thoughtfully designed programming, students engage with faculty, staff and one another, building relationships that carry into their time at Rice and beyond. The experience establishes a strong sense of belonging from the very beginning, underscoring the values of collaboration and inclusion that define the Rice Business culture.

Student leadership opportunities play a central role in shaping belonging and engagement across programs. In 2025, 267 students served in leadership roles across clubs, councils and affinity groups, developing essential skills while fostering community for their peers. The Office of Academic Programs and Student Experience (APSE) supported these leaders with four leadership workshops and 10 co-curricular experiences, equipping them with the tools to lead effectively.

Student leadership also thrived through the school’s marquee conferences and competitions, which serve as high-impact platforms for learning, networking and belonging. The Women in Leadership Conference (WILC) celebrated its 25th anniversary, while the Veterans Business Battle (VBB) achieved remarkable growth, increasing attendance by 68% year-over-year. 

Community engagement further reinforces Rice Business’s commitment to cultivating leaders who drive positive change beyond the classroom. Students across all MBA programs participated in two Days of Service, contributing their time and skills to nonprofit partners throughout Houston. These projects not only addressed pressing community needs but also deepened bonds among students and created shared purpose through service. In addition, 42 MBA students were placed on nonprofit boards through the Rice Business Board Fellows program, where they contribute their expertise to organizations while gaining hands-on experience in governance and leadership. These initiatives underscored how belonging at Rice Business extends beyond campus, connecting students to the larger Houston community and instilling a culture of service that endures long after graduation.

Arts Club attended a wide array of events over the 2024-2025 academic year. 

Featured events hosted or attended by this organization:

• A Nice India Boy, Arts x Out & Allied x SABA, Spring 2025
  Arts Club attended a play put on by Shunya Theatre. A Nice Indian Boy is a modern queer rom-com highlighting complicated relationships in the Indian American diaspora. The play featured Rice Business alumni Taher Lokhandwala.
• Topdog/Underdog at 4th Wall Theatre Company, Spring 2025
  Arts Club members attended this Pulitzer Prize-winning drama by Suzan-Lori Parks, a tense, intimate performance about brotherhood, survival and the haunting legacies of family and identity.
• Adrienne Warren in Concert, Spring 2025
  Students saw Tony Award-winner Adrienne Warren perform in an intimate concert featuring Broadway hits, soul classics and personal stories from her career, hosted by the Hobby Center.
• Disney On Ice Presents Frozen & Encanto, Fall 2024
  A group of students relived their childhood with Disney On Ice, singing along to Frozen and Encanto as beloved characters skated to life with dazzling choreography and colorful storytelling.
• Fall Festival “Myths and Leyendas” – Bring your Kids!, Fall 2024
  Families gathered for a vibrant outdoor festival inspired by Latin American folklore, with storytelling, crafts and performances celebrating mythical creatures and cultural legends.
• Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – Arts x Out and Allied, Fall 2024
  In a collaboration between the Arts Club and Out and Allied, students saw Beetlejuice the Musical — a delightfully strange, queer-spirited romp through death, family dysfunction and dark humor.

Featured event hosted or attended by this organization:

• Lunar New Year Partio,  Spring 2025
  Co-hosted the Lunar New Year Partio with RBSA. Provided authentic food and decorations for the MBA community. 

Featured event hosted or attended by this organization:

• Iftar Feast at Parkerz, Spring 2025
  The Global Food Experience Club hosted a festive Iftar dinner at Parkerz Houston, where students gathered to break fast with a diverse buffet of traditional and modern dishes. Attendees waited until sunset to break the fast alongside fellow Muslim students with dates, experiencing a small but meaningful part of Ramadan traditions and fostering deeper cultural understanding.

In April 2025, students from the Rice Jewish Business Association launched their new organization, open to all Rice Business students. The club aims to build a vibrant community for Jewish students while connecting Rice Business with Israeli and Jewish entrepreneurs. The launch event featured keynote speaker Jay Steinfeld, founder of Blinds.com, which was acquired by Home Depot. Jay shared how a mindset of experimentation and relentless curiosity fueled his journey in building the world’s leading online blinds retailer.

Featured events hosted or attended by this organization:

• Lunch & Learn event with Mark Ammerman
• Lunch with Dean George Andrews, Fall 2025

Throughout Fall 2024 and Spring 2025, the Masters of Accounting Student Committee curated a vibrant calendar of 18 events that fostered community, connection and well-being. From casual gatherings like movie nights, coffee meet-ups and pizza socials to more active outings such as pickleball, volleyball and a zoo trip, students enjoyed opportunities to unwind and bond outside the classroom. Seasonal celebrations — including Friendsgiving, a Halloween costume contest and “Palentines” crafts — brought warmth and creativity to the year, while large-scale favorites like TopGolf, Cidercade and karaoke offered memorable shared experiences. Whether over Chipotle picnics, arts and crafts sessions or a final bar tab send-off, these moments strengthened relationships and enriched the student experience. 

Out & Allied hosted an array of events over the 2024-2025 academic year. 

Featured events hosted or attended by this organization:

• Out & Allied x Consulting Association – Queeraoke 2025, Spring 2025
  Consultants by day, divas by night. This joint event between Out & Allied and the Consulting Association brought students together for an evening of cross-club camaraderie and entertainment, fostering inclusivity through the shared joy of music and performance.
• Pride Partio, Spring 2025
  Rainbow flags flew high at this year’s Pride Partio, where students came together to dance, mingle and celebrate queerness in all its joyous, chaotic glory with a drag show with three local queens. The visibility was crucial in raising awareness for queer visibility in Texas.
• Drag Queen Story Time: The Goal, Spring 2025
  Out & Allied held a drag queen story time for a key operations textbook, The Goal. The event was a mix of business school education and queer celebration. This event featured a dynamic and engaging story time session led by drag performer as well as a talk from operations professor Amit Pazgal.
• Black History Trivia Night, OA x BBSA, Spring 2025
  Out & Allied hosted a trivia night with BBSA to commemorate Black History Month, spotlighting the contributions of Black individuals — particularly those within the LGBTQ+ community — to history, culture and social justice.
• TDOR – Trans Day of Remembrance, Fall 2024
  Out & Allied organized a vigil and reflection space in observance of the Transgender Day of Remembrance. The event honored the lives lost to anti-trans violence and reaffirmed the club’s commitment to advocacy, equity and remembrance. The club raised $600 for the Trans Lifeline charity.
• ROMBA Conference, Fall 2024
  Students attended the ROMBA conference in Los Angeles, where they had an opportunity to network with queer and allied MBA students from across the country, participate in workshops and talks about topics including — being out in the workplace, empowering oneself and others, DEI and career-related panels. ROMBA also serves as a recruiting platform and students attended the career fair as well as networked with hundreds of companies in attendance, looking to recruit queer talent. In preparation for the ROMBA conference, Out & Allied led professional development workshops on conference logistics, networking strategies, key opportunities for engagement, resume feedback and effective self-presentation.

Featured events hosted or attended by this organization:

• Diverse Leader’s Panel, Fall 2024
  This virtual event featured three executive leaders from various industries, sharing insights into their career journeys. The session included a moderated Q&A, followed by an open audience Q&A.
• RBSAP-DEI x Strategy Association Joint Brunch, Fall 2024 
  Rice alum Marcus Wade from HP was invited. We had round table discussions on DEI challenges at workplaces and avenues to improve them. We received very good feedback on the event.
• RBSAP-DEI x BBSA joint event: Building an authentic brand as a first-generation professional, Spring 2025
  Workshop exploring the significance of personal values and authenticity in shaping a strong personal brand. Participants reflected on how cultural background and life experiences shape professional identity. They also engaged in interactive activities to craft a clear, memorable and impactful personal brand.
• RBSAP-DEI – Ramadan Iftar Dinner, Spring 2025
  The event was held at Kasra in Westchase and was open to all. Students observing the fast were provided with a dedicated space to pray before Iftar. The event was also attended by faculty member Jonathan Miles.

Featured events hosted or attended by this organization:

• Winning With Women: Pamela Kearney Skaufel, ExxonMobil, Spring 2025
  We welcomed Pamela Kearney Skaufel, former chief procurement officer and vice president at ExxonMobil. Originally from Ireland, Pamela shared her journey in the energy sector and her experience as a woman rising through the ranks of a major corporation. The event concluded with a Q&A session. It was open to all women at Rice Business, and lunch was provided.
• Winning with Women: Healthcare, Spring 2025
  RBWO and the Healthcare Association hosted a unique opportunity for students to connect with healthcare professionals. Attendees had the chance to ask questions about the professionals’ roles, challenges, roadblocks and favorite aspects of their work.
  Panelists included:
  • Tanu Jain: Founder of FlowCare
  • Huyen Tran: Grant Program Manager at MD Anderson
  • Diane Yang: Change Management Practitioner at MD Anderson
  • Keri Sprung: Vice President of Education and Communications at Texas Heart Institute
  • Mia Teed: Project Director at Houston Methodist
• Winning With Women: Consulting & Finance, Fall 2024
  RBWO, along with the Consulting Association and Finance Association, hosted an event that allowed students to connect with professionals in consulting and finance. Participants asked questions about career paths, industry challenges and personal insights.
  Panelists included:
  • Fernanda Castanon – KPMG
  • Chelsea Rose – Accenture
  • Anjul Gupta – Bank of America
  • Caroline Denson – Bank of America
  • Leslie Freed – McKinsey
  • Olamide Adedeji – EYP
• Golf Club x RBWO – East River 9 Driving Range Session and Social, Fall 2024
  RBWO partnered with the Golf Club for a fun and social driving range session at East River 9. It was a relaxed and energetic opportunity to network and improve golf skills in a casual setting.
• Alumni Panel: Careers in Energy & CleanTech, Fall 2024
  This event, co-hosted by the Energy & CleanTech Association and RBWO, explored diverse MBA career paths in the Energy & CleanTech sector. Attendees heard insights from industry leaders and engaged in a panel discussion followed by networking.
  Panelists included:
  • Seema Santhakumar – H2 Market Development Leader, Baker Hughes
  • Jasmine Johnson – Renewable Energy Originator – C&I, NextEra
  • Dana Vazquez – Sustainability Lead, Cisco
  • William Venzke – Director, Future Energy Development, Osaka Gas USA
  • Yu-Cheng Hsu – Senior Consultant of Power, Renewables, & Energy Transition, FTI Consulting
• RBWO Partio, Spring 2025
  RBWO hosted a spring Partio celebration, offering a fun and casual environment for students to connect, enjoy music and unwind on campus.
   

Featured events hosted or attended by this organization:

• Analytics, Consulting and Technology (ACT) Rice x Bain Case Competition, Spring 2025
  ACT Rice partnered with Bain & Company to host a case competition where students worked in teams to develop and present strategic solutions to a real business problem, receiving mentorship from Bain consultants.
• Industry Consulting Panel, Spring 2025
  ACT Rice hosted a panel featuring consultants from leading firms who shared their professional experiences, discussed industry trends and offered guidance to students exploring careers in consulting.

Featured events hosted or attended by this organization:

• Rice Consulting Associates Night Program, Spring 2025
  Throughout the spring 2025 semester, Rice Consulting hosted a speaker series featuring four top corporate executives from EY-Parthenon, HyAxiom, BCG and Bain. Over 150 students attended to learn about career paths and post-graduate opportunities.
  • Andres Saenz (Global Vice-Chair of Strategy at EY-Parthenon)
  • Abhinav Kapoor (CFO at HyAxiom and previously at Baker Hughes & GE)
  • Neal Makkar (Partner at BCG)
  • Emily Emmett (Partner at Bain) - Rice ’05
• Rice Consulting Open Training Program, Fall 2024 & Spring 2025
  Rice Consulting led a 12-session training program open to all Rice students, offering insights on the consulting industry, case strategies and behavioral interview preparation. The program ran weekly across both semesters and engaged over 50 participants.
   

Featured events hosted or attended by this organization:

• Annual General Meeting (AGM), Spring 2025
  During Rice New Energy Fund’ss third annual general meeting, we shared our investment thesis and presented an industry primer on rare earth elements. We also introduced our incoming management team and outlined our vision for the year ahead, focused on strengthening training, building intentional recruiting and mentorship pathways, and promoting a culture of collaboration and intellectual honesty.
• Archrock Site Visit, Spring 2025
  Rice New Energy Fund had the incredible opportunity to visit Archrock, a leader in natural gas compression services. During our off-site visit, we examined growth drivers in the gas compression industry, including rising LNG demand and increasing power needs, and gained insights into Archrock’s strategies for operational efficiency, venture investments and acquisition opportunities.