Department

Letter from the Editor

I’ve been known as the odd duck in my family. My three older brothers followed in my Wall Street uncle’s footsteps and headed for careers in business, specifically finance. I remember the moment I declared I would be an English major, studying literature and the creative writing craft. Everyone in my family was apprehensive, but there it was: a degree that likely wouldn’t lead me to Wall Street.

My brothers are all successful in business — and I, somehow, became a successful business owner myself, running a small communications firm for more than a decade while also working for schools like Penn State and Denison University, a small liberal arts school outside of Columbus, Ohio.

It’s funny where life leads you.

Recently, it led me to Rice Business as this magazine’s new editor-in-chief. Here, I get the best of both worlds: being a small part of the top MBA program in Texas while sharing its stories. In this, my first issue, I got a good taste of the work that I’ll be doing — from covering innovative faculty research to exploring the way Rice Business graduates and faculty are tackling some of business’s most difficult issues: the decarbonization of the economy, leadership in a time of political change, supply chain issues as a result of a once-in-a-century pandemic, and an ever-changing workforce. In the process, I also get to know these students and graduates as people with their own motivations, drive and passions. I’m excited to share their stories with you. — Maureen

This is your magazine — and I hope you’ll help us build it. If you know of any graduates, faculty or staff with interesting stories to tell, please reach out and share those stories with us.

Email: maureen.harmon@rice.edu