Letter from the Editor

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There is just something about a college campus in the fall that ranks among my top favorite things. Even when temperatures start to cool, there is so much life in these buildings. This year it feels even more exciting to think about new beginnings when I look at the courtyard and see construction for the new building or when I call students to talk with them about how they came to choose Rice Business. Seeing our graduate students and faculty mingling on campus in classes and at Partio is always a sign that another year — and some big ideas — are moving forward, whether through classroom discussions or faculty research or new partnerships.

We have had undergrads around McNair since we launched the undergraduate major in 2021, but the graduation of our first class last May is another big step in our growth. That milestone also means our new graduates deserve a proper welcome, so here is an open letter to the undergraduate class of 2024:

Dear undergrad alumni:
Welcome to the alumni ranks! We are so happy to have you as our first class of undergrad alumni. We know you just graduated a few short months ago, but we also know you’re already out there doing some very cool work and exploring deep passions. This is your magazine — a way to keep up with what’s happening at Rice Business, but also to stay connected to your classmates as you head out into the energy space of Houston, the tech space of Silicon Valley or the consulting world and beyond.

The Class Notes section of the magazine is for you to share your successes and life milestones. We know there are plenty of digital and social spaces out there, but we also know that this section of the magazine is well-loved, allowing our tight-knit community to stay close. Tell us about your cohorts, too. We’ll be on the lookout for undergraduate stories for the magazine.

Please share your updates with us by emailing me at maureen.harmon@rice.edu. I will also share updates with Rice Magazine, the magazine for the university at large. We would love to hear from you.

A few more to-dos for your list: Keep an eye on Rice Business Wisdom (business.rice.edu/wisdom), our online ideas magazine offering actionable insights based on faculty research, and subscribe to the Rice Business podcast, “Owl Have You Know” (business.rice.edu/owl-have-you-know), for more business knowledge and alumni stories.

As you set off into the world, know that you will always have a home at Rice Business. You belong here. —Maureen