New Alumni Program for Class of 2021 and Class of 2020

Executive education programs are for working professionals who are in or are preparing to assume management and executive positions. They are grounded in research and typically offered by the same faculty who teach in our degree programs.

Rice Business executive education programs are not credit-bearing; however, they are designed to meet the needs of executives seeking new skills or knowledge to strengthen their performance in the workplace or respond to new professional demands.

All executive education programs are open to alumni except the Rice Advanced Management Program. The content of some of the executive education programs may overlap with courses you took during your Rice Business program. We encourage you to explore the exec ed portfolio to build upon your MBA and Master of Accounting experience.

Executive education programs typically cost about $1,500 per day. As part of this new alumni program, you are eligible for complimentary seats based on space availability.

On-campus MBA and MAcc Class of 2021 plus select MBA@Rice cohorts (April 2019 through January 2020) can enroll in 3 open enrollment programs over the next five years (through May 2026).

On-campus MBA and MAcc Class of 2020 plus select MBA@Rice cohort graduates (July 2019 through January 2019) can enroll in 1 open enrollment through December 2023.

The differences in benefits within the new alumni programming reflect the level of disruption to the MBA and Master of Accounting programs that occurred in 2020 and 2021. The greater the disruption, the greater the benefits.

Executive education core programs describe the current portfolio of open enrollment programs led by Rice Business faculty that last 2-4 full days. In contrast, short courses – or Rice Business courses – will be a series of half-day programs designed with you in mind. Eligible alumni will be surveyed to determine the topics of most interest to ensure we create programs that meet your learning and development needs.

Based upon survey responses and in consideration of faculty availability, we expect to launch the Rice Business series in the fall of 2021.

Our executive education team is always working to develop new programming. Share your ideas and stay connected with your alumni relations representatives and the executive education team for new program announcements.

On-campus MBA and MAcc Class of 2021 plus select MBA@Rice cohort graduates (April 2019 through January 2020) will have priority and complimentary registration to these short courses over the next five years (through May 2026).

On-campus MBA and MAcc Class of 2020 plus select MBA@Rice cohort graduates (July 2019 through January 2019) will have priority and complimentary registration to these short courses through December 2023.

The differences in benefits within the new alumni programming reflect the level of disruption to the MBA and Master of Accounting programs that occurred in 2020 and 2021. The greater the disruption, the greater the benefits.

Visit here to view the complete executive education portfolio. To discuss which program is right for you, contact Director of Executive Education Zoran Perunovic at Zoran.Perunovic@rice.edu or 713-348-3720.

MBA and Master of Accounting Class of 2021 as well as MBA@Rice cohorts that started April 2019 to January 2020 will have access to all programs offered through the DINL (Activation, Catalyst and CoachRICE). The EMBA Class of 2021 alumni will have access to DINL’s Catalyst modules.

Eligible alumni can register for The Doerr Institute for New Leaders alumni programming through the Rice Business alumni office. Please email NewAlumniProgram@rice.edu for more information.

For EMBAs interested in the Professional CoachRICE program, learn more here. The application deadline for the spring 2022 online cohort is November 1, 2021.

Catalyst modules are conducted similar to a workshop and focus on a single leadership competency. This multi-session approach, created using evidence-based techniques, allows students to further develop their unique skill sets. 

Examples of the modules that will be offered to eligible alumni through Catalyst are:

• Breathe. It’s Just Feedback.
• Conflict Isn’t a Dirty Word.
• Listen. What is Really Being Said?
• Launching a Focused and Invested Team
• Enhance Your Decision Making Process

Activation includes one-on-one sessions with a leadership coach and is designed to help you create your own personal development plan as a leader. You will participate in one-on-one sessions with a professional leadership coach over the course of a semester. This includes an emotional intelligence assessment and a personalized strategy to help you grow as a leader.

CoachRICE: A Leadership Coaching Program is facilitated by professionals from the Doerr Institute for New Leaders. The program uses a variety of teaching methodologies to give you practical coaching skillset combined with the rigorous academic standards of Rice University. The CoachRICE program will train and equip you to develop your team members and high potential leaders, all while strengthening your entire organization. 

To participate in CoachRICE, you must have satisfied the Activation requirement (one-on-one coaching program) before you apply.

We are offering multiple sections and in-person and remote formats over the next five years. We hope that one of those options will work for each of you who is interested.

Participants who are accepted to CoachRICE are responsible for their own books. Estimated cost: $300.

There is no limit for eligible alumni, although offerings will be spread over the next five years with some capacity limitations each year.

This program offers expanded alumni programming to MBA and MAcc Class of 2021 and Class of 2020. We also offer expanded alumni programming to MBA@Rice cohorts that started in July 2018 through January 2020.

This dedicated initiative is designed to narrow the MBA and Master of Accounting experience gap for the classes who were impacted by the pandemic and facilitate continued networking, learning and professional development.

Over the course of the coming year, we will offer a minimum of six networking events focused on the MBA and MAcc classes of 2021 and 2020 as well as MBA@Rice cohorts that started in July 2018 through January 2020. These events will be located in Houston and will be a combination of morning, lunch and evening events. We expect these events, designed to help bridge COVID networking gaps, to be in-person gatherings.

In addition to these networking activities, you may also take advantage of our year-round programming for alumni in Houston and beyond. Our programs range from professional networking opportunities to social engagements that strive to enhance and support the Rice Business community. The External Relations Office hosts more than 80 alumni-specific events throughout the year that are open to all Rice Business alumni. To learn more about our Rice Business Alumni offerings, visit here.

Our External Relations team is dedicated to developing innovative new programming to match the unique needs of our alumni community. To this end, we are offering networking “fast chats” for you to connect to prominent alumni in a variety of industries. You can expect to be invited to at least six of these fast chats in the next fiscal year.

Rice Business Partners is offering a special two-year complimentary membership to MBA and MAcc Class of 2021 as well as MBA@Rice cohorts that started in April 2019 to January 2020.

Rice Business Partners is also offering an extended complimentary one-year membership to MBA and MAcc Class of 2020 as well as MBA@Rice cohorts that started in July 2018 to January 2019.

To opt-in for the Rice Business Partners complimentary membership, contact Tommy Back, Assistant Director of Corporate and Foundations Relations, at Tommy.Back@rice.edu. The deadline to opt-in has been extended to July 31, 2021.

Rice Business has partnered with the Faculty Club at Rice University to offer you a complimentary one-year membership.

Located just off the main entrance of Rice University in the Cohen House, the Faculty Club serves lunch in their beautiful Mediterranean-style dining room overlooking a formal garden. The club also has rooms of various sizes that can be reserved, free of charge, for private luncheons and the club can be rented out for private events. The Faculty Club has been a mainstay for the Rice University community, including alumni, to dine, socialize, and hold meetings and events.

All 2020 and 2021 graduates will automatically be signed up for a Faculty Club Membership. Membership cards will be mailed in July 2021. If you have recently moved please be sure to update us with your new address. Send all updated contact information to newalumniprogram@rice.edu.

Rice Business has partnered with the Petroleum Club of Houston to offer you a complimentary one-year membership. The Petroleum Club has been a hub for business meetings, networking, social and professional engagement since 1946 and now attracts Houston professionals across every industry. Networking opportunities through the Petroleum Club of Houston include their Distinguished Speaker Series, Emerging Leaders Programs, and wine dinners, holiday events, and special interest events such as hunting expertise, dining etiquette, skeet shoots and golf tournaments. Petroleum Club also offers reciprocity in approximately 100 exclusive clubs around the United States and 150 internationally with several locations in China, Canada, Indonesia, Germany, UK, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, South Africa and other international commercial hubs.

If you are interested in taking advantage of this offer, please fill out the application linked here and send it to Cherie Fontenot, Petroleum Club of Houston Director of Membership, at member@pcoh.com or call Cherie at 713-659-1431. You must sign up for your complimentary membership with the Petroleum Club of Houston by July 31, 2021 and pass a basic background check. Membership approvals can take up to two months, depending on the meeting schedule of the Board of Directors of the Petroleum Club of Houston. Once approved for membership, you will have complimentary membership for one full year (12 months) from the date of approval. You will be required to keep a valid credit card on file to cover personal expenses incurred at the club such as food and beverage charges.

The most up-to-date information on the process for auditing courses at Rice Business for alumni is on the Rice Business Lifelong Learning webpage. University policy requires that all course audits are treated as official audits:

• Alumni must follow the process as outlined here.
• Audited courses will appear on students’ transcripts
• The per-course audit rate for 2021-2022 for Rice Business courses is $250, which will be covered as described below for the Class of 2021

MBA and Master of Accounting Class of 2021 as well as MBA@Rice cohorts that started April 2019 to January 2020 may audit one free Rice Business course per semester (fall and spring) over the next five academic years (through May 2026). You will be able to audit up to 10 courses for free (1 course per semester, fall and spring, for five years).

On-campus MBA and MAcc Class of 2020 plus select MBA@Rice cohorts (July 2019 through January 2019) may audit one free Rice Business course per semester (fall and spring) through December 2023. You will be able to audit up to 5 courses for free (1 course per semester, fall and spring).

The differences in benefits within the new alumni programming reflect the level of disruption to the MBA and Master of Accounting programs that occurred in 2020 and 2021. The greater the disruption, the greater the benefits.

The audit fee for eligible courses will be covered by Rice Business, even if the university increases the fee in a future year.

You may elect to audit additional Rice Business courses each semester for the standard audit rate at the time of the course.

Additionally, students interested in auditing courses outside of Rice Business will be subject to the standard university audit rate and policies found at https://visitingstudents.rice.edu/visiting-auditors.

After the eligible time period, alumni are also welcome to continue to audit eligible courses and pay the standard fee charged by the university.

Yes, the deadline for audit registrations are posted to https://business.rice.edu/alumni/lifelong-learning prior to each semester.

Alumni must follow the process as outlined at https://business.rice.edu/alumni/lifelong-learning, including:

1. Permission from the faculty member with their signature on the JGSB Alumni Auditor Registration form
2. Submission of the Alumni Auditor Application (which will include uploading the completed JGSB Alumni Auditor form and a Financial Responsibility form).

Alumni are responsible for purchasing their own hard-copy or e-reader books for audit courses. Electronic materials delivered within the Canvas course site are provided free of charge.

No, only select courses are available for alumni auditing (or auditing at all) based on capacity and faculty input.

Alumni who audit courses are expected to uphold the same standards of professionalism and engagement as those students enrolled in the course for credit. Specific participation and engagement requirements vary by course and instructor.

MBA and Master of Accounting Class of 2021 as well as MBA@Rice cohorts that started April 2019 to January 2020 will receive a complementary diploma frame. The differences in benefits within the new alumni programming reflect the level of disruption to the MBA and Master of Accounting programs that occurred in 2020 and 2021. The greater the disruption, the greater the benefits.

You will receive a request from the Student Program Office (SPO) for an address to which it will be mailed.

No, we purchased the most expensive diploma frame available through our supplier.

No. We are not able to handle one-off requests for alternative selections.

There is a global trip offered to the Full-Time, Professional and Executive MBA Class of 2021 only, because they were not able to participate in a previously planned in-country global field experience.

We will work with class reps over the summer to determine timing. Then, assuming there is sufficient clarity in the international travel situation this fall, we will finalize destinations and programming and share that information with the cohort. Registration will typically open 4-5 months in advance of the scheduled travel.

We plan to offer the MBA Class of 2021 cohort trips in late spring and summer of 2022. We will work with class representatives of each cohort to survey the groups to understand the best timing for the cohort. The global experiences will typically have 5 days in-country.

The dates will be set working in conjunction with your cohort representative and based on information collected from the class. If you are not able to participate this year, the good news is we will be offering alumni global experiences in the future.

Yes, the programming will focus on the cultural context for business in that country. Rest assured, you will not be responsible for traditional deliverables. In addition, plan to enjoy local community-building and cohort social opportunities as part of these experiences.

Alumni cohort travel will have a guest component. Each alumni participant is limited to one over-18 guest. Guests will be charged a program fee. The specific nature of the guest component will be determined based on travel restrictions and capacity limitations in place for the destination country.

Yes! Staff, faculty and school leadership look forward to participating in these global experiences with the MBA Class of 2021.

Rice Business is providing hotel accommodation, official programming and related transportation, breakfast and some group lunches and dinners. Participants are responsible for booking and purchasing their own flights. Participants have the option to book, at their own expense, additional nights at the hotel (pre or post) under the group rate. We typically advise students to anticipate spending $300-$500 in the country on meals not included in the program, late night outings and tourist purchases.

Rice Business follows travel guidelines provided by Rice University and participants must abide by regulations for travel to the destination country.

We do not require travel insurance to register for these trips, but we highly recommend purchasing travel insurance and provide options to do so.

These Class of 2021 cohort Global Experiences are not available to the MAcc graduates. These are experiences for MBA students offered in recognition of the international travel component that was planned as part of their program but was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.

After 2022, we intend to offer global programs to all alumni. This programming will be priced per participant based on destination and program.