Rice Business will celebrate the completion of the highest point of its new building with a "topping out" ceremony Feb. 28. This milestone marks the structural peak of the project, and the event will bring together university and school leaders to sign the building's final beam before it is lifted into place atop the structure.
The business school broke ground on the new building in May and expects to welcome students to the new facility, adjacent to McNair Hall, in 2026. The new Rice Business building will reflect a modern, inviting design aimed at fostering campus engagement and collaboration. With more than 112,000 square feet of flexible space, it will feature classrooms, seminar rooms, faculty offices, ample event space, expanded dining options and various gathering areas. Additionally, two theater-style classrooms will offer premium learning environments and host public lectures.
News media who would like to attend, please email Avery Ruxer Franklin, media relations specialist at Rice, at AveryRF@rice.edu.
What: Rice Business “topping out” ceremony.
When: Friday, Feb. 28, from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Where: Rice’s McNair Hall. Parking is available in the central campus garage next to McNair.
Who: Rice President Reginald DesRoches, Rice Business Dean Peter Rodriguez, Rice Business assistant dean for external relations Mark Putnam and members of Rice Business’ board of advisers.
Peter Rodriguez, the Houston Endowment Dean of the Jones Graduate School of Business and the Virani Undergraduate School of Business at Rice University, has been named the 2025 Poets&Quants Dean of the Year, a national honor recognizing visionary leadership and outstanding contributions to business education.
In less than a decade, Rodriguez has transformed Rice Business in nearly every dimension. Beyond creating a thriving undergraduate offering, he has overseen a 192% increase in student enrollment. The growth stems from a doubling of MBA students and the launch of an online MBA—the university’s first online degree—along with a hybrid MBA option.
Rice University professor Mikki Hebl says job seekers’ willingness to accept lower pay and roles reflects a softer labor market and shifting values toward flexibility, balance, and meaningful work.
