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.
Rice Business earned five top 10 rankings in The Princeton Review's 2027 business school rankings, highlighted by its first-ever recognition for Best Campus Environment (No. 9), a return to the top 10 for Best MBA for Consulting (No. 8), Best MBA for Finance (No. 7) and Greatest Resources for Minority Students (No. 6). The school also landed the No. 6 national ranking for MBA@Rice, placing it among the nation's best online MBA programs.
"This new pathway enables us to support exceptional early-career talent with a dedicated classroom experience and intentional programming," said Barbara Bennett, director of MBA@Rice and professor of finance.
Long known for its demanding academics, personalized attention, and generous financial aid, Rice University is also home to the Jones Graduate School of Business, one of the premier small school MBA experiences.
