Together, We Will
To kick off 2025, Rice Business introduced the “Together, We Will” brand campaign, a complement to the tagline, “You Belong Here.” Houston natives and visitors to the city may have seen “Together, We Will” billboards towering over Highway 59 or I-10, or when loading the security trays at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The campaign was launched to highlight Rice Business‘ key strengths, including our tight-knit, collaborative community that spans prospective and current students, alumni and global audiences — many of whom played a key role in testing the new campaign.
Last year, Rice Business marked some major milestones, including the school’s 50th anniversary, the groundbreaking of a new building and the naming of the Virani Undergraduate School of Business. As Rice Business continues to grow, "Together, We Will" serves as a rallying cry for prospective and current students, faculty, staff and alumni to come together to drive meaningful change across industries and around the world. It reinforces our commitment to shaping the future of business through the power of our community’s collective impact and leadership.
If you see the “Together, We Will” campaign on social and other platforms, we hope you’ll share it, engage with it and spread the word about Rice Business. Together, we will accomplish great things.
Dataset
986*
The number of undergraduate students enrolled in business courses at the Virani Undergraduate School of Business. Since the launch of our undergraduate program in 2021 and the naming of the school in October 2024, the Rice Business family has grown tremendously. With hundreds of students enrolled in courses and 395* declared business majors, the degree is one of the fastest-growing at Rice University. Together, we will forge tomorrow’s leaders and continue inspiring innovators.
*As of 03/25/2025
Other Numbers of Note:
#1 Graduate Entrepreneurship
Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine, 2020–2025
#1 MBA in Texas
Financial Times, 2023–2024 (based on global rankings)
#3 Entrepreneurship
U.S. Bloomberg Businessweek, 2024
#5 Best MBA for Finance
Princeton Review, 2023–2024
#5 Online MBA Program
Poets&Quants, 2024
Congrats Are in Order
Tommy Pan Fang, assistant professor of strategic management, was named one of Poets&Quants‘ 50 Best Undergraduate Professors. At just 30 years old, Pan Fang stands out not only as one of the youngest honorees but also as a leader in inspiring future business innovators through teaching and research. Read more about Tommy Pan Fang on Page 16.
Congratulations to Stephen A. Zeff, the Keith Anderson Professor of Accounting, who was awarded the 2024–2025 IAS Section Lifetime Contribution to International Accounting Literature Award in honor of his achievements in accounting research. Zeff delivered a keynote following his reception of the award at the 2025 IAS midyear meeting lunch in January.
Minjae Kim, assistant professor of management, received the Best Entrepreneurship Paper Award from the AOM Organization & Management Theory Division. Having previously won this award in 2021, he is now the first to have received this distinction multiple times.
Congratulations to Dean Peter Rodriguez on his appointment to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’ Houston Branch board of directors. As the seventh board member, he will offer insights on regional economic conditions to support the Federal Reserve’s policy decisions.
More of the Class of 2024
December Commencement
Our December graduation ceremony welcomed students from both the Virani Undergraduate School of Business and the Jones Graduate School of Business to the alumni ranks. Congratulations to all 109 students whose degrees were conferred in August and December — we can’t wait to see what you will achieve!
Topped Out
In late February, Rice Business celebrated the most recent milestone of our ongoing building construction with a topping out ceremony. President Reginald DesRoches, Dean Peter Rodriguez, community members and the building crew signed the highest beam before the Skanska building team raised it into place, marking the structural completion of the new building set to join McNair Hall in 2026.
Let’s Celebrate
Each year, we host conferences and events that draw speakers, scholars, students, entrepreneurs and business professionals from around the world. Several of these events are celebrating anniversaries this year.
WILC Celebrates 25 Years
This year, we’re excited to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Women in Leadership Conference. This conference, organized and run by students, hosts panel discussions and interactive workshops. Attendees hear from leaders across different industries, explore various approaches to leadership and discuss future opportunities for women’s success in business.
We Welcomed the Second Dean‘s Distinguished Visiting Fellow
The Dean’s Distinguished Visiting Fellow Seminar aims to promote high-quality and high-impact research and contribute to the growing academic community at Rice Business. Last year, the business school welcomed Nancy Rothbard, the David Pottruck Professor of Management and deputy dean at the Wharton School of Business, to present her research on belonging in organizations, and in March, Aparna Joshi, professor of management and organizations at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, presented her work, “It’s Not You, It’s Us,” about gender bias in leadership settings.
25 Years of the Rice Business Plan Competition
This is also the 25th year of the Rice Business Plan Competition, presented by Rice Business. Stay tuned for our next issue of the magazine, which will take readers behind the scenes of the world‘s largest and richest intercollegiate student startup competition.
Brian Jackson ’21 Joins Podcast
A warm welcome to Brian Jackson ’21, who joined Maya Pomroy ’22 as co-host of the Rice Business podcast “Owl Have You Know.” Brian is the senior manager of origination at Earthrise Energy and a past president of the Rice Business Alumni Association Board.
Customizing Strategies
In October, Rice launched the Center for Customer-Based Execution and Strategy (C-CUBES) under the leadership of Vikas Mittal, the J. Hugh Liedtke Professor of Marketing. Housed within Rice Business, the center will serve as a hub for research scholars, business executives and nonprofit leaders to improve customer value, employee engagement and shareholder returns.
The Five Perils of Success and How to Overcome Them
In December, Executive Education debuted a new program: Executive Leadership for Women. The first-ever event featured wisdom from Janet Moore, director of the communication program, and keynote speaker Ellen Taaffe, who is a former Fortune 50 senior leader, a professor at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and an award-winning author of “The Mirrored Door.” The inaugural group discussed practicing self-reflection and empathy, as well as the importance of challenging limiting beliefs to break through barriers.
Taaffe also shared the perils of success — five archetypes that reflect why women may find themselves stuck in their careers — and how they can move beyond them. Here’s what she recommends:
- If you’re preparing for perfection, you may be motivated by the tendency to strive for excellence and find the “right” answer, which can drive success but may present challenges when it’s time to take a risk. To overcome this, practice delegation, weigh the risks involved and prioritize your efforts to recognize progress and develop your leadership.
- You may be eagerly pleasing, often prioritizing the greater good and collaborating well with teammates, but hesitant to act if you think it will jeopardize relationships. Try finding your voice and setting boundaries through clarification, connection and deeper collaboration.
- If you find yourself fitting the mold, you are likely a flexible worker and harmonize well with your existing team. But be wary of losing the unique qualities, experiences and skills that make you … you. You’ll likely benefit from reflecting on your team dynamics, assessing where your goals fit in, and finding the courage to share your voice and goals.
- Or, you may feel like you’re pushing the pedal to the metal. A strong work ethic and leadership acumen may not be enough if you struggle to find the time to connect with your teams to discuss their wants, needs and ideas. To avoid burnout in this situation, you may want to slow down, reconnect with others and focus on the well-being of team members.
- If you’re patiently performing, you may find yourself severely undervalued when it comes time for a new promotion. Consistency, dedication and agreeability may be overlooked due to a lack of self-promotion and self-confidence. If you find yourself here, dedicate time to understand how career planning works at your organization so you can share your contributions and ambitions with your boss. Prepare for that conversation by assessing the stakes, your goals, intentions and negotiables.
