Brian Rountree still has the leather audit bag he carried at Price Waterhouse in the late 1990s, with the classic brass buckle and push lock. It sits high on an office shelf as a symbol of everything that came afterward: a Ph.D., 23 years of teaching and research excellence, including a recent promotion to full professor, and now a new role in the dean’s suite helping to shape the school’s future.

“I was at Price Waterhouse from 1996 to 1998,” he says. “It was a great learning experience. It just wasn’t something that I wanted to do forever. And so then as a result, I had to figure out — what is it that I wanted to do? I thought about maybe law school. And then my wife said, ‘You loved college. Have you ever thought about teaching?’”

Rountree was, indeed, an exceptional student, graduating from Babson College as Class of 1996 valedictorian and a star pitcher on the baseball team. (To this day, he has the third- lowest career ERA in Babson baseball history.) He took the idea of teaching seriously, going on to earn his Ph.D. in accounting at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. When he went on the academic job market, Rice stood out among his opportunity set. “Rice has always had this idea of a growth mindset,” he says. “It’s constantly striving to be better.”

Another thing that drew him to Rice was its unusually deep accounting history. For a while, it was the only university with four active or former faculty recognized in the American Accounting Association’s Hall of Fame (Stephen Zeff, 2002; Edgar Edwards, 2003; Philip Bell, 2003; Robert Sterling, 2006). Some of that tradition literally ended up in Rountree’s office. When Bob Sterling, Rice Business’ first dean, went to teach at another university, he left his collection of The Accounting Review, one of the field’s premier journals, with issues dating to 1926. Rountree recalls librarian Peggy Shaw asking whether anyone wanted them. “I responded to her immediately, and now I’ve got his collection,” Rountree says, nodding toward the bound volumes that now occupy a couple of his shelves.

Rountree’s office reflects more than two decades spent watching Rice Business evolve. And now, from his new role as senior associate dean for degree programs, he will play a hand in shaping the school’s next stage of growth. He’s been tasked with tackling two of the biggest challenges facing all top business schools since the end of COVID-19: program flexibility and AI integration.

Rountree has only been in the job for a couple of months, so he admits there’s lots to learn. That may mean spending less time in the office that has accumulated 23 years of personal and school history, and more time in the dean’s suite helping decide what comes next. “The funny thing is,” he says, “the longer you stay somewhere, the less interested you become in keeping it exactly the way it was.”

Nearly 40 years before their names appeared on Rice Business’ newest building, Dr. Asha Virani and Farid Virani were two 19-year-olds sharing desserts and imagining a future neither could yet see.

Asha was a student living at Baker College. Farid had recently arrived in the United States and worked at a restaurant across the street from campus. When his shift ended, he would meet her on campus and bring her the dessert of the day. They would sit together and talk and, as Asha recalled, “like 19-year-olds dream, just dream.”

On Sept. 10, 2026, the couple stood together again at Rice — this time to celebrate the dedication of Asha and Farid Virani Hall.

“Neither one of us could have ever imagined that one day we would stand here together at the opening of Virani Hall,” Asha said. “We know that we did not arrive at this moment on our own.” 

She spoke of the prayers, love, encouragement and grace that carried them there, and of the possibilities a life can hold before anyone can imagine them.

“We want this place to belong to everybody who walks through these doors,” Farid said. For the Viranis, a business education is about more than professional success. It is about developing thoughtful, curious leaders with integrity — people who understand that success brings responsibility to others.

That belief inspired support for Rice’s Virani Undergraduate School of Business. It now takes shape in a building designed to bring the Rice community together and to build meaningful connections.

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“At the end of the day, the building is all about the people who come in, the friendships that develop, the ideas that are generated and the opportunities that come about,” Farid said.

Interim Dean Jeff Fleming has already seen that vision come to life. “People are literally everywhere, which has been a culture change for us,” he said. “The best way to describe the building’s impact on our community is that it’s substantially elevated the entire vibe of Rice Business.”

Rice President Reginald DesRoches called the building an inflection point for Rice Business and the university. He envisioned students using business to turn ideas into impact across engineering, science, the humanities, social sciences and the arts — and bringing judgment, creativity, ethics and an understanding of people to challenges in health, energy and sustainability.

During a recent visit, architect Stephen Cassell watched students attend classes, gather for events and make personal connections. One undergraduate told him she appreciated how the building placed the new and old in conversation — exactly the balance its designers hoped to create between Rice Business’ past and future.

Asha concluded the auspicious occasion with a blessing: that all would belong there; that curiosity and wonder would flourish; that bold ideas would be met with courage and humility; and that those who learn there would use their gifts “in service of something greater than themselves.”

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Jeff Fleming, Interim Dean 

Fleming has been a finance professor at Rice since 1993 after earning his Ph.D. from Duke University. He has served in various roles in the dean’s suite, including associate dean of degree programs, senior associate dean of academic affairs and seven years as deputy dean. More recently, he served as director of the Rice Business Ph.D. program.

Favorite sports team: The Texans
Best experience as interim dean: Our Faculty and Staff Town Hall
What advice would you give to MBA students: Take advantage of your most highly valued opportunities.

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James Weston, Deputy Dean of Academic Affairs 

Weston is the Harmon Whittington Professor of Finance at Rice Business, where he oversees faculty and research. His scholarship focuses on corporate finance, econometrics and the role of financial institutions in the broader economy. Weston has published extensively in leading academic journals. He is also a dedicated teacher and has received more than a dozen teaching awards over the course of his career. At Rice, he has held a variety of academic leadership roles and remains deeply engaged in the school’s research, teaching and faculty community.

Favorite vegetable to grow: Tomatoes
Where are you backpacking next: Lost Maples State Natural Area in Vanderpool, Texas
Have you ever owned a bar: Sadly, yes.

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Brian Rountree, Senior Associate Dean for Degree Programs

Rountree is professor of accounting at Rice Business. As senior associate dean, he oversees the school’s portfolio of degree programs. His research focuses on financial reporting, disclosure and the role of accounting information in capital markets. He has published in leading academic journals and has served in editorial roles for several accounting and finance journals. A member of the Rice faculty since 2003, Rountree has taught in every program offered by Rice Business and has received multiple teaching awards. He is currently leading a schoolwide initiative focused on how teaching and the curriculum should evolve in response to advances in artificial intelligence.

Favorite activities: Golf and wake surfing
What he’s listening to: “We Are Legion (We Are Bob)” audiobook by Dennis E. Taylor
His AI advice: Build a strong foundation of knowledge first, then use AI to augment your investment in learning, not replace it.

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Barbara Bennett, Director of Special Projects and Director of MBA@Rice

Bennett is a professor of finance and statistics at Rice Business. A member of the faculty since 1994, Bennett has taught a variety of courses across all of the degree programs, including International Finance, Portfolio Management, Applied Risk Management and, the course that is her passion, the Economic Environment of Business. For over a decade, she served as senior associate dean of degree programs. In that capacity, she led the launch of both the MBA@Rice online program (the first online degree at Rice University) and the Hybrid MBA format. She also played a crucial role in launching and growing the undergraduate business major.

What she’s (re-)reading: “Ursula, Under” (an all-time favorite)
Where she’s traveling: Newfoundland, Canada
Favorite teaching message: Twist out your production function.

As many of you know, Peter Rodriguez recently left Rice to become president of Wake Forest University after nearly a decade of leadership as dean of Rice Business. Peter guided the school through one of the most transformative periods in its history, and I’m deeply grateful for all he has done to strengthen our community and elevate Rice Business.

We have begun a global search for our next dean to lead both our undergraduate and graduate programs, and I am honored to serve as interim dean in the meantime.

Leadership transitions naturally bring change, but they also provide an opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come and where we’re headed. My goal over the coming year is to provide steady leadership while building on the strong foundation already in place. I’ll focus on supporting our community, advancing the school’s priorities and ensuring a smooth transition for our next leader.

There is perhaps no better symbol of our future than the opening of our new business building, Asha and Farid Virani Hall, named in recognition of the Virani family’s extraordinary generosity to Rice Business.

For the past two years, we’ve watched Virani Hall rise beside McNair Hall. This summer, we officially opened its doors, welcoming undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff and the broader community into a space designed to support learning, collaboration and innovation for decades to come.

Virani Hall reflects where Rice Business is headed. Like McNair Hall, it will serve both undergraduate and graduate programs, with larger classrooms — including two 120-seat classrooms — flexible collaborative spaces and welcoming gathering areas, including new dining options and the return of Audrey’s Cafe, to strengthen the close-knit community that has always defined this school.

While I’m excited about the building itself, I’m even more excited about what will happen inside it. Every class discussion, startup pitch, mentoring conversation, research breakthrough and lifelong friendship will become part of the next chapter of Rice Business. Buildings don’t create great business schools — people do. Virani Hall simply gives our extraordinary community another beautiful place to learn, teach, discover and lead.

I look forward to the year ahead with optimism. Rice Business is entering its next chapter from a position of strength, with a growing reputation, an expanding community and a clear vision for the future. Together, we’ll continue building on everything that has brought us to this moment while preparing the school for even greater success in the years ahead.

When the next dean arrives, they will inherit a business school that is stronger than ever — one defined by exceptional people, growing impact, a clear sense of purpose and an unwavering commitment to excellence. That is a testament to this community and to everything we have built together.

Thank you for being part of the Rice Business community and for everything you do to make it stronger.

—Jeff Fleming

At 5 a.m., AT&T Stadium in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is different than the one fans see on game day. The seats are empty. The giant video boards are dark. Tractor-trailers back into loading docks beneath the stands as forklifts weave through concrete corridors that, in just a few hours, will disappear beneath the spectacle of the world’s biggest sporting event. Volunteers begin arriving. Radios crackle. Deliveries roll in one after another. Before a single fan enters the gates, an entire temporary city has to come to life. 

Dozens of FIFA departments — security, hospitality, broadcasting, media, transportation and competition operations — are already at work. Hundreds of rooms have been transformed into offices, meeting spaces and command centers. Equipment is unpacked. Signage is installed. Team buses move between hotels and training sites across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. 

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Brandon Nimmers ’27 has been thinking about this day for nearly two years. 

When most people picture a World Cup match, they picture what happens on the field: every corner kick, every spectacular save and every exciting goal. 

Nimmers’ job is to picture everything else. 

As venue logistics manager for FIFA World Cup 2026, he oversaw far more than AT&T Stadium on match days. His responsibilities extended across the entire Dallas-Fort Worth World Cup ecosystem — team hotels, training facilities, airports, transport depots, volunteer centers, uniform distribution sites and dozens of other locations that must operate in harmony throughout the tournament. 

“It’s not just the stadium,” he says. “It’s all of the venues in Dallas.” 

The scale is staggering. 

For nearly two years, Nimmers and his logistics leadership team planned every detail, from delivery schedules and team arrivals to furniture placement, equipment distribution and the hundreds of temporary workspaces created inside the stadium. Every decision affected multiple departments. Every delay had the potential to ripple across an operation involving thousands of people. 

Months before kickoff, they were already solving problems most fans would never imagine.

Ironically, Nimmers almost didn’t apply for the job. At the time, he was living in Los Angeles and working in sports. 

“I originally applied as kind of a joke,” he admits. “I thought, ‘It’s the World Cup. Why not?’” 

Then FIFA called. 

Soon afterward, Nimmers accepted a logistics leadership role, relocated to Dallas and simultaneously began pursuing his MBA at Rice Business. Graduate school, extensive travel and preparations for the world’s biggest sporting event soon became everyday life. 

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While browsing LinkedIn one afternoon, Chaundra Frank (B.A. ’00), ’22 came across a FIFA job posting. One detail immediately caught her attention: the hiring manager, Brandon Nimmers, was a current Rice MBA student. 

A Houston native, Rice alumna and former Rice track athlete, Frank had built a career spanning energy trading, management consulting, education and nonprofit leadership. When she reached out, she mentioned that she had also earned her MBA at Rice and served as the founding president of the MBA@Rice student government. 

Nimmers immediately recognized the value of the shared connection. 

“I’m huge on connections,” he says. “Not just making them but actually using them.” 

The Rice MBA, he explains, carries an immediate credibility among people who have experienced it. 

“I know how hard it is,” he says. “I know how hard it is for my classmates. Immediately that gives you some sort of reputation in my eyes.” 

Around the same time, another resume landed on his desk. 

Josh Obregon ’23, a Rice MBA graduate and Navy veteran, brought exactly the kind of operational experience FIFA needed. Years of military service had taught him to plan carefully, adapt quickly and remain calm when conditions changed — skills that would prove invaluable inside one of the world’s largest sporting events. 

What began as a hiring process gradually became something else. 

By the time the first match kicked off in Dallas, coworkers had started calling the trio by a simple nickname: The Owl Group. 

For Frank, that dynamic reflects something she has experienced throughout her career. 

“When there’s another Rice alum in the room, the trust is already there,” she says. “You’ve walked the same path. You’ve had many of the same experiences.” 

That trust has opened doors throughout her career. Nearly every major role she has held in recent years, she says, can be traced back to a Rice connection. 

“It’s a strong network,” she says. “But you have to engage with it.” 

The MBA prepared them in other ways, too. 

World Cup logistics is less about moving boxes than orchestrating hundreds of interconnected decisions under relentless deadlines. “Even straightforward tasks like equipment delivery require coordination across access points, security protocols, timing windows and multiple stakeholders,” says Obregon. “At this scale, logistics is less about movement and more about sequencing, communication and execution under pressure.” Success requires the same kinds of challenges they encountered in graduate business school, only now on a stage watched by billions.

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A World Cup match lasts just over 90 minutes. For the logistics team, those 90 minutes are the culmination of years of planning. 

Frank and Obregon served as deputy venue logistics managers at AT&T Stadium, helping stage nine FIFA World Cup matches, including a semifinal. Behind the scenes, they coordinated deliveries, managed equipment and kept every FIFA functional area supplied and operating smoothly. At one point, the logistics team coordinated more than 350 pallets of equipment and dozens of truck deliveries on tightly controlled schedules. 

Broadcast equipment. Hospitality furniture. Volunteer uniforms. Security supplies. Office equipment. Wayfinding signs. Temporary workspaces. Every item entering the venue flowed through logistics. 

“No one thinks about the folding chairs,” Nimmers says with a laugh. 

Or the tables. Or the barricades. Or the radios. Or the loading docks. Or the minute-by-minute delivery schedule that determines exactly when each truck can enter and leave the stadium. 

Yet every one of those details contributes to the experience millions of fans enjoy without ever realizing it. “We’re a big part of making sure all of FIFA’s functional areas are operational for the tournament,” Frank says. 

The work stretched far beyond checking deliveries. It meant anticipating problems before they occurred, coordinating dozens of departments that often needed the same spaces at the same time and adjusting plans as circumstances changed. A delayed shipment, an unexpected equipment request or a change to a team’s arrival schedule could affect multiple groups across the venue. 

For Frank, whose background is rooted in finance and operations, the role provided an opportunity to learn an entirely different side of event management. 

For Obregon, it echoed the planning and teamwork that defined his Navy career. 

For Nimmers, it reinforced a lesson that extends well beyond sports: leadership often means helping experts from dozens of disciplines move toward the same goal. 

The best days were the ones when everything simply worked. 

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As the tournament unfolded, Dallas became one of the defining stages of the FIFA World Cup 2026. No host city welcomed more matches. 

Supporters from around the world transformed Dallas into a celebration of international football, filling hotels, restaurants and public spaces with a mix of languages, colors and traditions. AT&T Stadium welcomed many of the sport’s biggest stars, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. 

A thrilling 2-2 draw between Japan and the Netherlands became one of the tournament’s most entertaining matches. England supporters turned “Wonderwall” into an unofficial anthem. A semifinal eventually sent Spain to the World Cup final. 

Those became the moments fans remember. 

For the logistics team, however, they represented something different. 

Each cheer inside the stadium reflected months of planning taking place exactly as intended. 

The previous year, Nimmers had spent 45 days working the FIFA Club World Cup, with only one day off. The weeks leading into the tournament often involved 16-hour workdays, site visits, planning meetings and countless revisions to operational plans. 

Then came match day. 

“You walk into the stadium,” he says, “and 73,000 people start yelling.” 

He pauses. 

“It’s chills.” 

For nearly two years, the work had existed inside spreadsheets, site maps, loading schedules and planning meetings. Suddenly it became something else. The lights came on. The national anthems played. The players emerged from the tunnel. And all of those months of preparation disappeared into an experience that belonged entirely to the fans. 

That’s exactly how it was supposed to happen. 

But somewhere beneath the stands — in loading docks, service corridors and operations rooms — another team helped make every one of those moments possible. 

Few fans will ever know the names Brandon Nimmers, Chaundra Frank and Josh Obregon. They’re perfectly comfortable with that. In logistics, success isn’t measured by what people notice. It’s measured by everything they don’t.

Giant Leap
McKayla Childs ’29, from Houston, TX
One of my favorite places around Houston is Giant Leap. It is a coffee shop in Uptown Park that has really fun and interesting seasonal drinks, a lot of natural lighting, and some references to NASA. It is a really great spot to meet up with friends and talk or to study. It is surrounded by shops and restaurants, is near the Galleria and is really close to Memorial Park as well.

AnnKello Kahawa
Netra Venkatesh ’28, from Dubai, UAE
My favorite spot in Houston is AnnKello Kahawa. It’s a coffee bar on Westheimer that serves Japanese Matcha and Tanzanian coffee. There is so much rich history behind the coffee they brew and there are many unique flavors of matcha. The people behind the counter are always warm, and this spot plays the best music, from jazz to ’90s R&B. It’s a really cute and classy place to catch up with friends or hardcore lock in. It’s also so aesthetic, great for photos of your matcha.

Hokkaido
Danielle Kim ‘27, from San Diego, CA
My favorite sushi place is Hokkaido, located in Chinatown. They have such high-quality fish for very reasonable prices. It’s my go-to spot when someone new comes to visit and I want to treat them to a nice meal. There are also great options nearby for a sweet treat.

ChocolatZeina
Victoria Roman ‘27, from Houston, TX
As a Houstonian, one of my all-time favorite spots is ChocolatZeina. It’s a dessert cafe with some of the best chocolate I’ve ever had. I’m crazy about chocolate strawberries, and theirs are to die for! They also have baked goods, ice cream, and a sea of truffles and treats to choose from. The interior is classy and timeless, so it’s good for any occasion.

Ramen Moto
Asianna Danielle Junge ‘27, from Glendale, AZ
My favorite dinner spot is Ramen Moto! This ramen and sushi restaurant is the best place to grab a meal that feels like home. The warm interior, friendly staff and close proximity to campus make it a great place to catch up with friends or have a solo dinner. My favorite ramen is the Spicy Black Ramen with the spice on the side so I can add it as I eat. I also highly recommend their lava toast for dessert.

Sushi Wabi
Azkah Habib ‘29, from Houston, TX
One of the places I recently discovered by chance was Sushi Wabi, which is this really nice little Japanese restaurant near Regal Edwards Greenway Grand Palace movie theater. They have a really great menu and ambience, and I’ve already been there a couple times (and plan to go again soon). Great place to go after a movie with friends.

Siphon Coffee
Sanjana Sreemushta ‘29, from Coppell, TX
I recently discovered Siphon Coffee. The coffee shop is reachable in 10 minutes by car or 20 minutes by metro. The atmosphere just feels friendly and welcoming, and there are food options for vegetarians like me. I think one of the main reasons that it felt so impactful going there was that it was far enough from campus that it felt like a proper separation, without having to make a long trip. The next time I have a free weekend, I’m definitely going to go there with a couple of friends!

Black Walnut Cafe
Jessica Sun ‘29, from Warrington, PA
My favorite spot is Black Walnut Cafe in Rice Village. It took me a while to find out about it, but once I did, it became the perfect restaurant study spot. Not only does the food satisfy your pasta, steak and breakfast cravings, but the ambience and aesthetic of the cafe is really nice for working. The prices are pretty reasonable too! It’s also fun to take friends there if you need to lock in or just have a nice place to eat.

Gypsy Poet
Neil Patel ‘29, from Denver, CO
One of my favorite places to go is the Gypsy Poet, a classic Neapolitan pizza restaurant. They have perfected the entire customer experience, from the artistic decor to the reasonable prices to the top-quality food. They have multiple locations and just opened one in Rice Village. Whether you’re going out with your friends on the weekend or you’re heading to an Astros or Rockets game, the Gypsy Poet is a great place to stop.

Las Perras Cafe
Daniela Ambriz ‘28, from Katy, TX
One of my many favorite spots in Houston is Las Perras Cafe, a Latina-owned cafe that hosts many events throughout the year in EaDo (East Downtown). It has vibrant decor and amazing drinks such as the Lemon Yakult refresher. Its big tables and natural lighting make it the perfect environment to study with friends and catch up with colleagues. It is just over four miles from campus and offers a good look into the people and places outside the hedges of Rice.

Mamaka Bowls
Tori Xiao ‘27, from Austin, TX
I love Mamaka Bowls. It is my favorite acai bowl spot in Houston. They have so many options for acai bowls, smoothies, coffee and matcha! My favorite is the Mamaka bowl, but I also really like their coffee. The interior and patio are so cute, and it feels like you are on the beach.

For more than 50 years, Rice Business has prepared leaders to navigate an increasingly complex world. Over the past decade, the school entered a new era, launching the Virani Undergraduate School of Business, expanding its graduate programs, doubling MBA enrollment and growing its community of faculty, staff and alumni.

As Rice Business grew in size, scope and reputation, it became clear we needed more space.

After more than two years of construction, Rice Business opened the doors to Asha and Farid Virani Hall and formally dedicated the building at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 10. The building is named in recognition of the generosity of Dr. Asha Virani (B.A. ’89) and Farid Virani, whose family name also distinguishes the Virani Undergraduate School of Business.

The new 112,000-square-foot building joins McNair Hall to give Rice Business nearly 300,000 square feet of space for learning, research and connection. Together, the two buildings form a business school hub where undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, alumni and business leaders can meet, exchange ideas and work through meaningful challenges.

Virani Hall gives the school room to serve its growing community for generations to come.

Come on in. Let us show you around.

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The Terrace is a signature outdoor gathering space — an open-air patio designed for networking, celebration and the kind of spontaneous conversation that shapes a community. The Terrace will host Partio on fair-weather days, along with receptions, mixers and countless smaller moments.
 

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New workstations for our doctoral students mean dedicated space for research, collaborative work or individual focus — in the heart of Virani Hall.
 

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A business school’s curriculum teaches its students how to build their business acumen; its gathering spaces are where those students become a community. We’ve always believed academics and connections matter equally, and our new building was designed with that conviction at its core.
 

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The Ralph S. O’Connor Atrium encloses the Woodson Courtyard, the site of many Partios over the years, and opens onto the terrace. The atrium can accommodate events big and small like conference mixers, coffee chats, everyday study breaks and even Partio, when the weather calls for it.
 

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Some of the most meaningful moments at Rice Business don’t happen in a classroom — they happen when people come together. Those moments might come as students work together on a case, grab coffee with a faculty member or meet friends in one of the many informal hangout spots throughout Virani Hall — with Houston’s skyline just outside our windows.
 

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Upstairs from the atrium, the 3,000-square-foot Event Center seats more than 200 beneath a 22-foot ceiling. The school will use the Event Center for convocations, career events, board meetings, executive education sessions and conferences. Rice Business hosts more than 250 events each year, like the Rice Energy Finance Summit and the Women in Leadership Conference. The center gives the school a purpose-built venue for many of those occasions.
 

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Virani Hall adds what we needed most: more classrooms. Its teaching spaces include two 120-seat tiered classrooms primarily for Rice’s undergraduate business majors, two 65-seat tiered classrooms, and a 45-seat classroom built for smaller graduate cohorts and visiting executives. Some of our new classrooms offer floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of James Turrell’s “Twilight Epiphany” Skyspace just outside.
 

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Additionally, Virani Hall is home to nearly 30 new offices anchored by two corner offices. One is the Dr. Stephen A. Zeff Faculty Office, named by donor Timothy T. Griffy ’79, ’80 in Zeff’s honor.
 

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The Everett-Hollingsworth West Commons features two main focal points: a double staircase in bronze, a gift from Russ Pitman ’58, and on the second floor, a seating area that looks across to the Turrell Skyspace.
 

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Virani Hall comes with a new dining option, the Kalra Family Dining Hall, and the return of Audrey’s, as well as the beautiful Judy Ley Allen Cafe Seating area (pictured here).
 

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Fun fact: Audrey’s was named for Audrey Moody Ley (B.A. ’35), mother to Judy Ley Allen who studied at Rice before earning her B.A. from Stanford and her MBA from Harvard.
 

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Virani Hall is filled with open, communal areas and casual “touchdown” spaces where students can meet and work between classes — the O’Connor Atrium and the Elkins Foundation Concourse (pictured here) among them. These areas are open not just to business students, but to undergraduates and graduates from across the university. 

Virani Hall was made possible by the generosity of many — including alumni, parents, board members and numerous community patrons. Thank you to each of our donors.

• Asha ’89 (B.A.) and Farid Virani
• The Estate of Ralph S. O'Connor
• The Elkins Foundation
• Judy Ley Allen
• Patti ’66 (B.A.) and Richard Everett ’67 (B.A.)
• Starlett and Ben Hollingsworth ’64 (B.A.)
• Nina and Sonu Kalra; Eloise and Andrew Novotny ’06 (MBA)
• MD Anderson Foundation
• Karen and Chris Kreidler ’85 (B.A.; MBA, 1987)
• Russ Pitman ’58 (B.A.)
• Rice Business Alumni Association Board
• Amy Sutton ’89 (B.A.; MBA, 1990) and Gary Chiles ’86 (B.A.)
• Leslie ’81 (MAcc) and Jack Blanton ’01 (MBA)
• Mary and David Klein ’71 (B.A.; MAcc 1976)
• Kathy and Paul Mann ’96 (MBA)
• Rice Business Partners Board
• Jennifer ’92 (B.A.) and Charlie Geer ’92 (B.A; MAcc, 1993)
• Vivian L. Smith Foundation
• Anadarko Rice Business Alumni
• Heather and Daniel Bradshaw ’22 (MBA)
• Isabel and Ransom Lummis ’89 (MBA)
• Kristen and Gregory Mancini
• Clara and Emeka Oyolu ’05 (MBA)
• Waverly ’95 (B.A.) and Adam Peakes ’95 (B.A.)
• EMBA Class of 2000; Class of 2006
• Katherine and Osmar Abib ’81 (B.A.)
• Karen ’77 (B.A.; MAcc, 1978) and Larry George
• Melissa and Tim Griffy ’79 (B.A.; MAcc, 1980)
• Kris and Richard McGee ’83 (B.A.)
• Angela Minas ’86 (B.A.; MBA, 1987)
• Debbie and Chris Patton ’92 (B.A.; MAcc, 1992)
• Emily ’94 (B.A.; MAcc, 1995) and Kevin Rabbitt ’95 (B.A.)

Learn more about the design of Asha and Virani Hall by listening to our Owl Have You Know podcast episode with the Principal of Architecture Research Office and lead architect, Stephen Cassell.

Today, MBA applicants need to be savvy about how business schools are embracing AI. They want to know if the program they’re applying to is:

• Integrating AI into the curriculum
• Teaching them something that keeps them ahead of the curve
• Helping them build skills that will still be applicable once they’re on the job

There’s no doubt AI is impacting MBA programs. The question is how: How are programs adapting? How do they help students learn amid constantly evolving technology? And, if AI is reshaping the way we work, decide and lead, how does business education continue to make itself relevant?

If you’re applying to MBA programs this year, here are a few ways to gauge how business schools are incorporating AI — and why it may matter for your career.

Hands-on experience with AI tools

MBA students have a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience with generative AI tools in the classroom and as part of their coursework in a safe, learning environment — guaranteeing they’re prepared for whatever challenges come their way.

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Generative AI platforms frequently used in the MBA classroom include:

• ChatGPT
• Claude
• Google Gemini
• Microsoft Copilot
• Perplexity

At a business school like Rice Business, you may also gain experience working with AI through other platforms and media.

• Data analysis and business intelligence platforms through Microsoft Power BI, Tableau or Excel’s AI features
• Productivity and collaboration apps and sites, such as Microsoft 365 Copilot, Google Workspace/Gemini, Notion AI or Slack AI
• Marketing and content creation platforms like HubSpot AI, Canva AI, Adobe Firefly and Jasper
• Coding and automation assistants, including GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Zapier, Vercel and Make

Continue reading about how using AI tools strategically can assist with creativity in the workplace, according to research from Jing Zhou, Rice Business’ Mary Gibbs Jones Professor of Management and Psychology – Organizational Behavior.

New AI curriculum offerings

As AI continues to change the way businesses work, more MBA programs are finding ways to bring artificial intelligence into the classroom. From dedicated AI courses and electives to integrating AI tools and concepts into existing business classes, schools are giving students more opportunities to understand how these technologies can be applied in the real world.

Rice Business MBA faculty are top researchers in their fields who apply peer-reviewed findings to real business problems. Their courses pair that research with case studies and hands-on practice.. Led by expert faculty across disciplines, the Rice MBA curriculum infuses business fundamentals with data analytics, AI and emerging technologies — evident through cutting-edge courses such as:

• AI-Assisted Financial Analysis
• AI For Customer Analytics
• AI Tools for Business Decision Making
• genAI: Strategy and Integration
• The Money Revolution: Digital Disruption in Finance

For example, students in Professor Kerry Back’s course run financial analysis by chatting with an AI mode, asking it to pull data, sort stocks or run regressions — and the model writes and executes the code, no programming background required. On the question of whether the finance classroom is keeping up with industry demands for AI knowledge, Back says, “In some ways, the classroom is actually ahead of the curve.”

Faculty expertise in AI

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How do MBA candidates balance the disruption-and-anxiety narrative around both AI and the MBA? One answer lies with its people — the very faculty and scholars who are delivering cutting-edge research findings. Faculty expertise, across fields, is a strong indicator of the quality of education, rigor and exposure a business school will provide.

Rice Business is home to world-class faculty — many of whom have contributed AI research to esteemed journals like Journal of Applied Psychology, Foundations and Trends in Machine Learning and Information Systems Research.

In the Rice MBA classroom, students work directly alongside scholars like Kerry Back, who recently received an Innovation in Teaching Award for his course on Generative AI in Finance; Jing Zhou, co-author of “Why AI boosts creativity for some employees but not others;” and Tommy Pan Fang, who recently published an article in the journal Strategy Science on what drives data center location decisions in the U.S.

Rice Business faculty members are answering some of the most critical questions relating to AI and how we work, live and lead with it. Read more about their research findings in a special 10-year anniversary issue of Rice Business Wisdom: The AI Issue.

The new skills employers are looking for

Today’s job market expects MBAs to come to work with expertise in AI to improve efficiency, strategies and outcomes in the real world.

But the time saved isn’t the point — it’s what students do with it. Freed from the mechanics, they spend their energy on the part AI can’t do: interpreting the results, stress-testing the assumptions behind them, and deciding what to do next. Using AI gets them straight to the complex part — the part that defines real leaders.

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Similar skills employers may be looking for include:

• Clear prompt engineering
• Data analysis with AI
• Spreadsheet automation
• AI-powered financial modeling
• Data privacy and security awareness
• AI-assisted coding
• Critical evaluation of AI outputs
• Communicating AI concepts to nontechnical stakeholders

With many professionals already using AI tools, it’s up to MBA programs to take students to the next level: teaching them to use AI critically and responsibly, and to lead with the judgment and emotional intelligence no model can replicate.

The job market expects MBAs to come to work with expertise in AI to improve efficiency, strategies and outcomes in the real world. Technology will change, but the need for thoughtful, adaptable leaders will not. That, more than anything, may be one of the most durable things the Rice MBA can teach.

 
Explore the Rice MBA

We asked three Rice Business organizational behavior faculty what Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation of Homer’s “The Odyssey” says about leadership. Their answers pull on three different threads: when a leader should hold back their own authority, what the second-in-command absorbs from above and below, and why determination alone cannot guarantee the outcome.

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When a leader outgrows the strengths that brought them success

Brent Smith, Senior Associate Dean for Executive Education and Associate Professor of Management and Psychology – Organizational Behavior

We usually think of Homer’s Odyssey as a story about return. Odysseus wants to reach Ithaca and reclaim the life he left behind. For managers, the deeper lesson is whether a leader can become larger than the identity that once made him successful.

Odysseus begins as a warrior, strategist, and man of reputation. His strengths help him survive, yet they also become traps. After escaping the Cyclops by calling himself “Nobody,” he cannot resist revealing his name. He reclaims recognition too soon and pays for it. Managers face a similar danger: the decisive operator can become impatient with dialogue, and the expert can struggle to delegate. A strength that earned success may become too narrow for a larger role.

Odysseus’ journey disrupts his identity. He becomes a wanderer, captive, storyteller, beggar and observer. Each role requires a different way of acting. Leadership growth often works this way. The old approach stops fitting before a new one feels natural.

His most important leadership lesson comes after he reaches Ithaca. Disguised as a beggar, Odysseus enters his own home without recognition. He must watch, listen, study loyalties, and wait. The man who once needed his name to be known learns the discipline of remaining unknown. Managers sometimes need the same restraint. Leadership can mean delaying authority, observing before acting, and putting purpose ahead of recognition.

This is the gift of reimagining: becoming more than the old version of yourself allowed. The manager rewarded for answers learns to ask better questions. The leader who relied on control learns to create room for others. Odysseus returns as himself, but with a larger identity. That is the leadership promise of “The Odyssey.”

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Caught between the leader and the crew

Sora Jun, Assistant Professor of Management – Organizational Behavior

The character I found most interesting was Eurylochus (played by Himesh Patel), Odysseus’ second-in-command. With some caveats about comparing group- and individual-level hierarchies, I see him as a kind of middle manager.

Eurylochus holds “middle status” within the crew. He has the trust of both Odysseus and the men, but he also faces pressure to manage relationships upward and downward. We see him constantly translating the crew’s fears and grievances into something Odysseus will accept, while also having to convince the crew to follow Odysseus’ lead even when little explanation is offered.

This is close to what management scholars have studied about middle managers: Their job is to hold two levels of a hierarchy together without fully belonging to either.

I know the story is far more complicated than what the movie could show, but I think the crew’s fate is a reminder of what can happen when people in that middle-manager role aren’t given enough information, resources or real authority to do the job asked of them. The strain of managing competing demands from above and below can eventually break the trust the role depends on.

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When reaching the goal means letting go

Mijeong Kwon, Assistant Professor of Management – Organizational Behavior

What struck me most was the paradox of Odysseus’ homecoming. His determination keeps him moving, yet he returns only after letting go of his need to control the outcome.

Organizational theorist Karl Weick used a story told in a poem by Miroslav Holub about soldiers lost in the mountains. One soldier finds a map, which gives them enough confidence to keep moving. They eventually make it back, only to discover that the map was of the Pyrenees while they had been lost in the Alps. The map enabled them to act even though it could not accurately show them the way home.

Odysseus’ prophecy, that he and only he will make it home, may serve a similar function. We cannot fully anticipate how we will reach a goal, but sometimes a map or simply a belief keeps us moving.

The film also reminded me of Charles Lindblom’s idea of “muddling through”: Rather than advancing toward a goal through a comprehensive plan, real-world decision-making often consists of successive, limited steps, with the path becoming clearer only as we move.

I kept thinking also about the role of the film’s supporting characters. Odysseus makes extraordinary efforts to return home, but I wondered whether Penelope’s years of waiting and trust, and the actions of others who remained committed to him, also somehow contribute to his return. Relationships can shape outcomes in ways no individual can fully see or control.

For me, the movie tells a beautiful story about a paradox of motivation. My motivation may sometimes prevent me from reaching my goal by compelling me to control the outcome. I may reach it only after I let go. Yet reaching it may still be possible only because of the actions I took and the relationships I built while pursuing it.

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PREVIOUS CAREER BEFORE MBA

• Title: Senior Software Engineer
• Company: Sabre Corporation

SUMMER INTERNSHIP

• Company: IBM
• Department: Infrastructure - IBM Fusion
• Location: Austin, TX

HOW DID YOU SECURE YOUR INTERNSHIP?

I found the posting on LinkedIn while searching for product management (PM) internships, and I saw that this job description matched my background in technology and decided to apply. I tailored my resume to the role, emphasized the parts of my engineering background most relevant to the job, and did my own research on the company so I could speak specifically about the product and where I could provide value.

WHAT WERE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES DURING THE INTERNSHIP?

During the summer, I owned two projects end-to-end. The first was building and launching an AI-powered seller enablement tool from concept to working prototype. The second was a three-day enablement event for sellers, where I led both the marketing that drove attendance and the production of the event itself, working closely with executives and speakers.

HOW DID YOUR MBA COURSEWORK PREPARE YOU FOR THIS INTERNSHIP?

All my classes I took at Rice were extremely helpful during my internship. For instance, Core Marketing helped me understand how to promote events and get participants excited. My product management elective helped me shift more into a user-first mindset. Core Communications was essential in presenting myself during interviews and later when it came time to demo my final projects.

HOW DID THE INTERNSHIP ALIGN WITH YOUR CAREER GOALS?

It was exactly the pivot I came to business school to make. After six years as a software engineer, I wanted to move into product management, where I could combine my technical expertise with customer and business strategy. This internship let me do the full PM job by letting me talk to users, define requirements and ship something people would actually use.  

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WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE?

My favorite part was working with people from different backgrounds. On any given day, I might be working with PMs, sales, marketing, UX designers or software engineers. I enjoyed listening to and learning from so many different perspectives. Austin itself was a close second: I got to tour Q2 Stadium, played pickleball with other interns, hiked, swam at natural springs and ate good food!

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS?

I would say, be curious but intentional. Come in with a game plan for what you want to learn while you're here. If you don't know exactly what that is yet, that's fine – but be proactive about finding the right people to steer you in the right direction. Reach out to your classmates and second-years; they're one of the best resources you have. And most of all, enjoy your time here. It goes fast.

Justin Jin is a Full-Time MBA student in the Class of 2027.