Meet current students

from five of our nine degree programs. (You’ll meet more students from the full-time, EMBA and professional programs in the fall issue.) Get to know where they’re from, where they live, what they do, what they’re reading and listening to, and five words to describe themselves.

Marcela Aguilar, Ph.D. ’26

Inquisitive, Resilient, Analytical, Empathetic, Determined

Born in San Salvador, El Salvador. Her dissertation explores the role of accounting in the informal economy, specifically focusing on how it shapes economic and social dynamics within informal micro-businesses in developing countries. Currently reading “Poor Economics” by Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo. Recently selected as a 2024 Deloitte Foundation Doctoral Fellow

Natalie Stone, MAcc ’24

Energetic, Hardworking, Compassionate, Organized, Adventurous

Born and raised in Houston about 10 minutes from Rice. Will start work at Ernst & Young in their Boston office in the fall of 2024. Just finished reading “A Flicker in the Dark,” a murder mystery with a big twist in the end. “I highly recommend.”

Spencer Kresie, Undergraduate Business Major ’25

Curious, Innovative, Connected, Ambitious, Informed

From Plano, Texas. Has a summer job with FTI Consulting’s Dallas office in their corporate finance – restructuring branch. Hopes to stay in the management consulting sphere as a full-time analyst after graduation. Spencer is also earning an entrepre- neurship minor and completing an Arabic Language Certificate. Listening to the podcast, “How I Built This,” with Guy Raz.

Dart Bebel, Hybrid MBA ’25

Curious, Observant, Goal-oriented, Kind, Authentic

Born in LA. Lives in Austin. Runs growth marketing at Vacasa, the largest full-service vacation rental management company in North America. Favorite memory on campus was MBA night at Rice Stadium, watching the Owls win the Bay- ou Bucket football game! Listening to the podcast “The Old Man and the Three,” with JJ Redick and Tommy Alter. Reading “Positive Intelligence” by Shirzad Chamine.

Nova Wang, MBA@Rice ’24

Driven, Authentic, Perceptive, Committed, Passionate

Born and raised in Vermont. Lives in Boston. Works as a FP&A financial analyst at Public Consulting Group. Reading “Greenlights,” a memoir by Matthew McConaughey.

This year is the perfect time to reflect as we celebrate 50 years since Houston Endowment funded Rice University to establish the business school and reinforce Jesse Jones’ legacy to the city.

Walking across campus has always allowed me the chance to take a break, take a meeting and take a look around. These days, I notice big changes since I arrived at Rice in 2016 — the Moody Center for the Arts, Brockman Hall for Opera, Ralph S. O’Connor Building for Engineering and Science, and the almost-finished Cannady Hall, west of Anderson Hall at the School of Architecture. And soon, our new building will break ground (more on that in the fall issue of the magazine). It’s an exciting time, and really, the new buildings are less about change and more about progress — that steady march forward to assess the current challenges and prepare to solve future ones.

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This year is the perfect time to reflect as we celebrate 50 years since Houston Endowment funded Rice University to establish the business school and reinforce Jesse Jones’ legacy to the city. It’s remarkable that we’ve accomplished so much growth and transformation during that time. In truth, the school had a second wind in April 1996 after an external review committee found that this “glittering opportunity” of a school was not meeting its potential. We were at a “critical juncture” for the school and the university.

That critical juncture was a true turning point for our school — and thanks to that committee, and the current work of our faculty and community, we are mapping out the school’s future by seizing opportunities, deepening engagement and communicating our vision widely. Most importantly, we must be relevant to our students, to the university and to Houston.

Today, our vision is to be recognized for our impact on how individuals and organizations succeed and improve the world — through our faculty’s research and our graduates’ actions.

With doubled enrollment, an online and Hybrid MBA, an undergraduate business major, an increase in tenured and tenure-track faculty over the last 10 years, and a new building connected to McNair Hall breaking ground soon, we are delivering graduates into the workforce to solve organizational challenges and serve the needs of their communities.

I am so proud of what we have become, and I invite you to read more about our progress since 1974 on the timeline on page 30. As deans have before me, I have joined with the leadership team and the board of advisors to chart our course for the next 50 years. I hope you’ll be part of the journey.

— Peter

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More than one-third of the world’s population is cooking meals over open fires, without access to modern cooking technology. The result: health risks associated with indoor air pollution. It’s a topic not often discussed, but Dymphna van der Lans ’02 is speaking up.

Dymphna van der Lans remembers the day her family got a set of encyclopedias and placed them on a low shelf so she — at 8 years old — could access the world. She sat down that day and dove in to read about China. “My world was still so limited to my family and my school and my surroundings,” says van der Lans, who is from the Netherlands. “I couldn’t really comprehend that there was a country out there that was so significantly different from my own lived experience. I had this realization at a very young age that I didn’t know the world, and it was there to be explored.”

She describes that moment as a spark — one that would eventually lead her to adventures in China, India, Kenya, and island nations in the Caribbean and the Indian and Pacific Oceans. She learned to speak Chinese — studied it fully, in fact — during her undergraduate years at Peking University and at Leiden University, where she earned a master’s in Chinese language, economics and law.

But the more van der Lans explored the world, the more she discovered about the complex issues that face both the planet and those inhabiting it: the energy transition, disrupted supply chains, armed conflicts and threats to wildlife.

These issues are regularly examined by researchers and debated in media outlets. But when van der Lans began working with the UN Foundation as the CEO of the Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA), she faced a challenge no one seemed to be talking about — global access to “clean cooking” with modern technologies and fuels that prevent deadly indoor air pollution.

When van der Lans talks about clean cooking, she isn’t referencing the debate over gas versus electric, which many assume. She is focused on the millions of people living largely in remote areas of the Global South who are cooking over open fires or on clay stoves. These cooking methods require hours of daily preparation and can expose cooks and other family members to dangers in their own homes like severe burns, smoke inhalation and exposure to harmful indoor pollutants. “People have no idea,” van der Lans says, “including lots of people who come from regions where it’s a prevalent issue.” In Nepal, for example, 69% of households use biomass fuels (wood, charcoal, dung and agricultural waste) and open fires for cooking.

“It’s unacceptable to me,” van der Lans says, “that we’re building the technologies to check washing machine cycles and refrigerator levels on our phones, but we have yet to make clean and safe food preparation accessible to a third of the global population. There’s no department or ministry dedicated to this problem, so it falls through the cracks.”

As a result, she says, the issue of clean cooking never gets appropriate attention or appropriate funding.

Van der Lans is set on changing that.

Rejoice Ntiriwaa tells a story of her childhood. Her least favorite chore in her home in Effiduase Koforidua, in the eastern region of Ghana, was to help her grandmother dress the family’s clay stove with mud. It was, Ntiriwaa says, a task she “detested with all her being.” She didn’t like that clay stove and the time it took away from her childhood activities, but she later realized it was a true hazard when she learned that her great-grandmother had to undergo surgery to treat a cataract caused by smoke emissions. “What would have happened to her if she had not been able to pay for the procedure at that time?” she says in Vantage Point, a newly launched digital magazine from the CCA.

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Luckily for Ntiriwaa’s great-grandmother, a surgery was feasible, both physically and financially. But women across the globe may fare far worse without access to modern cooking equipment, often succumbing to cancer or other issues related to indoor air pollution brought on by preparing meals for their families. The fact that women face illness while working to feed themselves and their families did not sit well with Ntiriwaa.

It doesn’t sit well with van der Lans either. “Anytime you have inefficient combustion particles float up in the air,” she says, “they make their way into the lungs of women and the babies they carry on their backs.” Van der Lan’s team of 50 works on policy with local governments and helps industries think through the challenges of access to clean cooking, including embracing cultural norms in the process.

“We know that the technologies exist, we just need to make sure women have access to them and that they are affordable.”

CCA also works with entrepreneurs — including women who have experienced the issue firsthand — to support new solutions and has trained more than 5,000 women entrepreneurs, youth and educators. “There are a lot of women in Africa, specifically, who are young entrepreneurial spirits and advocates who have lived through this issue and are now putting their intellect, energy and power behind addressing the problem. They are developing technologies specific to their culture and regions and then running the companies that build and distribute that technology. Our job is to support them — financially and otherwise — in achieving their organizational goals.”

Ntiriwaa is one of those women. After a childhood spent preparing the family clay stove, she went on to become an engineer, researcher and lecturer at Cape Coast Technical University in Ghana, focused on bioenergy, renewable energy systems design and alternative cooking fuel, not just in the home but in business as well.

“Seventy percent of the dirty fuels in this country are used by small and medium-sized businesses that process food, yet they suffer attention deficit in the engineering design of efficient stoves,” Ntiriwaa says in Vantage Point.

“Our research team conducted a survey, and the results showed that the design characteristics, such as ergonomics, fuel neutrality and ability to support the weight of meals, are among the primary factors influencing people’s choice of cooking energy. We need to fund regional research because different cultures and traditional foods call for different cooking techniques.”

That funding is important — CCA itself has invested US$17.8 million in research, resulting in more than 60 peer-reviewed publications on the impacts of household air pollution and the benefits of clean cooking — but perhaps more so is the empowerment of women to be a part of the process. “Women make many cooking decisions at the household level, so empowering them to understand the clean cooking value chain improves their way of life,” says Ntiriwaa, who earned one of CCA’s 2022 Women Leaders Awards. “Collectively, their demand for stoves and fuels would begin to shift to cleaner options, forcing suppliers to think of new ways to meet end users’ needs. Their contribution is significant, regardless of where they are in the clean cooking value chain.”

CCA has a goal: universal clean cooking access by 2030. They aim to achieve it through investment in entrepreneurs and industries willing to tackle the problem, by raising awareness to drive consumer demand and by using data to drive policy.

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This is not an issue with one simple solution. It requires systemic change. Thanks to recognition and support from local governments and agencies like the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre, CCA has launched projects in key areas where the issue is most prevalent. In Nepal, for example, with nearly 70% of its population using biomass fuels and open fires, CCA worked with local governments to create a detailed plan to help the area transition completely to clean cooking by 2028. The plan includes financial assistance for families and ongoing government support. This will enable nearly 1 million homes to transition to electric cooking appliances. It will also facilitate the adoption of off-grid systems in rural areas. The goal is for 100% of homes in the region to use clean cooking methods within the next four years.

It can feel like a daunting task. But CCA is making massive strides. According to its 2023 Industry Snapshot, investments in clean cooking enterprises grew to an all-time high of $215 million in 2022. Revenue in clean cooking industries also broke records with $104 million in 2022. CCA itself has issued more than $8.4 million in grants to companies, more than $2 million for gender-focused projects and has reached 40 million people through campaigns.

When van der Lans took the CEO seat six years ago, she attended a Conference of the Parties (COP), the annual UN Climate Change Conference, and found only one session on clean cooking hidden away in a back room. When she attended the most recent COP in Dubai in December 2023, there were 20 sessions focused on clean cooking, including one at center stage. CCA estimates that through their work, they have reached 100 million people with information on the importance of clean cooking. She’s proud that the issue is receiving increased and appropriate attention. At the same time, she knows there’s work to do and is concerned that all the attention in the world doesn’t mean much if the solutions aren’t funded. “Raising the issue and creating awareness and educating people means nothing, zero, if it doesn’t lead to more funding to address the problem.”

Van der Lans aims to end the harm that unsafe and polluting cooking methods have on women’s health and economic prospects. To that end, she wants clean cooking solutions to become so widely understood that she no longer has to explain the problem. And she hopes people think more often about the lesson we all eventually learn, as she did at 8 years old with an encyclopedia in hand: Many people around the world face challenges that are vastly different from our own lived experience. They grapple with problems that often go unnoticed. For many, even accomplishing the basic task of boiling water presents hardship that deserves our attention and action.

Your research mainly focuses on healthcare payment systems and insurance. Can you talk about the history of our national payment systems? How did they come about?

If you look at the early 1900s — when people paid mostly out of pocket — healthcare costs averaged maybe $150 to $200 per year in today’s dollars. Our procedures were not very complicated. They didn’t cost millions or hundreds of thousands of dollars. And people didn’t live as long as they do today. There were many diseases we’ve since learned how to treat.

So, doctors would come to your home. They’d probably give you an aspirin or some kind of antibiotic, and that’s the most they could do. That changed as technology advanced, but our payment system stayed the same until World War II. When people came back from the war, it became clear that a lot of older people could no longer pay for their healthcare.

Private insurance came in and then Medicare and Medicaid in the 1960s. And insurance would pay for your hospital visits. The system had no incentive to be efficient. If insurance is paying, the doctor has no incentive.

Imagine taking your car to a mechanic and saying, “Fix everything.” What kind of bill is that mechanic going to come up with? And that went on until the 1980s when healthcare became more transactional, and costs exploded.

I think we are moving toward a “capitation” payment system. In this system, like what Medicare Advantage does, healthcare institutions will receive a fixed amount — let’s say $10,000. And they’re responsible for everything that relates to an episode of care — let’s say a kneecap replacement. When that happens, now they have all the incentives to keep me healthy. They’re going to encourage me to exercise. They’re going to encourage me not to drink as much, and so on and so forth.

I like the car mechanic analogy. Has the healthcare industry learned a lot from sectors like car manufacturing in terms of how to make their operations more efficient?

Yes. Car manufacturing is the best example.

Some history, again: For whatever reason, the manufacturing sector started using computers a lot earlier than healthcare. Why is that important? Well, by looking at data, you can figure out what the problems in your system are and where the bottlenecks and quality issues are. It’s impossible to do that when everything is handwritten.

The Affordable Care Act changed that. Obamacare was basically the final push to force all hospitals to implement what’s called electronic medical records. If you go to your doctor now, they take notes when they’re talking to you. Sometimes, they have a tablet; they start filling in, checking boxes, and all that. It all goes into a database that we can look at and see how efficient a given clinic is in the first place.

Because of how slowly the healthcare sector adopted digital record-keeping practices, a lot of operational improvements were delayed compared to other manufacturing systems.

Can you share an example of how operational research can make a real difference in healthcare?

There are so many examples I can give you. When I was at the University of Rochester, we were looking at the causes of lengthy treatment times in the emergency room. We had to dig deep into their database to figure out where patients are spending time. From there, we used somewhat standard management tools to understand where the bottlenecks are, and then we’d try to find ways to decrease the hospital’s load.

Emergency rooms, unfortunately nowadays, are anything but emergent unless you’re dying. If you’re dying, they take care of you. Otherwise, you register, and go through triage, usually done by a nurse. The level of triage you fall in kind of determines your priority in the waiting line.

As researchers, we said, “Look: there are so many triage patients coming into the emergency room who could have gone to a primary care physician or to urgent care.” So, we said, “Why don’t we start treatment in triage?” Let’s say you walk in with arm pain. Why don’t we just order an X-ray before you even get to see a doctor? By the time the doctor sees you, the X-rays will be ready — because in the emergency room, doctors and beds are the bottleneck. Not X-rays.

We’re trying to reduce unproductive time. To be clear, I don’t know what is feasible from a medical point of view. Can I even order an X-ray while you’re in the waiting room? I wouldn’t know that.

The people who can come up with these ideas are those who actually work in the system on a daily basis. Our job as researchers is to help healthcare professionals identify these opportunities.

What are some of the biggest hurdles and opportunities we face in Houston, specifically?

As you know, we have a very good city healthcare system — hospitals, universities, medical schools. I don’t think Houston has unique problems that we don’t see elsewhere. The biggest problem, if you ask me, is insufficient insurance coverage. Healthy living in Houston is also a problem.

Otherwise, I think the healthcare system here is in good shape. We have a very good Medicaid system called Harris County Health. There are a lot of initiatives that help the Houston community. But we face the same challenges as other places. Healthcare costs are climbing, and it’s not clear what exactly we can do to stop it.

Would more of the efficient bottlenecks you’re describing lower overall costs?

Yes, they do somewhat. But the answer to rising healthcare costs is not so simple. In simple economic terms, the healthcare industry has what’s called an “incentive misalignment.” You want to be healthy. And insurance companies want you to be healthy. How do you stay healthy? You go to the gym. You eat healthily. You seek mental services when you need them. But hospitals don’t get paid for these things, and so are currently not incentivized to focus on them.

There’s also a disconnect between healthcare providers. An example: You break your leg, you go to a hospital. They operate on you, and you’re discharged. But then you start physical therapy. And when you’re getting physical therapy, everything depends on what kind of surgery you got, what the doctor decided to do and how the hospital took care of you. If your leg gets worse during therapy instead of better, it could be that the hospital didn’t do the right thing in the first place. But nobody would be penalized for not doing the right thing. Our payment system does not incentivize quality of care.

And from a patient perspective, if the costs of care keep increasing, you’re less likely to see a doctor. Or, if you are informed you’ll need to undergo treatment, you might decide against it, given its cost. And some health-related issues might be a matter of convenience. But if left untreated, a lot of conditions can create other problems down the road, which will magnify the cost of care, in the end.

Much of what you’re saying is specific to the United States. But I’m sure you have a very transnational perspective. You’re a native of Turkiye. You’re speaking with me from London.

Yes, definitely. Whatever you see in America — it’s one system. And there are other ways of doing this. Take the U.K. Until World War II, their system was very similar to the U.S. Obviously, they were more directly impacted by the war. They were bombed all over and lost a lot more people. Their economy got hit really hard. And after the war, they nationalized all the hospitals by running them through “trusts” (i.e., nonprofit organizations). That way, the government can pay hospitals and keep track of quality issues.

There are similarities and differences wherever you go. If you ask me — completely my opinion based on what I’m seeing in healthcare — the U.S. needs to get rid of prices. If Hospital A does a surgery and Hospital B does the same surgery, they should get paid the same amount regardless of insurance. Where they should be competing is on quality. If Hospital A ends up with better surgery outcomes, they should get additional money. And Hospital B should lose some of their money.

The problem in the U.S. is that every insurance company goes around and negotiates with all these hospitals about how they’re going to charge for every single operation. There are thousands of different things that institutions have to negotiate. Compared to the U.K. system, that’s the biggest difference. And that’s where we see the biggest inefficiencies in U.S. healthcare.

Is there anything else you’d like to say about your research? Do you enjoy the work you do?

I’ll say two things. First, healthcare is not just about health. Healthcare is the economy. In strict monetary terms, healthcare keeps everybody healthy so that they can work. We aim to keep young people healthy so they can become adults and contribute. So, when you don’t provide health insurance for people, the whole economy suffers, not just that person’s life.

Even more, if you’re not changing jobs — a job you hate — because you don’t want to lose your health insurance, then you’re not doing a job where you’ll probably be more productive and contribute more to the overall economy. Healthcare is basically the backbone of the economy. So, whenever I hear people say they oppose universal healthcare, I’m just amazed. I can’t really fathom what they’re missing in this.

Second, in terms of research and my personal experience, healthcare operations has been a great field to research. With all due respect to people who research the supply chain, Amazon has billions of dollars to fund research. That’s not the case in healthcare. Healthcare needs people who have the flexibility and training to look at systems and ask systematic questions.

It’s a great area of focus for universities and scholars.

Owl Have You Know

Season 4, Episode 13

Brian Jackson, Rice Business alumni board president, joins host Maya Pomroy ’22 to talk about the importance of finding a job that fits your values, figuring out one’s identity, and how the adversity he has faced was a blessing in disguise, serving as a gateway for his personal and professional growth.

Subscribe to Owl Have You Know on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

Thoughts of a business school at Rice University were in the minds of administrators and influential business leaders in Houston as far back as 1958. And even earlier if you count the ambitions of the university’s first president, Edgar Odell Lovett, who knew a robust Houston business community meant success for Rice. As Houston grew, so did the need for a school of business to serve it. With a $5 million gift from Houston Endowment in 1974, that dream became the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Administration.

By the fall of 1977, with its first dean, three full-time faculty and four adjuncts, the school matriculated 55 students — 23 in the management program and 32 in the accounting program. Classes moved from Sewall Hall to Herman Brown Hall for Mathematical Sciences after that first year, and to the newly built Herring Hall by 1984 and McNair Hall in 2002, where we now house 65 tenured and tenure-track faculty, 155 staff and teach more than 1,700 MBAs, PhDs, MAccs and undergraduates a year.

The Jones Graduate School of Business — it had a name change from Administration to Management in 1998 and to Business in 2009, plus a new nickname in 2016 — has been no stranger to transforming itself to meet the evolving world of business. In April 1996, after an external review committee found that this “glittering opportunity” was not meeting its potential, the school was faced with a choice: “embark on a course of becoming recognized for world-class distinctiveness and quality in management education … or close the doors.” We chose the former.

We have survived the oil bust, recessions, economic crashes and hurricanes, and we have witnessed the birth of the Internet, the personal computer, the iPhone, and Amazon.com. Rice Business has seen a lot in 50 years. And so have our graduates. Here are just a few of the moments that shaped us, the business world and Rice Business.

From the Ground Up

In 1974, after funding from Houston Endowment establishes the business school, a search for the first dean began. A look at the leaders who have helped make Rice Business what it is today.

1976 – 1980

Robert R. Sterling is named first dean in 1976. By the following year, the first class matriculates and, the year after that, the Board of Advisors (originally called the Council of Overseers) is formed and begins meeting. Sterling also creates an Office of Executive Development, which begins offering seminars in management and financial planning, and soon expands to hosting short courses and special events such as the Houston Entrepreneurship Conference. He appoints an assistant dean for admissions and placement, and head of the Master of Business and Public Management program.

1981 – 1987

Francis D. Tuggle becomes dean after a year of interim responsibilities. He names the school’s first director of admissions and student affairs as well as the head of a career office, who creates an alumni network, facilitates summer internships, establishes on-campus interviews, and assists students with resume and interview skills development. Tuggle navigates the fundraising, building and move to Herring Hall, while overseeing the faculty approval of a shift from an MBPM to an MBA degree. (Anyone who earned an MBPM before that was allowed to change the name of their degree.)

1987 – 1997

Benjamin F. Bailar is named dean of the business school. He initiates a joint MBA/Master of Engineering degree through a partnership with the business school and the George R. Brown School of Engineering in response to the need for engineers to develop skills to manage a technology-driven economy.

1997 – 2005

Gilbert R. Whitaker (Rice Class of 1953), a member of the 1996 external review committee, sets the strategy to either launch the school into national prominence or close the doors. During his tenure, he helps the school gain accreditation; introduces the EMBA program; forms the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, which hosts the annual Rice Business Plan Competition; and builds McNair Hall

2005 – 2016

William Glick is the longest-serving dean of the business school. He launches both the evening and weekend MBA for Professionals programs, the Ph.D. in Business and re-launches the Master of Accounting. He also oversees the launch of Rice Business Wisdom, an ideas magazine that highlights faculty research. Through the generous gift from Houston entrepreneur and Rice alumnus Frank Liu and his family, Glick oversees the introduction of the Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (LILIE), which strengthens the entrepreneurial ecosystem at Rice University.

2016 – Present

Peter Rodriguez is named dean of the business school. Under his watch, the school creates a “nickname” Rice Business to tie the school more closely to the university in order to rapidly increase awareness; joins The Consortium; launches the first online degree at Rice University, MBA@Rice; introduces the undergraduate entrepreneurship minor and business major, and the Hybrid MBA; and sets the plan for a new building adjacent to McNair Hall to address doubled enrollment and to serve the Rice Business community.

Rice MBA students volunteered their time during this year’s CERAWeek — an annual conference held in Houston and hosted by S&P Global. Below, they share takeaways from their experience.

What are the insights and discussions on the latest industry trends? What are we seeing in terms of innovative technologies and energy sector challenges?

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U.S. electricity demand is set to increase rapidly.

• Projections for future electricity needs have significantly increased due to rapid advancement in AI, a renewed focus on reshoring U.S. manufacturing, and ongoing efforts to electrify the economy.
• This demand surge impacts the aging and underinvested power grid. Traditional power and utility business models are struggling to support the anticipated load growth.
• The expansion of power projects — both renewable and conventional — is hindered by lengthy permitting processes, political opposition, and extended project queues.

Derek Fry, Full-Time MBA

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Efforts in clean tech and sustainability are driving operational and environmental improvements.

• Companies have an increasingly real opportunity to enhance efficiency, reduce costs and mitigate environmental impact.
• Strategic alliances between industry players, governments and stakeholders are vital in addressing global energy challenges.
• To drive growth and long-term resilience, the energy industry needs to embrace change, invest in renewable energy solutions, and prioritize sustainability.

Yijiao Huang, Full-Time MBA

Hydrogen hubs boost supply, and soil carbon farming provides new revenue.

• Hydrogen hubs are driving progress in the hydrogen supply chain, although challenges remain in funding and strategy.
• Soil carbon sequestration gives farmers new revenue opportunities, but education and financing gaps persist.
• Momentum and incentives from government and corporations support the advancement of both hydrogen and carbon sequestration solutions.

Dana Vazquez, Full-Time MBA

Embarking on an MBA journey is exhilarating and transformative. But it can also be daunting. Luckily, Rice Business students adapt quickly and are always generous with their hard-earned wisdom. Below, seven of our students across various programs share what they wish they’d known before taking the plunge.
 

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Your differences are an asset. Lean into what makes you unique

“It might seem like MBA programs are dominated by those with a strong quantitative background. But diversity in skills and perspectives enriches learning for everyone. Recognize and lean into your unique strengths; they are invaluable to your cohort’s collective learning experience. When you feel imposter syndrome creeping in, just remember that you were selected for the program because you bring a desired skill set.”

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The relationships you build will be invaluable. Prioritize genuine connections.

“The community at Rice is unparalleled. You’re about to enter an environment teeming with talent, energy and inspiration. The people you meet here will shape your experience and impact your life in unimaginable ways. Take the time to forge genuine connections, to learn from and with your classmates. Embrace diverse perspectives and contribute to expanding others’ worldviews. Remember, it’s not just about what you learn but also about the respect and dignity you extend to others.”

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Push yourself outside your comfort zone. That’s where transformative growth happens.

“When I came to Rice, I was pretty set on what I wanted to do within the program – I didn’t consider any other career paths outside of sustainability and felt compelled to stay on that track. Pretty quickly, I became pulled into the entrepreneurship environment and have since started two companies, competed in several pitch competitions, am on the executive team for the Entrepreneurship Association, have led an entrepreneurship-focused conference... the list goes on. I have loved being a part of the entrepreneurship community at Rice, and I never would’ve never expected it! You never know what topics will speak to you.”

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Be prepared for an intense pace. But know it is manageable.

“The first few weeks will feel like drinking from a fire hydrant. Time is your best friend. Do not try to do everything yourself, but rather rely on your team. Share the workload for projects and then teach each other. If you do the work and show up to class, you will learn! Do not worry about the grade. Executive boards care more about how changes in economic climates impact their businesses, versus what grade you received in economics class.”

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Start recruiting early. The process will boost your skills and profile.

“I wasn’t aware of all the opportunities there are for people to recruit for consulting, investment banking and other opportunities for those who qualify under the company’s diversity or early recruiting programs. Even if I didn’t land an early offer, it would have been good experience to interview and get familiar with companies early on.”

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You will learn both inside and outside the classroom.

“Use the MBA as a sandbox to allow yourself to think differently — not only on campus but in every part of your life. Make yourself uncomfortable. Practice sharing your story in new situations. Speak up and ask the questions you always wanted answered. Explore that area you’ve always been curious about. Put what you learn into practice from day 1. This time is yours. Make the most of it!”

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Remember: The MBA is about more than academics.

“It’s crucial to reevaluate the emphasis on grades. While academic achievement matters, the true essence lies in honing practical skills, critical thinking and problem-solving aptitude. It’s also ultimately about cultivating a robust network and lifelong friendships. The cohort experience fosters camaraderie, collaboration and a sense of community that extends far beyond the classroom. These friendships enrich the MBA experience and serve as a valuable support network throughout your career journey. Networking isn’t just about collecting business cards; it’s about creating connections that propel you forward — in all kinds of ways.”

The MBA experience can be intense, but the Office of Academic Programs and Student Experience (APSE) provides comprehensive support.

From the beginning, our dedicated team will help you build an invaluable network, develop practical skills and emerge as a well-rounded leader ready for continued growth. You belong here.

Explore Our Rice MBA

Education and Career Training

• Undergraduate: Miami University
• Medical School: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (Honors in Research, Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society member)
• Internship and Residency (Diagnostic Radiology): UT Southwestern Medical Center/Parkland Memorial Hospital
• Fellowship (Breast Imaging): Washington University/Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology/Barnes-Jewish Hospital

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Current Roles and Career Journey

After completing my medical training in 2007, I practiced both diagnostic general radiology and breast imaging specialized radiology (as the only female partner) in Mountain Home Radiology Consultants until 2011. I then joined Rose Imaging Specialists, a supermajority female partnership and practice that specialized in breast imaging diagnostic radiology and research. Rose-Imaging Specialists and Radiology Partners merged in 2021, and I joined their local practice board in 2023.

My current roles include:

• Local practice board member for Rose Imaging Specialists-Radiology Partners
• Legacy partner at Rose Imaging Specialists-Radiology Partners
• Lead interpreting physician for Solis Mammography Sugar Land
• Wife of Erik Shultz, MD FACOG: OB/GYN at Texas Children’s Hospital Women’s Pavilion/Partners in OB/GYN Care
• Mother of four children: Chethan 19, Jayan 17, Milan 15 and Anika 13

Why did you choose a Rice Business Executive MBA?

The Executive MBA program at Rice emphasizes executive-level leadership, which hones skills in its coursework critical to developing quality physician leadership in the healthcare industry. The experience has shown me how influential the business aspect of medicine is in patient care and physicians’ ability to provide quality healthcare. Additionally, medical education is often remiss in teaching physicians how to be truly effective leaders. 

What do you enjoy the most about being a Rice MBA student?

My favorite part of being a Rice MBA student is being in class and getting to know an excellent group of highly accomplished, successful and incredibly talented professionals from a wide variety of industries. I have also been extremely impressed with the high quality of professors teaching us. They are academically impressive and exhibit a true passion and care for teaching. 

How does the program positively impact you at work, and can you share an example of applying what you learned on the job?

The program has taught me to be a more impactful leader in my organization. It has helped to give me confidence around areas of strength and challenged me to improve in areas of weakness, all in a supportive and professional manner. I am so thankful for having the opportunity to be a part of Rice Business and the Executive MBA program.

Anu Athota Shultz is an Executive MBA student in the Class of 2025.