Alex Cantin
Business Major '26
Concentration in Management
Hometown: Santa Rosa, CA
Why did you choose Rice University?
I chose Rice because of the supportive culture, its easy access to Houston, and the residential college system. From the moment I toured as a senior in high school, it just felt right. The business major was also very new at the time, so I knew I’d have exposure to a lot of MBA-level professors and career opportunities.
Why did you choose to major in business?
I’ve always been fascinated with how organizations make decisions and respond to incentives for positive impact. Because the business faculty at Rice are so accomplished in their fields and because of Virani’s close connections to Houston industry, I knew I’d get a strong foundation in exactly that.
What is your concentration and why did you select that concentration?
I’m concentrating in management since the concentration focuses heavily on organizational theory while giving students a working understanding of finance concepts. I think that blend is super interesting and gives me the best overall understanding of business effectiveness.
What clubs or organizations are you involved in at Rice?
At Rice, I’ve been the President of the Transfer Student Association, VP of Development for ACT Rice, a Welcome Center Tour Guide, an Owl Interviewer, and an O-Week advisor.
How has your involvement in those clubs or organizations contribute to securing your internship?
My extracurriculars at Rice were super important to securing my internships and full-time job offer. Through them, I’ve had impact on several impactful projects, learned to improve as a leader, and how to help build close-knit teams. I’ve been able to talk about these experiences at-length in interviews, which ultimately helped me a lot.
What was your favorite class at Rice Business? Why?
My favorite class at Rice Business has to be BUSI 480 (Marketing Analytics). Since it was only a 15-person class, it felt highly collaborative, and my coding skills improved significantly through our case assignments.
What is one of your favorite memories from your time so far at Rice?
It’s hard to choose! A lot of my favorite memories come from my study abroad at HEC Paris though, where I met so many fun people from across the world. My favorite memory from then was eating at a historic French restaurant with friends and going to a train station turned nightclub afterwards!
What advice would you give to prospective students who are considering Rice Business and are interested in consulting?
Try to approach college with as little stress as possible. It really does all work out in the end, so I recommend choosing the college makes you feel the most excitement and wonder - whether that place is Rice or elsewhere!