Lovett to move into new building by fall 2026, adjacent to twelfth college
RIYA MISRA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Lovett College will permanently move into one of the two new residential college buildings, President Reggie DesRoches said in a Sept. 18 email to campus. The tocome buildings, initially intended to house new twelfth and thirteenth colleges, are projected to finish by fall 2026. Lovett will stand adjacent to the unnamed twelfth college, and there are currently no plans for the thirteenth.
“We are in the process of developing a 10year capital plan that will include the addition of college No. 13 at a later date and after additional evaluations have been completed,” DesRoches wrote in his campus message.
In an interview with the Thresher, Dean of Undergraduates
Bridget Gorman
said Rice is “actively considering [usage] options” for Lovett’s existing building, upon relocation. Gorman then said this decision was triggered by “years of student advocacy” for upgraded facilities at Lovett.
“From time to time, the institution has made a decision that, rather than trying to do a massive renovation … that we’re going to relocate,” Gorman said. “A huge factor that goes into there is considering the student experience and minimizing disruption in a college community, because our residential college is central to the experience of Rice. It’s a big reason why our students come here.”
Some may be shocked by the announcement, Lovett President Andrew Kim wrote in a statement to the Thresher — but at the same time, many students “would likely call the move a long time coming.”
Editor’s note: Andrew Kim is the Thresher’s Backpage editor.
A huge factor that goes into [the decision] is considering the student experience and minimizing disruption in a college community, because our residential college is central to the experience of Rice. It’s a big reason why our students come here.
Bridget Gorman DEAN OF UNDERGRADUATES
Rice ranks No. 18 in U.S. News
RIYA
MISRA & JAMES CANCELARICH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Rice ranks No. 18 in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2025 national university rankings, tied with Vanderbilt University and the University of Notre Dame. Rice also placed No. 8, 9 and 29 in the Niche, Forbes and Wall Street Journal rankings, respectively.
USNWR placed Rice No. 17 last year, and No. 15 in 2023. This year’s methodology no longer accounts for first-generation graduation rates and performance, instead weighing the outcomes of Pell Grant — federal financial aid — recipients more heavily.
While Rice has been dipping in the USNWR rankings, every other ranking is higher than last year’s, in which Rice placed No. 9, 22 and 64 for Niche, Forbes and the WSJ.
Rice’s 13-spot ascent in the Forbes
rankings — marking its first time in the list’s top 10 — was largely due to low
I definitely wanted a prestigious school, but I think that after a certain level they are all about the same, so it’s just what you’re
looking for in terms of environment and community.
Rachel Huber
HANSZEN COLLEGE SOPHOMORE
student debt for graduates, Forbes wrote. Meanwhile, the WSJ said Rice’s 35-spot rise is partially owed to its expanding operations research major.
The WSJ hone their methodology,
Rice community prepares for early voting
which was brand-new last year. The 2025 rankings reflect how surveyed universities “develop character strengths that help students make a meaningful contribution to society,” the WSJ wrote, and fine-tuned its model for weighing graduation rates and salary.
Hanszen College sophomore Rachel Huber said that while attending a prestigious school was important to her, the community at Rice drew her to the school.
“I definitely wanted a prestigious school, but I think that after a certain level they are all about the same, so it’s just what you’re looking for in terms of environment and community,” Huber said. “It’s more than just a ranking in a list; it’s the community that we have here.”
Huber also said that Rice has a strong academic profile, regardless of yearly changes in rankings.
Oct. 7, 2024
Last day to register to vote
Oct. 21, 2024
First day of early voting by personal appearance
Rice will provide shuttles to early voting locations
Last day to apply for ballot by mail
Nov. 1, 2024
Last day of early voting by personal appearance
Nov. 5, 2024
Election day
No classes, students can vote in-person at the Welcome Center
Last day to receive ballot by mail
OWEN BUTTON / THRESHER
future of the “toaster” unclear.
ABIGAIL CHIU FOR THE THRESHER
Rice civic engagement groups are providing resources for students to understand the voting process, register to vote and early vote as the 2024 presidential election approaches.
FROM FRONT PAGE U.S. NEWS
“If you’re really concerned about it, I think companies that hire students right out of college also know the value of a Rice education or a degree from here,” Huber said.
Destinie Sharp, a Baker College junior, said that the rankings did not matter to her as much as Rice’s academics.
“I’m a QuestBridge student so I had ranked Rice [higher] because it’s an amazing school, but it’s also close to home,” Sharp said. “So its location that dictated [my choice], not really the ranking. But I heard all good things – it is a really good academic school.”
Benjamin Viafore, a Lovett College freshman, said that Rice’s ranking did not greatly affect his decision to attend.
“I think they are subjective, and I don’t put a large emphasis on them,” Viafore said.
Victoria Appel, a Baker sophomore, also said she believed the rankings were largely subjective and are not very important to her.
“There is no other place that I’d rather be than Rice,” Appel said. “It is the best in terms of my values and what I look for in an institution, and that doesn’t necessarily align with a bunch of people from U.S. News and their values and opinions.”
There is no other place that I’d rather be than Rice. It is the best in terms of my values ... and that doesn’t necessarily align with a bunch of people from U.S. News and their values and opinions.
Victoria Appel BAKER COLLEGE SOPHOMORE
FROM FRONT PAGE LOVETT MOVES
“Most Lovetteers view the toaster’s lived-in atmosphere affectionately, and it’s always been a major driver of our unparalleled commons culture,” Kim wrote. “As a result, there has never been a culture of prevalent complaints about Lovett or a concentrated push to renovate it.”
“However,” Kim continued, “both the Dean’s office and Lovett leadership have received individual feedback for years about renovating our residential facilities. It’s not a secret that Lovett has lacked the modern facilities that equally old or even older colleges have been getting through recent renovations, so there’s no better candidate for an upgrade than us.”
The twelfth and thirteenth colleges were planned in line with Rice’s 2021 goal to expand undergraduate enrollment — 4,052 students at the time — by 20%. The university has since met that goal, and does not plan to scale back enrollment accommodate for just one new college, Gorman wrote in a followup statement to the Thresher.
Enrollment now stands at 4,811, surpassing Rice’s initial target of 4,800.
“My expectation is that as we approach the relocation of Lovett and the opening of College 12 in Fall 2026, we’ll be discussing plans with the campus regarding campus housing expansion,” Gorman wrote.
two years will be spent gathering student input on reshaping their college’s culture. Lovetteers will be able to choose which of the new buildings to move into, Gorman said.
I have absolute confidence that Lovett has an abundance of people that simply care too much not to make New Lovett feel full of the spirit and tradition that Lovett has now.
Andrew Kim
Most recently, Sid Richardson College relocated into a new building in February 2021 — the new buildings will be constructed on top of Sid Rich’s former, now-demolished, building. As Lovett prepares for a similar move, Kim said the next
LOVETT COLLEGE PRESIDENT
“Undeniably, Lovett may be the college whose social culture is more founded on its architecture than any other college, and we need to be realistic that a change of buildings will necessarily come with culture shifts,” Kim wrote. “The toaster has been the home of Lovetteers and our memories for decades, and that will be — and deserves to be — mourned. But … I have absolute confidence that Lovett has an abundance of people that simply care too much not to make
Students given Grammarly AI as Honor Council adapts
CHARLIE CRUZ FOR THE THRESHER
Rice began offering Grammarly Premium access to all students. Initially made available to graduate students, the service is now available to the entire student body in line with the Honor Council’s 2023 decision to allow ChatGPT usage with proper citation and instructor permission.
Grammarly is a grammar-checking tool designed to correct punctuation, spelling and sentence structure.
Baker College junior Chloé Khuri said that she uses Grammarly’s grammar-checking feature for assistance with punctuation but is hesitant about newer AI-powered features.
do all of this [AI]. It’s called Grammarly — it should stick to small grammar changes.”
According to Grammarly’s website, the new AI tools include generated email responses, text summaries and tone suggestions.
“Want to make your text shorter, more persuasive, or more inspirational? Tell Grammarly how you want to sound and get a new version in an instant,” the product description reads.
AI can help students think about what academic writers do and offer ways to express their ideas more effectively.
Burke Nixon FWIS PROFESSOR
“Honestly, I’m really bad with commas, so it’s literally just putting commas in and making sure I didn’t misspell or misuse any prepositions or transition words,” Khuri said. “Grammarly shouldn’t be trying to
First-Year Writing Intensive Seminar professor Burke Nixon said that as part of the university’s evolving approach to education, FWIS classes are beginning to implement lessons about AI tools, like Grammarly.
“AI can help students think about what academic writers do and offer ways to express their ideas more effectively,” Burke, a senior lecturer in the Program in Writing and Communication, said.
However, Burke also said he is concerned about some of Grammarly’s AI features,
namely its percentage score for writing quality.
“The score is ultimately pretty meaningless and can make students feel their writing is weaker than it is,” Burke said.
To ensure transparency, the Center for Teaching Excellence encourages professors to include clear AI statements in their syllabi, specifying the appropriate use of such tools.
Honor Council communications chair Olivia Thom said she believes the university’s Honor Code and AI tools, like Grammarly, can
without issue. Still, she said students must understand when to cite their contributions.
“I don’t think there’s any dissonance between plagiarism and generative AI because, under the Honor Code’s general policy about AI, it’s considered plagiarism if it’s used without citing it,” Thom, a Duncan College junior, said.
Burke said that AI policies from both Rice and individual professors are still developing as new technology becomes available.
“We’re all trying to figure this out,” Burke said. “It’s changing, and it’s complex.”
RIYA MISRA / THRESHER Lovett College freshman Cindy Yan (left) and Sid Richardson College freshman Chloe Hsieh (right) study in Lovett’s commons on Sept. 24.
NINA TAVAREZ / THRESHER
The Texas Medical Center is the closest location for students registered in Harris County to vote early, and Rice will provide shuttles to early voting locations according to Veronica Reyna, associate director of Houston Civic Projects at the Center for Civic Leadership. Reyna said that students can check
information website, harrisvotes.com, to find early voting locations and estimated wait times.
“You can be strategic. Given your schedule, if it’s green, that means it’s a pretty short wait time,” Reyna said. “You can go in, and you can go out.”
Before Election Day on Nov. 5, early voting is open Oct. 21 to Nov. 1.
“There’s weekend days and times,” Reyna said. “So it’s really aimed at thinking about
Financial aid settlement form released
Claim forms for the class action financial aid “cartel” lawsuit Rice settled were released Sept. 13. The suit alleged that Rice and 16 other top universities “illegally conspired” to restrict financial aid. Students can submit a claim on the court-approved settlement website https://financialaidantitrustsettlement. com/submit-claim by the Dec. 17, 2024 deadline.
Rice students and alumni that have matriculated since Fall 2003 may qualify for the settlement if they are U.S. citizens or permanent residents who received partial need-based financial aid. Those who received full aid aren’t eligible, as the alleged limits wouldn’t have affected them.
The amount of money that can be claimed depends on various factors including the net price of the university a claimant attended, the dates of attendance and the number of claims filed, the settlement website says. The Angeion Group estimates that if half of the 200,000 eligible people submit timely claims, the “average claimant” will receive about $2,000.
Antitrust laws generally prohibit “anticompetitive practices” that could deny consumers lower prices or, in this case, higher financial aid packages. The goal, according to the Federal Trade Commission, is to “keep prices down and quality up.” Federal law provided certain universities an exemption under Section 568 of the Improving America’s Schools Act of 1994. This allowed groups of schools to use “common principles of analysis” for calculating financial aid, as long as all participating universities were need-blind. The exemption expired on Sept. 30, 2022, and the 568 Presidents Group was dissolved soon after, taking effect on Nov. 3, 2022. However, some universities were not fully need-blind. For example, Vanderbilt University was accused of “wealth favoritism” by considering the financial
everybody and all the different reasons that they might find it difficult to vote on an election day, and then giving them two weeks to be able to figure it out.”
Reyna said that early voting is designed to be a more accessible and convenient way for students to cast their ballots.
“It’s often unpredictable on election day in terms of how long you have to wait in line,” Reyna said. “Early voting is a policy to make voting easier and more efficient for people, more predictable for people, and therefore increasing the turnout rate.”
RiceVotes Democracy Fellow Katherine Jeng said that early voting can fit more easily into student schedules.
to [vote early,] just because you can skip the long lines, and you can be sure that your vote is cast.”
Additionally, Reyna said early voting offers large counties like Harris County more time to process votes.
[Early voting] is really aimed at thinking about everybody and all the different reasons that they might find it difficult to vote on an election day, and then giving them two weeks to be able to figure it out.
Veronica Reyna
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, HOUSTON
CIVIC PROJECTS AT THE CENTER FOR CIVIC LEADERSHIP
“With such a big, important election like this, you’re going to see lines out the door,” Jeng, a Hanszen College senior, said. “While we do have the day off for Election Day, which is not typical [for other universities] … it is still important
status of waitlisted students when determining their admission.
A class action lawsuit was filed in 2022. It claimed the 17 universities worked together on “principles” for determining financial need, allowed under Section 568 of the Improving America’s Schools Act of 1994 for need-blind institutions. While they did not accuse Rice of being needaware, they argued that the Section 568 exemption only applied to collaborations among fully need-blind universities. They claimed that Rice should have known some members of the 568 Presidents Group were need-aware, and thus, by participating, Rice was involved in illegally limiting financial aid.
The university never conspired to decrease aid for its students.
Jeff Falk ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
“Rice is committed to transforming the lives of students and supporting Owls of all socioeconomic backgrounds through its generous, loan-free financial aid programs and need-blind admissions,” Jeff Falk, the assistant vice president for strategic communications, wrote to the Thresher at the time of the settlement in Feb. 2024. “The university never conspired to decrease aid for its students.”
Rice is one of ten universities, out of the 17 involved, contributing to the $284 million settlement, which will provide payments to students who received partial need-based financial aid. The District Court has entered an order preliminarily approving the settlement for all 17 universities.
“Instead of getting [millions] of people voting on Election Day, on one day, and then being able to process everything overnight, [the county is] able to mitigate that rush by slowly processing everybody from early voting through Election Day,” Reyna said. Although Rice students can also vote on Election Day in the Welcome Center, Reyna said early voting also gives more time to resolve registration, documentation or scheduling issues.
“[The CCL staff] encourage[s] students to go do early voting if possible, simply because if they do run into any issues or concerns … then they have time to ask questions, solve problems and still be able to vote,” Reyna said.
Students frustrated over limited parking access
Morgan said that construction in West Lot 4 has temporarily reduced available spaces.
Students with paid parking permits are expressing frustration over the difficulty of finding available spaces in West Lot. These concerns arrive after complaints in Nov. 2023 when the parking office oversold permits for North and South College Lots.
Nancy Martinez, a Jones College sophomore, said that she left her parking spot on campus to run errands and could not find parking when she returned.
“It took an hour for me to circle around West Lot because everything was completely full, and I eventually had to go park at Greenbriar,” Martinez said. “It’s ridiculous that I’m paying for West Lot and can’t even find a spot there.”
“We expect to regain over 100 spaces when the project is completed in early October, weather permitting,” said Morgan.
Morgan said West and North Colleges Lot permit holders have alternative spaces to park when their assigned lots are full.
It’s ridiculous that I’m paying for West Lot and can’t even find a spot there.
Nancy Martinez JONES COLLEGE SOPHOMORE
Parking attendants are now stationed at the entrances of lots during peak hours to track open spots, according to Mike Morgan, director of parking operations. Martinez said she was frustrated at being told the lot was full by an attendant, despite seeing open spaces in the lot.
“There needs to be a better system,” Martinez said. “I knew there was a spot open, [so] the fact they weren’t letting me in was kind of ridiculous.”
“When West Lots 3 and 4 are full, West Lot commuter permit holders can use available spaces in West Lot 5,” Morgan said. “West Lot resident permits should utilize the open spaces in the South Stadium Lot. For North Colleges Lot permits, [the lot by] entrance 1 has available spaces.”
Kamisi Adetunji, a Will Rice College sophomore, said she struggled to find parking as well, particularly when asked to move her car for events hosted in Rice Stadium.
“It’s a little unfair that we have to routinely move our cars from the spots we pay for just because of Rice’s games,” Adetunji wrote in a message to the Thresher. “They don’t express this when you purchase a permit, so I didn’t know this was something I’d have to deal with this year.”
AISHA KHEMANI THRESHER STAFF
BELINDA ZHU ASST. NEWS EDITOR
ASHLEY ZHANG / THRESHER
JENNIFER LIU / THRESHER
SPRING CHENJP / THRESHER
The parking office oversold permits for North and South lots last year, prompting tight parking availability elsewhere on campus.
Career expo needs more careers
Of the 116 recruiters advertised for the Fall 2024 Career & Internship Expo, 11 are related to the humanities and social sciences. That’s 9% — yes, some of us can do math.
Students who choose not to work in healthcare, software, engineering, consulting or engineering consulting have limited options for potential networking. Opportunities include teaching, one advanced degree program, one law firm and several law enforcement and military organizations.
None of Rice’s masters or Ph.D. programs were represented. Brown University’s Master of Public Affairs program was the only advanced degree outside of STEM and business. Future lawyers could have picked between one law firm, one district court and the Hewlett-Packard legal department. No arts opportunities, none in business-adjacent fields like advertising and marketing, none related to Rice’s many language programs, nor any in publishing or journalism. Personally, we’d love to be employed in the future.
Rice is a research university, but our school’s motto is “Letters, Arts, Sciences,” and our academics reflect that. STEM majors are required to take distribution I and II classes because the university acknowledges that these fields are important, regardless of one’s career. Why, then, are they not important enough to have careers of their own?
of meeting with a recruiter or networking with employees.
These resource fairs provide crucial chances for students to figure out their goals and interests. We don’t believe only select groups should reap these benefits.
There are dozens of renowned museums within walking distance from campus. The Houston Chronicle is one of the biggest newspapers in the country. iHeartRadio has an office in Montrose. There are a variety of foreign consulates and law firms throughout the city. If students want to pursue these careers and use their degrees, they have to figure out how to do so on their own. They do not get the luxury
As the Center for Career Development prepares for its next job fair in the spring, it should prioritize inviting a larger diversity of employers. Rather than the current 1-to-10 ratio, future career-focused events need a fairer distribution between all of Rice’s schools of study. These resource fairs provide crucial chances for students to figure out their goals and interests. We don’t believe only select groups should reap these benefits.
And let’s not forget that Rice stands to gain, too. Many college ranking methodologies weigh student outcomes and salary impact when determining the highly-coveted label of a “top 20 university.” Our win is Rice’s win.
Rice is going through an awkward phase
Editor’s Note: This is a guest opinion that has been submitted by a member of the Rice community. The views expressed in this opinion are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of the Thresher or its editorial board. All guest opinions are fact-checked to the best of our ability and edited for clarity and conciseness by Thresher editors.
Rice is going through puberty, marked by awkwardness, evolving parts and existential questions. This pivotal time offers both challenges and opportunities for growth. Our actions now, as a community, will have lasting impacts on Rice’s future.
Since its founding in 1912, Rice was intentionally designed as a small institution. Edgar Odell Lovett, our first president, emphasized, “Keep the numbers down and the standards high.” For much of its history, Rice was known as the quirky, nerdy school for space enthusiasts, with unique traditions like Beer Bike, Night of Decadence and Baker 13 reflecting its eccentric and close-knit culture. This was Rice’s childhood.
The next phase of our metamorphosis, leading to Rice’s “adulthood,” will begin with one key development: increasing undergraduate enrollment from 4,800 to potentially 5,800 students through the opening of college 12 and within the next ten years, college 13. This significant growth will fundamentally change Rice, shifting it from a small niche school to a medium-sized institution comparable to institutions such as Duke University and Princeton University. Both infrastructure and culture will need to adapt, and this is where our role becomes crucial.
As the “middle children” of this transition, we straddle the line between preserving our quirky traditions and embracing the possibilities ahead.
The university’s “puberty” began in 2004 under President Leebron, driven by what I term “Ivy-fever” — an ambition to emulate prestigious, medium-sized universities through enhanced prestige, academic offerings, selectivity and expansion. As a top-20 school, Rice sought to modernize and meet new standards, primarily by increasing enrollment.
This initiative took shape with the addition of McMurtry and Duncan Colleges in 2009, adding about 1,000 students. This marked the first phase of Rice’s transformation, characterized by lower admission rates, expanded academic programs, new building projects, international programs and, notably, an undergraduate business program. Despite these changes, core infrastructure and culture remained largely the same, with ongoing issues like limited resources at key facilities such as latenight dining and convenience options, underdeveloped campus areas and student engagement with athletics.
As the “middle children” of this transition, we straddle the line between preserving our quirky traditions and embracing the possibilities ahead — a bustling campus reminiscent of elite educational institutions. It’s our responsibility to safeguard the elements that make Rice unique while advocating for necessary infrastructural and academic changes to accommodate future students.
Preserving Rice’s unique traditions and small-school culture is vital. Events like Beer Bike, NOD and Baker 13 are the soul of Rice, anchoring us to our roots. New students must be introduced to these traditions to continue them. However, we must also acknowledge and prepare for radical changes, integrating these changes with Rice’s idiosyncratic history.
Firstly, the athletic landscape will evolve. With more students, Rice Athletics will have greater recruitment opportunities, and student investment in sports may increase — a significant shift for a campus historically apathetic toward athletics. We should facilitate this change by integrating college sports into our culture, such as through a larger and more robust tailgate culture, residential college watch-parties for events and initiatives to expand Rice Athletics as representing all of Houston. Many of these initiatives are already being worked on, such as through student-led spirit for athletic events like Rice Rally.
Secondly, the surge in student population will lead to a proliferation of clubs and
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opportunities. Organizations common at other universities but new to Rice will emerge. We must support this growth by simplifying club registration and fostering an environment that encourages exploration without excessive competition, particularly in fields like business and consulting. Rice has already begun the process of making more accessible clubs, such as through student leadership training like SOLO and RISE. This trend should not only continue but expand as more and more students with diverse and varied backgrounds and interests make their home at Rice.
Thirdly, campus redevelopment is inevitable. The Rice Memorial Center, for example, should be redeveloped to offer more food options, expand student spaces like Rice Coffeehouse and enhance facilities for organizations like the Thresher and KTRU. An expanded RMC will also be able to host an expanded Office of Academic Advising, Study Abroad Office and potentially others. This should be a joint effort, for students to advocate for an expanded student center and for administration to heed their calls.
Fourthly, our campus food landscape will change. Currently, options are limited after 8 p.m., effectively making Rice a food desert at night. We should advocate for extended dining options, such as late-night food trucks, on-campus fast-food outlets and a 24/7 convenience store.
We attend Rice at a unique juncture — too late for the small STEM-focused past, too early for the future multi-faceted powerhouse of the Ivies. Recognizing our pivotal role, we must preserve our distinctiveness while adapting our mindset to align with Rice’s evolving identity. We stand at the crossroads of history, and our efforts, both students and administration, now will shape Rice for generations to come.
As President Lovett said on March 4, 1946, and as inscribed on Duncan College: “Rice is in a state of transition … at Rice, the good life will continue to be lived, but better.”
Zain Rahman BROWN COLLEGE SOPHOMORE
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The Rice Thresher, the official student newspaper of Rice University since 1916, is published each Wednesday during the school year, except during examination periods and holidays, by the students of Rice University.
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Latine Heritage Month serves conversation, community, carne
NOA BERZ SENIOR WRITER
When I walked into the Carne Asada Social last Friday evening, I was met with the pungent aroma of grilled meats, bumping music and a line that stretched the entire perimeter of the Multicultural Center’s courtyard. The event was inspired by a tradition of good food, drink and company found throughout Latin America, and it’s one of Latine Heritage Month’s most well attended, I learned from Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers socials coordinator Brian Mercado.
“Carne asada is very common across Latin America,” Mercado, a Lovett College junior, said. “Whether [with] different meats or different styles of grilling, the concept is the same, in which you have family, a lot of friends over, and you have a good time while enjoying good drinks. I’m glad that we’re able to emulate that here at Rice with the Latine community.”
The social was co-hosted by SHPE and the Hispanic Association for Cultural Enrichment at Rice, and it’s one of more than 20 campuswide events held between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15 for what was formerly known as Hispanic Heritage Month. HACER Co-President Pamela Duarte said the month saw a name change at Rice this year to increase inclusivity and representation.
“Hispanics have always been [called] by a label that they didn’t necessarily create,” Duarte, a Will Rice College senior, said. “It’s about finding our own voice and finding what is truly inclusive and suits us best.”
Planning for the month’s slew of events started last April and involved HACER and SHPE’s faculty advisors and executive boards, the Latine Heritage Month planning
committee and MCC Associate Director Ceola Curley, Duarte said.
Duarte said HACER also received resources from the Student Activities/President’s Programming Fund, designed to support student-run events. Latine Heritage Month planning committee co-chair Luziris Pineda Turi said preparations, though extensive, have paid off.
“My favorite part about celebrating [Latine Heritage Month] at Rice is to see [Housing & Dining], [Facilities, Engineering & Planning], staff, students and faculty all come together at our weekly hangouts,” Turi, an associate teaching professor of Spanish, wrote in an email to the Thresher. “It’s rare to see all of these communities together at the same time and celebrating.”
HACER and Rice Ballroom also organized an Argentine tango class on Thursday evening. Students congregated in Farnsworth Pavilion, encircling tango instructor Indre Rapalaviciute, as she demonstrated the dance in careful steps. Rapalaviciute has previously taught dance courses for special events at Will Rice and Baker Colleges, and last year she performed at HACER’s Ritmo event.
“I just feel that we need young people to get inspired by the music, and I really want to share the passion,” Rapalaviciute, a Houston Asian American Archive Program Administrator at the Chao Center for Asian Studies, said. “I worked with HACER before, and I said, ‘Okay, this would be perfect.’ People would come, hear the music … and would connect in that way to the cultural heritage of Latin America.”
HACER Co-President Camila DeAlba said she looks forward to the loteria game nights the most, one of which is co-sponsored by Rice Pride, with prizes like Owala water
bottles and AirPods Pro.
“I have a lot of fun every year at the loteria event, just because loteria is a really big part of my family,” DeAlba, a Jones College senior, said. “It’s always just a fun, competitive environment where we get to nag on each other and stuff. My tía has an actual competitive group. They meet every Friday, and I won $60 one time.”
Duarte said collaborating with other student organizations and representing intersectionality is a top priority during Latine Heritage Month.
“It’s really important to uplift the smaller voices in the Latine community, especially Afro-Latines, queer Latines and things like that,” Duarte said. “We try our best to promote [these voices] and to include them.”
Other upcoming events include, but are not limited to, ‘weekly hangouts’ at the MCC, which combine food and music with a space to discuss contemporary community issues, and, of course, Latin Pub.
“[The weekly hangouts] are from the Latine Heritage [Month planning] Committee, but we went to the last one, and it’s really nice,” Duarte said. “Every week they’re bringing different nonprofits [from] around Houston. Last week they brought T.E.J.A.S, which is an environmental organization in Houston.”
Turi said she is looking forward to the month’s closing event Oct. 17, which will present Houston activists as keynote speakers.
“I am most excited about highlighting the work of local Latine Houston activists who are working hard for us,” Turi wrote. “This year I have a representative from Yo Soy AfroLatina to speak about their work for Houston AfroLatinas along with Daniela Garcia from Texas Association Against Sexual Assault, whose work is so important in the higher education context.”
Students said they cherished Latine Heritage Month as a reminder of home, fount of community bonding and an essential discursive moment.
“I came from a small border town, and HACER, to me, was just like home away from home,” Duarte said. “I think celebrating and uplifting our culture is something that’s so beautiful, and increasing the visibility of the Latine community at Rice in general … I’ve found that amazing.”
“I think what’s unique about Rice is that not only do we have social celebrations, but we also have spaces to talk about issues that pertain to the Latine community, and problems happening in the U.S. and all across the world,” DeAlba said. “That’s really important to me.”
COURTESY LIZETH MENDOZA
Drip(s) through the decades
SOPHIE GARLICK FOR THE THRESHER
The year is 1958; the time period, B.C. — Before Coffee. Long ahead of us are the days where caffeine becomes a language unto itself and your intake status equates your current mood.
Greg Marshall ’86, researched Rice’s history to learn about what coffee was available before the construction of the student center.
“Before the [Rice Memorial Center] was built, the unofficial student center was across Main Street at Palmer Episcopal Church — before my time, but I suspect [it had] just regular and decaf options,” Marshall said.
Coffee shops as we know them today were few and far between, with residential colleges responsible for distributing caffeine. Located in Hanszen College’s attic in the 1960s, ‘A Corner For Dreaming Monkeys’ was the first coffee shop on campus — six decades and several locations later, current students now know it as Rice Coffeehouse.
location off-campus dissuaded much of Rice’s student population from visiting. Coffee was still seen as a luxury, and nobody wanted to walk to get it.
“I don’t think most of us would have had the money to spend on coffee … We drank tons of coffee from the coffee kitchens pre-servery days,” Wren said. “And of course [we went to] House of Pies.”
Since food and beverage items are all purchased individually – meal plans were later introduced in the ’90s, according to a Oct. 2, 1998 issue of the Thresher – the act of buying coffee was a conscious one. Marty Merrit ’84 explained that Tab, a diet soda made by Coca Cola, was the go-to pick-me-up.
[Caffeine] delivery in the ’80s was Coca-Cola ... Coffee was a rarity at Rice except for old farts, staff and graduate students.
Mike Gladu RICE UNIVERSITY ‘77
“I think I went up there once just to see it since I lived in Hanszen,” Gene Hinyard ’68 said. “But I don’t recall it being attended or offering coffee or any other beverages. I was probably [too] drunk to go there in the first place.”
The cafe was subsequently moved to Hanszen’s basement in 1975, and renamed ‘Breadsticks & Pomegranates,’ Hinyard said. Its new home was shortlived — flooding later shut it down, according to a Dec. 3, 2010 issue of the Thresher.
House of Coffee Beans, one of the first nearby establishments where coffee was roasted and made to order, opened in 1973 in Rice Village according to Stan Hanks ’87.
Molly Wren ’84, however, said its
Mike Gladu, Marching Owl Band trumpeter from 1973 to 1977, said soda dominated the caffeine scene in the ’80s.
“[Caffeine] delivery in the ’80s was CocaCola,” Gladu said.
“If you needed more caffeine, you drank Mountain Dew, Mello Yello or JOLT Cola. Coffee was a rarity at Rice except for old farts, staff and graduate students.”
Still, if you were to have a disposable $2.50 in your back pocket, it wouldn’t go to waste.
“The coffee in the colleges would have been big industrial drip coffee makers, probably Duncan Coffee Co. since Rice grad Charles Duncan, who was board chair for many years, owned and ran the company before it was purchased by Coca Cola in 1964,” Marshall said.
According to Marshall, the House of Pies was the only place students would travel off-campus to purchase coffee.
“The one on Kirby [was] known as “House of Guys” since it became the after-hours hang out for patrons of a nearby gay club called The Copa when the bar closed in the wee hours,” Marshall said.
Here, loyalty to the Copa acts as the thread sewing coffee consumption and clientele together.
“There wasn’t much of grabbing coffee, and, frankly, there weren’t many coffee places. In that era, the village was pretty much a wasteland,” Chris Lahart ’78 said.
Chaus didn’t open in the Ley Student Center until 1990. Brochstein Pavilion opened in 2008, and openings of other coffee shops on campus and Rice Village soon followed.
Arvind Govinday, a Ph.D. student, said the Chaus has a reputatation among students as ‘the spot to be.’
“[It] seems the most popular as it is by far the most affordable option, and I think it is a nice place to work,” Govinday said.
Language tables host reminders of home
Listening to “Baby Shark” in Korean, discussing energy drinks in Spanish, painting lanterns and eating mooncakes at Chinese tea time – Rice’s language tables are home to a variety of cultural activities and opportunities for student connection.
Language tables are not only for practicing speaking skills or working on grammar, according to Chinese lecturer Wei-Li Hsu. She said speaking the language is not a requirement for attending events.
“Students are not required to speak Chinese; we just want them to create a sense of community, so they know they have friends or some kind of support network,” Hsu said.
Choi and Jeon plan Korean language tables each semester as language consultants. In addition to providing Korean snacks and tea, they work together to create activities like name games, typing races and filling in missing words to Korean songs. Their agenda is shaped by the needs of the group, they said. Choi and Jeon explained that several students beginning to learn Korean said that they were having difficulty with typing.
“We wanted this to be helpful for their assignments, so we did a typing activity,” Jeon, a Baker sophomore, said. “It’s so hard to type in Korean, so I thought this would help.”
I never get another chance to speak Urdu in college ... It makes me feel homesick in a way.
Shammas
Ahmed BAKER COLLEGE SOPHOMORE
Beck Edwards often attends the Portuguese tables, despite not being enrolled in Portuguese classes. After visiting Brazil over the summer, he said he enjoys attending the tables to discuss shared experiences over guaraná soda.
“I like going to the tables to practice and to just speak to Brazilian people,” Edwards, a Duncan College junior, said. “It’s cool to speak with more fluent people, and fun to talk about Brazilian things and what their experience is like, especially for the people who grew up there,”
Shammas Ahmed, an international student from Pakistan is a frequent attendee of the Hindi Urdu language table. Ahmed does not attend these events to improve his language skills, as he is already fluent in Urdu; instead, he is drawn to them for the community.
“I never get another chance to speak in Urdu in college,” Ahmed, a Baker College sophomore, said. “It can get annoying sometimes because I can lose touch with my own language, and it makes me feel homesick in a way, because I’m not speaking the language I’ve been speaking for eighteen years of my life. ”
When another student is trying to find the word for something, Ahmed said he loves being the one to help them remember it. Similarly, Min Choi and Ellena Jeon said they are eager to help students learning Korean.
“I was amazed by the fact that we have so many students taking Korean,” Choi, a Lovett College sophomore, said. “It’s always exciting to be around students who are learning my country’s language.”
After being encouraged by his Korean teacher, Evan Park decided to attend this event.
“The typing activity was my favorite part,” Park, a Baker freshman, said. “I thought I was going to be really bad, but I was typing fast, so I’m proud of myself. Back home I didn’t have a lot of Korean friends, so I didn’t really get to speak Korean around other people. I thought this was a really good opportunity to meet other people and be able to converse in Korean.”
Language tables not only benefit students, but also support professors, according to Spanish lecturer José Jacobo. Jacobo requires students in his classes to attend language tables.
“I do it to get to know how to approach students best in the classroom and learn about what students like, what they don’t like, what things I can add to the lesson,” Jacobo said. “I try to talk about things that students can relate to. Sometimes just mentioning a local place that is popular among the students can create a good discussion in class and get them engaged.”
Jacobo said he not only hosts these events to get to know the students, but so they can also learn about him.
“Sometimes there’s this barrier between students and professors,” Jacobo said. “I think that by hosting the language tables it makes instructors more approachable in a way, and it humanizes them.”
Park and Ahmed said the language tables helped them feel more connected to their culture.
“I haven’t had Korean snacks since I’ve been home, so that was my first time having those snacks here,” Park said. “It reminded me of home and was really nice.”
“For me, mostly it’s a way to reconnect with my identity,” Ahmed said.
COURTESY BILL COD
Trent Primm ’ 76 sits on the floor of Breadsticks and Pomegranates.
COURTESY GREG MARSHALL
A hand-drawn map from 1982 depicts Rice Village and the surrounding streets.
LILY HARVEY FOR THE THRESHER
COURTESY LIANG FU
Annual Tent Series spotlights identity and community
ARMAN SAXENA A&E EDITOR
Walking past the provisional campus facilities’ tents at night, you may have noticed something different about the sides of two of them. The Moody Center for the Arts has commissioned two different works that you can see on tents one and four, one with “La Tierra Recuerda” written in big yellow letters and the other featuring a film projection of cloths and blankets, only visible when the sun is down.
Lorena Molina and Sindhu Thirumalaisamy are the two artists behind these works, which were presented in an opening reception Wednesday, Sept. 11. The works are the fifth edition of the Tent Series, an ongoing series commissioned by the Moody Center of the Arts. Alison Weaver, executive director of the Moody Center for the Arts, said this year’s Tent Series works are unique to their respective artists.
“Each iteration has featured a unique group of artists addressing diverse topics including climate change on the Gulf Coast (Sarah Welch’s Skeeter Control, 2023) to popular culture as it intersects with race, identity and community (Robert Hodge’s Everybody Loves the Sunshine, 2022)”, Weaver wrote in an email to the Thresher. “This version is unique because Lorena Molina and Sindhu Thirumalaisamy are original artists whose practice represents perspectives relevant to both their backgrounds as artists and human beings, and to the present moment.”
Molina, an assistant professor of studio art practice at San Francisco State University, who also previously taught at the University of Houston, said her work
incorporates her perspective as someone who was directly displaced by the Salvadoran Civil War.
“[The] work has to do with the events that happened for my family and I to be displaced from El Salvador,” Molina said. ”I am constantly trying to understand, ‘How did this happen?’”
Molina’s work features the Spanish words “La Tierra Recuerda” in big, bold yellow letters written over an image of a group of rocks. The site of the image, El Playon, is particularly compelling for Molina because of its historical significance, she said.
“The basis for ‘La Tierra Recuerda’, which means ‘the land remembers’, has to do a lot with the historical context of the site that I’m using”, Molina said. “The site is called El Playon, which is where the last volcanic eruption happened in El Salvador, but it’s also the place where death squads during the civil war dumped bodies of civilians [and] human rights workers, so this site is really loaded with this trauma, this really painful history.”
Thirumalaisamy said she had a different approach to her tent piece and her video, “provision,” focuses on the idea of the tent as a community space. The projection features blankets and tarps being placed on the ground followed by people communicating while sitting on these fabrics.
“When I was invited to respond to that site, the first thing that I thought about was [how] that is the [Graduate] Student Bubble,” Thirumalaisamy said. “It is the space where a lot of students on campus meet to talk about things that are important to them, to organize and to debate; it’s a really, really crucial space, and I wanted to
recognize that — I wanted the work to be in conversation with that.”
According to Thirumalaisamy, the title “provision” is both inspired by the name of the tent the work is situated upon and by the word’s etymology, which she believes connects to the organizing work she sees student groups do on campus.
“The tent itself is called Provisional Campus Facility, and … those tents were built during the time of COVID as testing sites and then later used as additional classrooms,” Thirumalaisamy said. “But now that it’s become a student gathering space, it’s provisioning in a different way. I went to look up the root of the word ‘provision,’ and I learned that it had to do with vision, like pro vision, meaning foresight. I thought that it was a really
good word to describe the kind of visionary work I see students doing on campus, and I wanted to acknowledge that.”
Thirumalaisamy believes the works of this year’s Tent Series function well as companion pieces because of her shared interest with Molina in creating a sense of place.
“It’s great that they are happening simultaneously because I do think that they are in conversation with each other,” Thirumalaisamy said. “‘La Tierra Recuerda’, which means ‘the land remembers’ or ‘the earth remembers’, and [my] video being so much about placing these soft, temporary fabrics on to the ground and using the ground as a space to gather, I think there’s a beautiful resonance between the two.”
Houston book clubs to quell your literary longings
As fall begins to set in, it’s the perfect time of year to curl up for hours with a soothing book. To all the literature lovers out there searching for new book recommendations and reading companions, you’re in luck. Houston has a vibrant literary community teeming with book clubs, free of charge.
Brazos Bookstore
Brazos Bookstore, Houston’s longest-
standing indie bookseller, offers several monthly book clubs which are hosted at their store on Bissonnet Street. While the principal “Brazos Book Club” centers on contemporary fiction, there are also a variety of book club options for readers with more specific cravings. “The Living Read” promises a ‘ghastly good time’ with its horror picks, and “Love Letters” delivers to those desperately in need of a dopamine hit with fresh romance reads. Additionally, “Voices of Asia” highlights Asian fiction writers, including both established voices, such as Alexander
Chee, and newer novelists, such as Parini Shroff.
Blue Willow Bookshop
Blue Willow Bookshop is another cozy indie bookstore in Houston which organizes multiple in-person book clubs.
“Coffee Cake” and “Tough Broads Out at Night” are both fiction-focused book clubs. As their titles imply, “Coffee Cake” meets in the mornings, while “Tough Broads Out at Night” meets in the evenings. For those who prefer a lower time commitment, their “Romance Book Club” meets only every three months. And for anyone who can’t decide between reading and crocheting as their main hobby, Blue Willow has you covered. They host a non-traditional book club called “A Good Yarn,” where members gather in the shop quarterly to work on yarn projects and listen to audiobooks.
Kindred Stories
When it comes to book clubs, no other place in Houston offers as much literary richness as Kindred Stories, a Black-owned bookstore in the Third Ward with an extensive rotating set of clubs. Meetings take place in-store and are staggered so that there are at least two different book clubs, delineated by genre, meeting each month. The genres include fiction (both YA and adult), nonfiction, sci-fi/fantasy and romance. What better way to spend your evenings than relaxing in Kindred Stories’ Reading Garden with other literature aficionados?
Inprint
Inprint, a literary arts organization which provides workshops and readings to enrich Houston’s creative writing community, hosts a monthly book club via Zoom. The Inprint Book Club features works from writers who have given author talks as part of the Margarett Root Brown Reading Series, an acclaimed literary showcase, so you can expect to read groundbreaking books from a variety of genres, including poetry, fiction and memoir. The club’s upcoming October pick is Bluff by Danez Smith, an Afropessimist poetry collection in which Smith grapples with questions of their social responsibility as a writer.
Houston Public Library
The Houston Public Library hosts an abundance of monthly book clubs for readers of all genres and ages. The book clubs are divided by regional branch, so you can pick which individual location and meeting time works best for you. If you’re looking to expand your range of reading without genre constraints, you can join the branch-based Kendall, Melcher or Collier Book Clubs. Or, as we near October, you might decide to lean into the spooky vibes and try the Mystery Book Club. There’s countless other options at the library, including the Heights Historical Fiction Book Club and Relax and Read events where you can enjoy music, refreshments and the company of other readers as you peruse your current favorites.
ASHLEY WANG THRESHER STAFF
KATHERINE CITINO / THRESHER
SAMMI FREY / THRESHER
The Moody Center for the Arts commissioned art to decorate the PCF tents outside Hanszen College.
Review: ‘MIXTAPE PLUTO’ gives you sound fatigue
Future returns with “MIXTAPE PLUTO,” a project that feels stuck in a cycle of repetitive sounds and uninspired energy, despite being primed to dominate the charts.
This Atlanta heavyweight, whose presence in hip-hop has been undeniable since his debut, needs no introduction.
After dropping back-to-back diss albums aimed at Drake — “We Don’t Trust You” and “We Still Don’t Trust You” — fans were eager to see what he would deliver next.
Instead, we’re met with sound fatigue, where track after track blends into a monotonous blur. Yet, even with this mediocrity, the mixtape is poised to soar commercially, raising the question: Has Future’s influence allowed him to thrive on familiarity rather than innovation?
Future’s influence on modern hip-hop cannot be overstated. He’s the architect behind the “mumble rap” movement, pioneering the genre with his signature use of trap beats and autotune. His relentless output has cemented him as a hip-hop legend, consistently churning out projects that shape the sound of the industry.
But just because he works fast doesn’t mean the quality always follows.
“MIXTAPE PLUTO” is a testament to this. What is the best way to describe it? Cheap ear candy. Like fast food for your ears, it hits the spot in the moment, but you’re left with a hollow feeling afterward, craving something more substantial and lasting.
“MIXTAPE PLUTO” starts on a high note, offering two standout tracks that feel like classic Future. “LIL DEMON” kicks things off with a menacing trap anthem, reminding us why Future has been a staple in the genre for so long. His signature adlibs and infectious melodies are on full display, crafting a hook that sinks deep
and riding the ominous beat like only he can. The track screams Future, pulling you in with raw energy and grit.
Then comes “SKI,” a track with undeniable flow and high-octane energy that practically demands to be blasted at full volume. This one’s a certified crowdpleaser, showcasing a Future that’s still very much in touch with his ability to craft bangers. At this point, I was hooked — ready for the mixtape to take me on a ride. Then, unfortunately, I heard “PLUTOSKI.”
“PLUTOSKI” embodies everything
old-heads despise about Future’s music.
Nearly half the track is just him saying “eh” — I’m not kidding. If the album is a fast food meal, this song is the soggy fries at the bottom of the bag, forgotten and unappealing.
Sure, credit where it’s due: Future has a way of making even tracks like this somewhat bearable with his charisma alone, but that’s not enough to save it. There’s no clever wordplay, the adlibs feel halfhearted and the mixing was so awful I almost gave up on the project. This song doesn’t just miss the mark — it reinforces
every criticism the genre’s purists have about where hip-hop is headed.
Despite growing frustration, I wanted to give the project a fair chance, hoping it might have a hidden gem to redeem itself. But as the tracks dragged on, the project only sank deeper into a pattern of mediocrity, compounded by some of the worst production choices I’ve heard recently. I cannot overstate this: the mixing on this mixtape is terrible. It seems like a deliberate attempt to mimic the gritty sound of early 2000s CD mixtapes — a bad attempt.
“OCEAN” is a prime example, with a beat so overpowering it drowns out Future’s vocals entirely. There were moments when I genuinely hoped this was the wrong version, and it’s a shame because the track is solid. With better mixing, “OCEAN” could’ve been a standout track, but it’s buried under its poor production.
When I reached the final tracks, I wasn’t just disappointed — I was fatigued. Future has shown us repeatedly that he’s capable of delivering projects that push the envelope and set trends. But “MIXTAPE PLUTO”? It feels like Future was trying to check off his third release of the year with little care for the quality of the end product. It raises the question: Is Future becoming a one-trick pony? Sure, he has his sound, but I wonder how long he can coast on it when it feels more like a formula than genuine artistry. Yet, I know this album will sell, which makes this so frustrating — it feels like a missed opportunity.
Future has the potential to push hip-hop further, innovate and deliver something fresh and boundary-pushing. Instead, he’s content to rest on his laurels. I came into this mixtape wanting to love it and expecting to be impressed, but in the end, it left me feeling hollow and unsatisfied.
Take a wander through Houston’s Museum District
are never permanent and are constantly rotated out, so if an exhibition interests you, see it as soon as possible.
Numerous time periods and cultures await students in the Museum District, a mere mile from campus. Next time you are itching to venture outside the hedges, here are some walkable and affordable attractions to check out.
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft
Despite being smaller than most Houston museums, the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft boasts some of the most unique artwork in the city. The museum creates a space for artisans to showcase their creative work in craft mediums like clay, wood and fiber. Their upcoming exhibition “Designing Motherhood” features a collection of craft and design objects and prototypes that highlight the work of the artistmother. Pieces include knitted baby blankets and hand-carved rocking chairs. If you’re looking to get in touch with your creative side, the museum also offers free craft workshops.
Contemporary Arts Museum
The Contemporary Arts Museum aims to document the role of art in modern life, and its rigid metal facade captures the modernity of the pieces inside it. The museum often touches on heavy subjects through art. Currently, the main exhibition — “Theaster Gates: The Gift and the Renege” — unpacks the dynamics of Freedmen’s Town, a predominantly Black community in Houston’s Fourth Ward. As a non-collecting museum, exhibitions
Houston Museum of Natural Sciences
The Houston Museum of Natural Sciences brings Earth’s wonders to Houston. After taking a look at the largest paleontology hall in the United States, visitors should go upstairs and learn about petroleum geology, oil exploration and future energy sources at the Wiess Energy Hall. Then, visitors can check out “Death by Natural Causes,” if they’re interested in the weird and malevolent, followed by “Sharks!” if they wanted to be a marine biologist growing up. Finally, end the visit on a hypnotic note by viewing the Foucault pendulum, which demonstrates the rotation of the Earth. Bring your student ID for a free visit.
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Alongside the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s numerous indoor exhibits, the museum has an outdoor exhibit and sculpture garden. Just off of Montrose Boulevard, the Brown Foundation, Inc. Plaza centers around Anish Kapoor’s “Cloud Column,” which is basically Houston’s very own version of Chicago’s “The Bean.” Walk a little bit farther into the Cullen Sculpture Garden to see works by notable artists Henri Matisse, Auguste Rodin and Joan Miró. Heading back inside, the newly relocated Hirsch Library contains multitudes of arts-oriented books and periodicals that Rice students can check out for free. Contact Rice Program Council to pick up a pass to visit.
Menil Collection
The Menil Collection is housed in a small single-story building in the heart of Montrose. Visitors can easily navigate the well-curated main gallery, traveling all over the world and through time through art. The collection features art from communities that are typically under-represented in museums, like Native Alaskans and Pacific Islanders. Current temporary exhibitions include “Portraits of Women” and “Longing, Grief, and Spirituality: Art Since 1980,” a curation of mixed media artwork. After exploring the galleries, museum-goers should check out the outdoor sculptures in
the collection’s yard.
Rothko Chapel
Though temporarily closed due to damage from Hurricane Beryl, the Rothko Chapel is well worth a visit after seeing the Menil Collection. The chapel features 14 murals by American artist Mark Rothko. Outside, an obelisk dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr. captures the chapel’s mission to “illuminate our shared humanity”. The chapel also maintains a collection of holy books and spiritual texts, in line with its value of creating an inclusive and safe space for all.
CHARLIE CRUZ FOR THE THRESHER
EVIE VU FOR THE THRESHER
FREEBANDZ ENTERTAINMENT
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS
Top Track: ‘SKI’
Athletes reflect on identity during Latine Heritage Month
KATHLEEN ORTIZ, DIEGO PALOS RODRIGUEZ & ANA RIVERA SPORTS EDITOR, ASST. SPORTS EDITOR & THRESHER STAFF
What does it mean to you to be Puerto Rican? “To me, being Puerto Rican means having an unmatched zest for life. My culture is full of passion, love and unmatched levels of joy; I am proud of my heritage. I am so grateful that my parents continued to cultivate my connection with the island and its community.”
Favorite Dish: “This is such a hard question because it is all so delicious. If I had to choose, I would say tostones
What is your culture? “My family is from Mexico. I was born and raised in Monterrey.”
What does it mean to you to be Latine?
“For me, being Latina means coming from a place with a rich and vibrant culture. It means having a family that taught me deep values, traditions and pride and instilled in me a huge appreciation for the importance of family. It’s about celebrating our heritage while carrying those traditions with me in everything I do.”
Favorite Dish: “My favorite dishes are tacos
and mofongo are my favorite sides, and pernil and pasteles are my favorite dishes during the holidays.”
Spanish or No Spanish? “I speak it fluently and was very much raised on Spanish music. I have such a love for reggaeton, but I also adore classic salsa. Spanish music has an energy that I personally think is unmatched. If you never have listened to these genres before, you should try them. You won’t regret it.”
al pastor and ceviche. They both remind me of home, especially the flavorful and fresh ingredients we use in Mexican cuisine.”
Something you love about your culture: “Something I love about my culture is how welcoming and warm people are. No matter where you go, you’re always greeted with a smile. Family plays a huge role in our culture, and it’s what brings us close to one another. My favorite festivity is Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), where we celebrate the lives of those who have passed away. Instead of viewing their
What is something Rice fans should know about your culture? “That we have the best food, period point blank.”
How does your heritage play a role in your life as a student-athlete? “I live my life in a way that is based on my cultural values, and this influences my discipline and devotion to sports.”
What does it mean to you to be Latine?
“To me, it means that I belong to a rich cultural background that includes aspects of colonial and indigenous ways of life.”
Favorite Dish: “My favorite dish is definitely empanadas of all kinds, they’re a staple of pretty much any Latin American cuisine.”
Spanish or No Spanish? “I don’t speak Spanish well, but my abuelita primarily
What does it mean to you to be Latine/ Hispanic? “Being Hispanic means having pride in our culture, simply by embracing our culture by eating the many amazing foods we offer and listening to Mariachi or Tejano music. Also valuing family over anything and having a strong work ethic towards anything we do in life.”
What is something Rice fans should know about your culture? “The Hispanic and Latino culture is built on loyalty,
deaths as something sad, we use this time to honor their memories by doing the things they loved and remembering their legacy.”
How does your heritage play a role in your life as a student-athlete? “The values I was raised with, like hard work, respect and humility, influence my daily interactions with peers, professors and teammates. On the field, I try to incorporate the technical and strategic style of play that is common in Mexican soccer, focusing on precision rather than just speed or strength.”
communicates with me in Spanish, so I can understand it pretty decently.”
What is something Rice fans should know about your culture? “Rice fans should know that it is a culture that really values celebration, loud music and energy.”
How does your heritage play a role in your life as a student-athlete? “I
whether that [is] loyalty to our culture, our friends and especially our family. We are hard workers who don’t want things given to us, but rather earned. We have amazing traditions such as Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), amazing food like pozole and conchitas, music like mariachi, salsa and bachata. We take pride in our culture and embrace and celebrate our culture in dayto-day life.”
How does your heritage play a role in
Where is your family from? “I have Central Mexico and Baja California roots from my mother’s side of the family.”
What does it mean to you to be Latine?
“It’s a strong part of my identity, and I am proud of that. I think of the values that were instilled in me by my mother and grandparents and how that has shaped me as an athlete, student and as a man. Being a man of faith, always striving for growth in all
your life as a student-athlete?
have always looked up to good Hispanic athletes including the 1500m record holder at Rice who was born in Mexico and ran for their national team at multiple World Championships. He also holds their national record in the event. I also often eat cultural staple foods before I compete and for my entire high school and much of my college career my go-to race prep meal was simple rice and lentils which is something my abuelita would make for us often.”
“My Hispanic culture of having a strong work ethic has influenced the way I approach anything in life, especially in my sport. I work hard everyday, wanting to improve and get better. If I want to get better at a certain skill, I will keep working on that skill, until I perfect it. I put my 100% on and off the court, whether that is getting extra reps, watching film, stretching, eating a balanced diet and taking supplement or vitamins.”
aspects of life, strength and perseverance are a few that come to mind.”
Favorite Dish: Chilaquiles.
Spanish or No Spanish? “Spanglish, definitely not a ‘no sabo’ kid but don’t speak it as well as I want to.”
What is something Rice fans should know about your culture? “The importance of
family. I come from a large family that is extremely tight-knit. I grew up very close to all my cousins and spent tons of time with them and my grandparents.”
How does your heritage play a role in your life as a student-athlete? “The sacrifice of my grandparents and those before them who paved the foundation for me to be able to have the opportunities today. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their efforts.”
Mariana Elizondo, Mexico
Gabriela Quintero, Puerto Rico
Stephanie Gutierrez, Mexico
Jackson Moran, Puerto Rico & Ecuador
Elijah Mojarro, Mexico
Sport: Soccer Year: Senior
Sport: Soccer Year: Senior
Sport: Cross Country Year: Senior
Sport: Volleyball Year: Sophomore
Sport: Football Year: Graduate Student
COURTESY GABRIELA QUINTERO Gabriela Quintero kite surfs in Puerto Rico.
COURTESY RICE ATHLETICS
COURTESY STEPHANIE GUTIERREZ
Stephanie Gutierrez (far left) attends her friend’s quinceañera.
COURTESY RICE ATHLETICS
COURTESY MARIANA ELIZONDO
What’s next for Rice Athletics
What’s next from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1
Men’s Tennis at ITA Men’s All-American Championships
Sept. 21-29 - Away in Tulsa, Okla.
Women’s Soccer vs. University of Alabama Birmingham
Sept. 26, 6:05 p.m. - Home on ESPN+
Men’s Cross Country at Gans Creek Classic
Sept. 27 - Away at University of Missouri
Women’s Volleyball at Tulane University
Sept. 27, 2 p.m. - Away on ESPN+
Men’s Tennis at US College Cup Invitational
Sept. 27-29. - Away in Torreon, Mexico
Women’s Cross Country at Chile Pepper Festival
Sept. 28, 11:10 a.m. - Away at University of Arkansas
Men’s Football vs. University of North Carolina Charlotte
Sept. 28, 6 p.m. - Home on ESPN+
Women’s Volleyball vs. University of Texas San Antonio
Sept. 29, 1 p.m. - Home on ESPN+
Women’s Soccer vs. University of Texas San Antonio
Sept. 29, 1:05 p.m. - Home on ESPN+
Men’s Golf at Bayou City Collegiate Classic
Sept. 30-Oct. 1 - Home at Westwood Golf Club
The Backpage is the satire section of the Thresher, written this week by Andrew Kim, Will Howley, Charlie Maxson, and Max Scholl and designed by Lauren Yu. For questions or comments, please email pookiebear@rice.edu.
