Zoghbi, a Rice trustee emerita, is also the founding director of the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital and is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute researcher.

Zoghbi was born in Lebanon. She moved to the United States following the outbreak of civil war in 1975. She completed her residency in pediatric neurology at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital.

Zoghbi's most prominent work was in finding the genetic basis of Rett's syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that primarily affects young girls and leads to progressive motor skill and language loss. Her work has also concerned other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's.

In an email announcing Zoghbi as the commencement speaker, President Reggie DesRoches said that Zoghbi's engagement with Rice's academics and research "reflect her commitment to advancing knowledge and mentoring future generations."

"At this moment in history, when the world is increasingly shaped by advancements in research and technology, her insights could not be more timely or relevant," DesRoches wrote in the schoolwide email.

"I do not take lightly the dismissal of a legendary Owl such as Coach Cruz," said Athletic Director Tommy McClelland in a March 13 statement. "However, I came to the decision that it was in the best interest of our student-athletes and our baseball program to make a coaching change now while there is so much of the season remaining."

Such a drastic mid-season restructure is "unconventional," McClelland said in a March 17 statement announcing Pierce's hiring.

"As soon as Coach Pierce and I came to an agreement that he would be our next head coach, he expressed his strong desire to start immediately," McClelland continued.

This job is a homecoming for Pierce, who worked at Rice from 2003 to 2011 under the late Wayne Graham. In 2003, Pierce helped Graham lead the team - including Cruz's younger brother - to their first and only national title.

Pierce got started just four days after McClelland's announcement, coaching his first series at Florida Atlantic University on March 21. The team went 1-2 in their conference opener. Pierce's first home game with the team will be today at 6:30 p.m.

"Like I told the coaching staff, I'm coming in to help," said Pierce in his introductory press conference on March 19. "I'm not coming in to be any kind of savior. I'm here for support. I'm here to be an extra set of eyes and do everything we can to right the ship and do whatever we need to do to advance."

Cruz, a Rice and Lovett College alum, had just started his fourth season as Owls' head coach at the time of his firing.

Cruz - once hailed as the university's "Centerfield Messiah" - played for Rice under legendary coach Wayne Graham from 1993 to 1995, where he was a three-time All-American and a member of the first Rice baseball team to make a regional appearance.

"Wayne Graham sold me on what Rice could become and he was right," said Cruz after being hired as head coach in 2021. "It's up to me and my staff to return Rice baseball to the position we worked so hard to build."

Graham, who died in September, led Rice to seven College World Series trips and a national title in 2003. Cruz was unable to bring Rice baseball a winning season as he attempted to follow in the footsteps of his former coach, finishing his tenure with a 63-126 record.

Cruz's firing is the third major dismissal made by McClelland since he joined Rice in August 2023.

This fall, he dismissed football head coach Mike Bloomgren with four games remaining in the season. Last March, he dismissed men's basketball head coach Scott Pera at the conclusion of the season.

McClelland appointed pitching coach Parker Bangs to be the interim head coach while he conducted the search for a new coach. Bangs joined Rice baseball as the team's pitching coach in June 2022. He coached five games for the Owls, with a record of 2-3 before McClelland announced Pierce's hiring.

"I want to thank Parker Bangs for his leadership as our interim head coach during this transition," McClelland said in a statement. "He provided a calming presence during a challenging time and remains an important part of the coaching staff."

Pierce went 295-162 in his eight-year tenure at the University of Texas Austin, leading the team to three appearances in the College World Series.

He was fired in June 2024 after a "dissatisfying end to the season" according to the Daily Texan. Two months later, he joined Texas State University as an assistant coach, where he worked until last week.

Pierce has previously head coached teams at Sam Houston State University and Tulane University, the latter of which he led to their first NCAA championship in a decade.

"I think we're in a position now to really take a look at anything that's happened in the past and just put it behind us, good and bad," Pierce said at his press conference. "It's a new era. We're going to start fresh and we're going to start fresh together."

The Ph.D. Project is an organization founded "with the goal of creating more role models in the front of business classes," according to its website. The ED's Office for Civil Rights alleged in a press release that the organization limits the eligibility of participants based on their race.

Schools found to be in violation of Title IX could potentially lose their federal funding.

"We are reviewing our participation in the Ph.D. Project and are cooperating with investigators from the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights," Chris Stipes, a university spokesperson, wrote in an email to the Thresher. "Rice University is deeply committed to promoting an inclusive environment for all members of the community. We are dedicated to upholding the principles of diversity, academic freedom and excellence while ensuring strict adherence to all federal and state laws."

Rice received about $129 million of federal research funding in 2024, according to the Office of Research.

This move arrives amid the Trump administration's repeated attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion - especially on university campuses.

The Department of Education released a "Dear Colleague" letter on Feb. 14, which warned universities about the potential for discriminatory conduct under DEI programs.

At Columbia University, Trump pulled over $400 million in federal funding and demanded that they ban masks on campus, increase the capability of campus police and allow oversight over its controversial department of Middle East, South Asian and African Studies as well as the Center for Palestine Studies, among other things. The funding is on track to be restored after Columbia capitulated to the conditions set by the federal government.

At Rice, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion was renamed to the Office of Access and Institutional Excellence amid this federal scrutiny.

Rice's federal funding was previously under threat when the National Institutes of Health planned to cut indirect funding to 15%, which would have reduced Rice's funding by about $4 million. The order is currently held up by a temporary restraining order issued by a judge due to numerous lawsuits, one of which included testimony by Provost Amy Dittmar.

The endowment aims to provide a scholarship to one non-U.S. veteran a year. It has a preference for those who "have advanced knowledge of the mission and fundamental values" of the Israeli Defense Forces, according to an email by Chris Stripes, the executive director of news and media relations.

Peter Rodriguez, dean of the Jones Graduate School of Business, said that the scholarship is a standard endowment. He said it was based on merit, as students must first be admitted to the Jones Business School. Recipients will then be chosen by the dean.

"You set up some endowed fund, and you might make gifts into it over a five year period," Rodriguez said. "The way the scholarships typically work is you take the earnings from the endowed funds that are delivered by the Rice Management Company, and you give those or award those to scholarship recipients based on some mutually agreed-to criteria."

The endowment was created by investor and writer Jay Zeidman, inspired by Bar Natan's journey from military service to Rice. Zeidman did not respond to request for comment.

However, in an interview with eJewishPhilanthropy, Zeidman said he hopes that the scholarship will not only provide financial support to IDF veterans, but also foster community among the Houston Jewish community and combat antisemitism.

In previous iterations of the scholarship, when it was not offered directly through Rice, the Gibborim (Heroes) scholarship further stressed the preference towards IDF veterans.

In a copy of the scholarship from Bar Natan's LinkedIn in January, it gave special preference to soldiers who served an active combat role. Additional preference was given to those involved in the Israel-Hamas conflict, called the Iron Swords War by the IDF, that ignited after Oct. 7, 2023.

"[The Gibborim scholarship] is in light of the increase in antisemitism cases on campuses in the U.S. against Jewish, Israeli students, and IDF graduates, and serves as a direct, crushing, and unequivocal response to any attempt to undermine their place on campus. You, graduates of service in the IDF, are heroes," a translation of the previous draft read.

Both Rodriguez and Bar Natan said the scholarship was not political.

"This is signaling some preference, some very different point of view, about a different background, or military background, or about … people who are [from] different parts of the world, different religions," Rodriguez said. "It's a legitimate … scholarship to give to someone as long as we judge them to be meritorious."

"I don't think that the scholarship is political in any sense. It's basically a scholarship that want[s] to bring opportunities to the community, a very particular community with very particular skills and very particular value that they can contribute to the Rice business school as a whole," Bar Natan said.

[3/27/2025 1:22 p.m.: This article has been corrected to say that the scholarship does not have a criterion for service in the Israeli Defense Services. The scholarship serves non U.S. veterans, with a preference for those with the "knowledge of the mission and fundamental values" of the IDF.]

Nearly 17 years after The Hunger Games was released, Suzanne Collins masterfully transports - no, throws us - right back to our first introduction of the series. Writing with a tenacity that mimics the heroic journeys of her characters, Collins' second prequel is a delight to read, for seasoned fans and first-timers alike.

"Sunrise on the Reaping," the second Hunger Games prequel, follows Haymitch Abernathy, Katniss and Peeta's drunkard mentor in the Hunger Games. It begins just before his reaping in the second quarter quell and follows him to the arena and his eventual return to District 12.

In this regard, the novel is far more similar to "The Hunger Games" than Collins' other sequel, "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes," which was released in 2020, as the majority of the book takes place in the arena.

Impressively, Collins balances a strong sense of nostalgia for returning readers while still offering a novel full of surprise and intrigue. To outline these surprises would be to spoil the book, but trust that they are as stunning as the original trilogy.

The novel is also rich in symbolism, but Collins demonstrates that she trusts her readers enough to figure things out on their own.

While there are plenty of references to the trilogy and the other prequel, they don't feel too forced. Instead, they allow readers already familiar with Collins' series to continue populating her world with more detail and history.

A related critique to the genre is that dystopian fiction tries too hard to be a warning to current society and, in doing so, loses all subtlety. This is not applicable to "Sunrise on the Reaping," and to emphasise the novel's dystopian elements would be disingenuous to the experience of reading the novel.

Its dystopian elements are the setting, allowing Collins to put characters in heartbreaking, unjust situations and gain readers' sympathy, rather than being at the center of the book.

This is not to say that its critique of authoritarianism is nonexistent, but it is instead highlighted by Haymitch and his fellow tributes' struggle to maintain their dignity.

Just after he is reaped, Haymitch thinks that, "The moment our hearts shattered? It belongs to us." He will spend the rest of the novel resisting the Capitol's desire to use him for propaganda.

Unlike the original 'Hunger Games' trilogy, friendship, rather than love, guides Haymitch in the arena. This difference will be refreshing for returning readers, and defines the work. At the beginning of his journey to the Capitol, Haymitch is distrustful of his fellow District 12 tributes - he softens to them as the novel progresses, and to many of the other tributes.

While Haymitch narrates the novel, we still are exposed to the other District 12 tributes. His narration of them is tender and Collins manages to convey Haymitch's deep appreciation for their presence.

The District 12 tributes decide to form a coalition with many other Districts, and this emphasis on community was the bluntest message of the novel. But even then, the closing pages of the novel engage with and complicate this rosy idea of solidarity enough to redeem Collins.

The Covey, a formerly nomadic songwriting and performing people, originally introduced in "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes," reappear in this work. Haymitch's love interest, Lenore Dove, is Covey, and song features throughout the novel, as she sings to him, and he finds solace in her lyrics in the arena.

The incorporation of song verse in the text is engaging and adds a poetic flair to particularly emotive moments.

Suzanne Collins achieves with "Sunrise on the Reaping" what few authors do when they release prequels. The book has merit on its own - full of thrills and a protagonist that is dark, complex, but ultimately likeable.

And for those who grew up with "The Hunger Games,' it adds rich context to the original trilogy, surely inspiring readers to return to them with a newfound appreciation.

Nearly 17 years after The Hunger Games was released, Suzanne Collins masterfully transports - no, throws us - right back to our first introduction of the series. Writing with a tenacity that mimics the heroic journeys of her characters, Collins' second prequel is a delight to read, for seasoned fans and first-timers alike.

"Sunrise on the Reaping," the second Hunger Games prequel, follows Haymitch Abernathy, Katniss and Peeta's drunkard mentor in the Hunger Games. It begins just before his reaping in the second quarter quell and follows him to the arena and his eventual return to District 12.

In this regard, the novel is far more similar to "The Hunger Games" than Collins' other sequel, "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes," which was released in 2020, as the majority of the book takes place in the arena.

Impressively, Collins balances a strong sense of nostalgia for returning readers while still offering a novel full of surprise and intrigue. To outline these surprises would be to spoil the book, but trust that they are as stunning as the original trilogy.

The novel is also rich in symbolism, but Collins demonstrates that she trusts her readers enough to figure things out on their own.

While there are plenty of references to the trilogy and the other prequel, they don't feel too forced. Instead, they allow readers already familiar with Collins' series to continue populating her world with more detail and history.

A related critique to the genre is that dystopian fiction tries too hard to be a warning to current society and, in doing so, loses all subtlety. This is not applicable to "Sunrise on the Reaping," and to emphasise the novel's dystopian elements would be disingenuous to the experience of reading the novel.

Its dystopian elements are the setting, allowing Collins to put characters in heartbreaking, unjust situations and gain readers' sympathy, rather than being at the center of the book.

This is not to say that its critique of authoritarianism is nonexistent, but it is instead highlighted by Haymitch and his fellow tributes' struggle to maintain their dignity.

Just after he is reaped, Haymitch thinks that, "The moment our hearts shattered? It belongs to us." He will spend the rest of the novel resisting the Capitol's desire to use him for propaganda.

Unlike the original 'Hunger Games' trilogy, friendship, rather than love, guides Haymitch in the arena. This difference will be refreshing for returning readers, and defines the work. At the beginning of his journey to the Capitol, Haymitch is distrustful of his fellow District 12 tributes - he softens to them as the novel progresses, and to many of the other tributes.

While Haymitch narrates the novel, we still are exposed to the other District 12 tributes. His narration of them is tender and Collins manages to convey Haymitch's deep appreciation for their presence.

The District 12 tributes decide to form a coalition with many other Districts, and this emphasis on community was the bluntest message of the novel. But even then, the closing pages of the novel engage with and complicate this rosy idea of solidarity enough to redeem Collins.

The Covey, a formerly nomadic songwriting and performing people, originally introduced in "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes," reappear in this work. Haymitch's love interest, Lenore Dove, is Covey, and song features throughout the novel, as she sings to him, and he finds solace in her lyrics in the arena.

The incorporation of song verse in the text is engaging and adds a poetic flair to particularly emotive moments.

Suzanne Collins achieves with "Sunrise on the Reaping" what few authors do when they release prequels. The book has merit on its own - full of thrills and a protagonist that is dark, complex, but ultimately likeable.

And for those who grew up with "The Hunger Games,' it adds rich context to the original trilogy, surely inspiring readers to return to them with a newfound appreciation.

The petition, sent out March 8, calls for support and resources that honor all pregnant and parenting students' values; priority registration, academic flexibility and financial aid accountability; childcare accessibility, affordability, and housing; and reproductive health resources. It had 254 verified signatures, at the time of publication.

The petition calls for a resource hub, priority registration and academic flexibility, childcare accessibility, on-campus housing options and menstrual education and abstinence perspectives in Critical Thinking in Sexuality courses, among other measures, with inspiration from the University of Houston's efforts.

Abigail Robert, president of RFL, said both CSA and RFL share a common goal of bringing together pro-life individuals in order to make a positive and meaningful change on campus.

"We sought to equip summit attendees with the tools and inspiration to foster a 'culture of life' on campus," Robert, a Jones College senior, wrote in an email to the Thresher. "Additionally, we aimed to empower attendees to take practical steps toward advocating for expanded reproductive health options for students at Rice University, with a focus on choices that support the dignity of the unborn, as well as expanded resources that support pregnant and parenting students."

Rice Students for Reproductive Justice co-founder Imogen Brown said she reached out to a member of RFL to ask for the summit's schedule and was told it was intended for students who already identified as pro-life.

RSRJ's purpose is to advocate for the accessibility of reproductive and sexual health resources, including abortion.

Christopher Blackburn, co-president of CSA, said pregnancy and parenthood are commitments of time, energy and money that aren't viable for many students without university support.

When compared to our peers, Rice doesn't offer nearly enough support to make life a viable choice," wrote Blackburn, a Sid Richardson College junior. "By expanding their current support system, Rice wouldn't be restricting women's reproductive rights, but rather ensuring students actually have the ability to choose."

Rice currently offers resources for pregnant and parenting students such as larger desks, excused absences due to pregnancy and lactation rooms.

Claire Druffner, co-president of CSA, said the petition aims to improve access to these resources as well as other off-campus services.

"Our petition asks Rice to publish a comprehensive list of life-affirming resources to support expectant mothers and student-parents, who are admirably choosing to be parents while continuing their education," Druffner, a Lovett College senior, wrote in an email to the Thresher.

The organizations have had a mixed response from students to both the petition and the summit itself, Blackburn said.

"On the one hand, we have been encouraged by the support from those on campus who have signed our petition and support our efforts to help pregnant and parenting students," Blackburn wrote. "However, we have definitely had some pushback. Most visibly, the Rice Students for Reproductive Justice."

RSRJ made an Instagram post calling for students not to sign the petition. The post was taken down after RFL and CSA contacted RSRJ due to an inaccuracy.

The post originally said that the petition calls for an on-campus crisis pregnancy center and said RFL was propagating an anti-abortion agenda under the guise of providing parenting resources.

Brown said RSRJ's issue with faith-based pregnancy centers is that they can often refer to crisis pregnancy centers, which she said have been known to spread misinformation about pregnancy and abortion to vulnerable women.

Druffner said RFL and CSA are not advocating for an on-campus pregnancy resource center, but for Rice to include faith-based resources on its published resource page. RSRJ issued a corrected post with this clarification March 25.

"Even though RSRJ isolated Rice For Life in their post, Claire, Chris, and I wrote an email to RSRJ addressing the specific claims made in the Instagram post, clarifying the petition's intent by citing the actual petition, and explaining why their claim was false and misleading," Robert wrote. "[Their accusations were] injurious to RFL's reputation and harmful to the university's community."

RFL appealed to the Office of Equal Opportunity Services about the post, but the complaint is still undergoing review.

"We put the original post back up alongside a new post correcting the statement and reinforcing our overall message. Conveying accurate information is important to us," Brown, a Duncan College senior, wrote. "Regarding our stance on the petition, however, it makes no difference whether the petition is advocating for a Rice CPC versus a Rice CPC/CPC-affiliate resource list. We maintain that the promotion of Houston area CPCs in any form is deeply detrimental to informed reproductive decision making.

"Not all faith-based pregnancy resource centers would call themselves CPCs, but many are still affiliated with broader anti-abortion networks that can expose students to CPCs and their associated dangers," Brown wrote. "Given their harmful, deceptive tactics, Rice should not promote these centers as a resource in any form."

Druffner said when she took CTIS, she felt that abstinence was not represented as a perspective on sexuality and the course lacked menstrual education.

"The petition asks Rice to encourage abstinence as a valid option alongside other already-validated sexual perspectives in order to better represent the diverse thoughts of the student body," Druffner wrote. "Second … most women are never instructed on the phases of the menstrual cycle, what symptoms are healthy and unhealthy and their options for increased health and well-being."

Brown said RSRJ took issue with promoting abstinence because abstinence education stigmatizes sex and is less effective at preventing unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.

"Rice promotes access to concrete sexual health resources like birth control and condoms - it does not provide comprehensive sex ed. In other words, the petition encourages Rice to provide abstinence education when Rice doesn't even provide sex education," Brown wrote. "RSRJ agrees that students should be able to choose whether to have sex or not have sex. But abstinence is not a sexual health resource, nor is it an effective approach to sexual health education."

Druffner wrote that RFL and CSA have not officially approached administration with the petition, which has a goal of 1,000 signatures. She wrote that she hopes the petition sheds light on Rice's lack of resources for pregnant and parenting students and will bring change that honors the worth and dignity of each student.

"I would like Rice students to critically think about discourse. Too many times over the past four years, people have immediately stopped listening to my perspective based on perceived ideological differences," Druffner wrote. "We are often told to seek common ground - but do we, as Rice students, genuinely seek common ground?"

"The [executive] team, as well as I, came up with an overall mission, which is to empower your voice, enact meaningful change and elevate campus life through transparent leadership, bold advocacy and student-driven innovation," said Tobey, a Hanszen College junior.

Tobey also set priorities for the first 40 days, including creating a "responsible" budget, expanding mental health resources, passing constitutional reforms, increasing campus dialogue on political and international issues, expanding discounts and securing student printing credits.

The SA also voted for appointed positions, confirming David Lee as chief of staff, Zach Weinbrum as parliamentarian, Nathan Turman as deputy chief of staff, Chelsea Asibbey as Director of Communications, and Blanket Tax Committee members Zach Wilson, Patrick Xin, Henry Cabrera, Othniel Amanyi and Willa Liou.

A special election was also announced to fill the empty secretary position. Campaigning will begin on April 2, and voting will start April 8.

Mahtab Dastur, SA External Vice President, encouraged college senators to bring energy to their roles.

"When you're a college senator, I expect you to give 100 percent in everything you do," said Dastur, a Duncan College freshman.

In the rest of her speech, Dastur emphasized inter-college coordination and fostering relationships across campus.

Tobey also said he would focus on creating engagement and increasing the SA efficacy.

"The bureaucratic hurdles and lack of engagement are no longer just obstacles," Tobey said. "They're our responsibility to fix, and if we don't believe in this organization, we can't expect the student body to."

The National Institute of Health announced Feb. 7 that federal grants for universities' indirect costs would be capped at 15%, down from past rates of 40% or more. Indirect costs cover operational expenses, such as maintaining facilities and lab equipment.

In response, several universities, like the University of Pennsylvania, have reduced graduate admissions and, in some cases, rescinded offers.

Although a federal judge temporarily blocked the measure, the threat of drastic funding cuts has already left many prospective and current graduate students uncertain about whether their programs will have the means to support them.

Cristiana De Sousa, a Duncan College junior studying mechanical engineering, said she wants to apply to Ph.D. programs next year but worries about decreasing spots in science and engineering.

"There's a lot of confusion around who's going to be accepting students and how grants will be obtained," De Sousa said.

De Sousa said she worried that humanities and social science fields - particularly those centered on diversity, equity and inclusion - could face heightened vulnerability under shifting funding priorities.

"A lot of that research revolves around civil rights, women and sexuality - that sort of thing," De Sousa said. "There's a real fear it could be under more pressure than STEM-related fields."

Rice has stated that changes will not be made to DEI-related university policies for the time being.

Bill Nguyen, a Hanszen College senior who recently completed his own graduate applications, said the fallout from these proposed cuts has created pressure for prospective students.

"I applied to 12 [universities] … I heard back from two," Nguyen said. "One school changed its funding guarantee from five years to one year. It's that uncertainty, right? What if your advisor suddenly runs out of money?"

Nguyen said he saw peers rush to accept offers early because they feared schools might rescind them.

Rice has not publicly announced reduced admissions, but some faculty said they are bracing for a challenging period. Moshe Vardi, a computer science professor, said he understands the heightened worries among students.

"If we lose our Ph.D. programs, we're dealing a serious blow to research, to preparing future faculty and even to undergraduate teaching," Vardi said. "We can't afford to lose a generation in science and engineering."

Seiichi Matsuda, dean of graduate and postdoctoral studies, said Rice is committed to meeting its financial obligations to graduate students.

"Rice will not rescind admissions offers that have been made, unless for a policy-driven reason," Matsuda wrote in an email to the Thresher. "Our current doctoral students who are in their standard funded period will continue to be paid as usual. If the advisor experiences funding cuts and no longer has sufficient funds to pay the student, the department and then the school are the financial safety nets."

Matsuda added that Rice's graduate admissions decisions are made at the department level and that the university expects a slightly smaller incoming class this year - reducing the overall doctoral cohort to about 300, a "modest 5% decrease" from Rice's five-year average of 315.

Matsuda clarified that this planned reduction is not directly linked to any specific governmental policy, but instead reflects the aggregate enrollment targets set independently by individual departments.

"Our work continues to depend heavily on graduate student input," Matsuda said. "The Graduate Student Association and my office have worked closely together to minimize any impact of change on individual graduate students. In fact, the base doctoral stipend will increase in 2025-26 to $36,000 from the current $34,000."

De Sousa, who hopes to begin graduate school in 2026, said she's now looking at multiple institutions while also exploring industry roles to safeguard her future.

"I'm applying to Ph.D. programs, but I've also got job applications lined up as a backup," De Sousa said. "I'm going to keep my options open."

"I saw that my time from high school would've done okay - not great, but okay," Edgar said. "And that kind of first put the thought into my mind."

By his sophomore year, Edgar had turned that passing thought into a plan. After working closely with both the football and track coaches to coordinate his training schedule, he officially joined the Rice track and field team.

Today, he splits his time between being a slot receiver on the football team and competing as one of the track program's top hurdlers.

"When you truly enjoy the training and competition of both sports - and I believe this absolutely applies to Christian - it's not asking too much," said Rice track and field head coach Jon Warren. "He's a big-time competitor who gives his all to both sports."

Managing two Division I sports is no small task. Edgar credits his ability to stay on top of both sports to consistent communication and a carefully structured routine. And with Rice's new football coaching staff in place this year, he said his schedule has become more sustainable.

"We do weight room lifts Monday, Wednesday and Friday," Edgar said. "Football runs are Tuesdays and Thursdays, but I was able to replace those with track runs instead. I'm still lifting with football, still around the facility, but instead of running football drills on the field, I'm running track."

It's a more manageable workload than he had in the past. Last year, he wasn't allowed to miss any football workouts, which often meant double training days-football practice in the morning, track in the afternoon and sometimes even back-to-back competitions.

"That took a toll on my body," Edgar said. "I had to focus on nutrition and sleep to stay healthy. If I wasn't eating enough or getting enough rest, it wasn't going to work."

Warren said Edgar deserves the credit for clear communication with both staffs and managing his own time.

"Christian is in charge of making this work," Warren said. "He communicates with the football staff and the track staff, and due to his diligence, it works well."

For Edgar, football and track aren't separate pursuits. They complement each other, both physically and mentally.

"The obvious thing is speed," Edgar said. "With track, you really train the top end of your speed. That's helped me on the football field. Coaches love when people are fast - when they can see it on film."

But it's not just about speed. Edgar believes football's mental toughness has helped him handle the physical and emotional demands of track competition.

"You have to be gritty," he said. "You have to be able to suffer and go through hard practices. That's helped me push through tough workouts in track. And the pressure from football games is greater than the pressure from track meets, at least for me. So at track meets, I can relax a whole lot more. It's like, 'I just get to be here and run.'"

Warren sees the connection between the two sports as well.

"Football teaches an athlete that to succeed they have to work well with others," he said. " Track is a great off-season vehicle for football players to improve their speed."

During the indoor season, Edgar competes in the 60-meter hurdles. Outdoors, he runs the 110-meter hurdles and is a key member of Rice's 4x400 relay team.

Last year, he finished seventh in the 110-meter hurdles at the American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships. This indoor season, he placed third in the 60-meter hurdles at the AAC Championships with a time of 7.90 seconds-ranking him sixth on Rice's all-time performance list.

On the football field, Edgar's role has evolved since his arrival at Rice. He was initially recruited as a quarterback, later transitioned to safety and now plays slot receiver under the new offensive system.

Outside of his roles as an athlete, Warren said Edgar has had other effects on the team as well.

"In his event group, he's made a great impact," Warren said. "He's a good leader and has made an impact on the full squad in a positive way."

One of the greatest challenges Edgar faces is not having an offseason.

"When football players get their weekends off, I'm at a track meet," Edgar said. "And when track season is over, I'm going through fall camp and football season."

The constant grind has forced him to be intentional about how he spends his time, and what he sacrifices along the way.

"You prioritize what you want to do," he said. "It does limit some things, like hanging out with friends on the weekends-but it's worth it."

Throughout the process, Edgar credits his dad for helping him stay grounded and focused.

"My dad has been there when I'm stressed out and need to calm down," Edgar said. "At the same time, he doesn't feel sorry for me. He pushes me to make the most of my resources. It's a really cool opportunity to do two sports, and he reminds me of that."

With spring football practice wrapping up, Edgar is preparing to shift his attention fully to the outdoor track season.

"With football, I think the offense the new coaching staff is bringing in is going to be exciting and fun to watch," Edgar said. "I'm excited to see where my role lies and how I can best help the team this fall."

On the track, his focus is on building momentum heading into the postseason.

"I only have a couple of meets before [the conference meet]," Edgar said. "I'm just taking it one week at a time and trying to get a little better each week."

Reflecting on his time at Rice so far, Edgar said it's the journey itself-not just the results-that has been the most rewarding.

"Trying to be good at both sports is great," he said. "But for me, it's really about enjoying the process. Going through track practices with my track teammates and football workouts with my football teammates - that's been so cool. Not a lot of people get to do that. It's a gift, and I am just trying to make the most out of it."

Key track: "I SEEEEEE YOU BABY BOI"

After nearly five years of canceled release dates, cryptic livestreams and scattered singles that never quite materialized into anything more than music videos, Playboi Carti's "MUSIC" is finally here. The album, stuffed to the brim with 30 tracks, is both proof of Carti's magnetic presence and a stark reminder that bigger is not always better.

"MUSIC" opens on a promising note with "POP OUT," an industrial-infused banger that seizes its audience by the collar and refuses to let go. It's raw, aggressive and signals a record that should be bursting with energy and reckless fun. Unfortunately, this track's sheer ferocity throws the rest of the album's disjointed nature into sharper relief. Coming in at an unwieldy 30 songs, "MUSIC" spends more time meandering than delivering on the brutal brilliance of its opener.

After "POP OUT," the album struggles to maintain focus. "CRUSH" (the first of multiple Travis Scott appearances) is serviceable, but it doesn't offer anything we haven't already heard, feeling like an echo of their earlier collaborations rather than a fresh evolution.

That sense of repetition becomes a persistent issue: cuts like "PHILLY" and "RADAR" fail to carve out any notable identity in Carti's discography. With so many filler tracks, it's tough not to wonder if a more tightly curated tracklist - half the length, perhaps - would've produced a sharper statement.

But for all its muddled excess, the album's highlights do remind us why Carti's fandom remains so devoted. "EVIL J0RDAN" marries horror-movie synths, a The Weeknd sample and Carti's frenetic flow into one of the project's most ominously catchy moments.

Another Weeknd collaboration, "RATHER LIE," might be the album's biggest hit in the making, fueled by Abel's trademark brand of dark R&B theatrics and Carti's impressively varied vocal approach. Mid-verse, Carti toggles between his more familiar cadences and a jarringly deep register, a creative choice that underscores the track's central theme: he'd rather "lie" or switch personas than be vulnerable.

Unfortunately, the album can't keep up that level of momentum. Songs like "FINE SHIT" and "MUNYUN" slip back into a repetitive formula and never ascend to the bombast that might justify their inclusion.

"GOOD CREDIT" offers a much-needed shot in the arm, partly thanks to Kendrick Lamar's spirited cameo. While Lamar pops up on multiple tracks here, his verse on "GOOD CREDIT" hits hardest, revealing just how seamlessly he can adapt to seemingly any beat thrown at him.

"I SEEEEEE YOU BABY BOI" emerges as the album's peak moment - which says a lot, considering it doesn't quite match the top-tier highlights of Carti's past works ("Die Lit" or "Whole Lotta Red," for example). Still, it stands out among the uneven spread, capturing a triumphant energy reminiscent of "Whole Lotta Red"'s "Control" and even tipping its hat to Bladee's melodic aesthetic. Carti's opener line, "Started from the bottom / ain't hard to tell," feels both boastful and introspective, straddling a line between cockiness and honesty.

The second half of the album is a rollercoaster of hits and misses. "WAKE UP F1LTHY" re-teams Carti with Travis Scott for a highlight that nails the industrial-trap sweet spot, while tracks like "JUMPIN," "DIS 1 GOT IT" and "WALK" feel more like placeholders than essential listening. The best toward the back end belongs to "COCAINE NOSE," "OLYMPIAN" and "HBA," where Carti's love for moody, ominous production resonates most convincingly.

In many ways, "MUSIC" feels like a darker, more foreboding cousin to Carti's prior output. There's a deliberate shift toward ominous vibes and industrial soundscapes - a risk that sometimes pays off, but not often enough to overshadow the project's lack of cohesion. If half the tracks were cut, "MUSIC" might have held together more tightly, allowing Carti to refine the dark aesthetic he was clearly aiming for.

At the end of the day, "MUSIC" remains a mixed bag: it's overstuffed, occasionally brilliant and ultimately outshined by the innovations of Carti's earlier albums. There are certainly flashes of the genius that once shook the hip-hop world, but they're buried under too many half-baked ideas and a tracklist that never quite justifies its length.

Playboi Carti has always been about pushing boundaries - sometimes controversially so - and that willingness to experiment keeps things interesting even when the final product falters. Still, the question looms: was "MUSIC" really worth five years of anticipation?

If you're a longtime Carti fan, you'll undoubtedly find moments to revel in. But as a cohesive piece of work, "MUSIC" ultimately lives up to its name a little too literally - it's just "music," and not quite the revolution many of us had hoped for.

I can't think of a harder task than following up the Best Picture-winning "Parasite." South Korean director Bong Joon-ho's masterpiece is one of the most beloved films of the 21st century, especially amongst Gen-Z filmgoers (myself very much included). In a year with many great films, "Parasite" stood head and shoulders above the rest, and whispers immediately started about Bong's next project.

Enter "Mickey 17," a film that wonderfully cashes in on all the goodwill built during a magical 2019 awards run. Equipped with a massive budget and strong Hollywood connections, Bong trades in his cerebral and metaphorical proclivities for something much more audacious and brash - a science-fiction romantic comedy that's half satire and half slapstick.

"Mickey 17" follows Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson), an average Joe whose financial troubles on Earth led him to sign up for a space colonization mission. After failing to read the fine print, Mickey becomes expendable: his body and memories have been backed up, and he can be reprinted whenever he dies.

The human printing concept is the film's strongest idea. Questions of existentialism, ethics and personality all bubble under the film's comedic surface, and this dynamic allows Bong to explain his perspective on these questions.

Specifically, Bong responds via Mickey's romance with Nasha (Naomi Ackie). Mickey and Nasha grow together despite their challenges of the harsh conditions of the new world they are tasked with colonizing and the large ego of the disgraced politician Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo), who is running the mission.

As it continues, the film becomes an intergalactic love story about finding happiness despite bad circumstances, a premise that lends itself well to the film's overt satirization of our current political moment.

While it's not as overt as last year's "The Substance," I would certainly classify Bong's approach to commentary in this film as blunt (see the abundance of red hats and cartoonishly Trump-esque performance by Ruffalo).

Weaving all these threads together is Robert Pattinson's performance(s) as the titular Mickey 17 and his accidentally printed counterpart, Mickey 18. Pattinson's ability to delineate the two characters in terms of voice, stature and demeanor is incredible, as he seamlessly navigates playing two distinct characters who are often in the same scene. He also excellently performs various physical gags - tripping, falling and screaming - in increasingly hilarious ways.

This is not to discredit any of the other actors - Naomi Ackie's kindness infects the other characters that surround her, and both Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette (who plays Ylfa, Kenneth Marshall's wife) are excellent at being obliviously evil politicians. Everybody brings something to their character, which amplifies both the warmth at the center of the film and the prickly humor.

However, "Mickey 17"'s multilayered approach does have its drawbacks. By fully exercising his well-earned creative freedom, Bong has taken a shotgun approach - he is doing many different things at once, and I am unsure if everything works perfectly together.

Again, this film is equal parts satire, romance, sci-fi and comedy, and I don't know if every detail works in tandem. The third act, for instance, drags in the way many science fiction stories do as the stakes rise and the film turns away from the core mysteries that made it enjoyable in the first place. As funny as the film can be, there are moments without any laughs that made me question what exactly I was supposed to get out of each scene.

But regardless of this latent skepticism, I had a blast while actively watching the film. I sat there with a big dumb smile on my face, laughing along to the goofy satire, and by the end of the film, I was genuinely moved by the growth of the characters. It's certainly a bit messy, but it's well-intentioned and well-crafted in a way that is undeniable.

In a modern world seemingly defined by irony, it feels good to watch a blockbuster that acknowledges this while being openly earnest. While it is not the well-oiled machine "Parasite" was, "Mickey 17" finds its own identity amongst its intentional messiness - just like we all do.

Even Ayo Edebiri's bouncy bob can't save this movie.

At 4 p.m. on a Thursday in Virginia Beach, Virginia, my brother and I are the only two people sitting to watch "Opus," A24's newest psychological thriller starring the people's princess Ayo Edebiri as Ariel, an up-and-coming journalist struggling to make a name for herself.

The film is about the return of Alfred Moretti, a 90's pop music icon. In anticipation of his first album in 30 years, he invites six people - including Ariel and her boss, who won't let her write anything - to a remote getaway to listen to his album. When they arrive, they are met with a matching blue-clad cult surrounding Moretti. As suspicious and unsettling events unfold, Ariel is convinced something sinister is at play.

The film opens with a montage of people with literal stars in their eyes dancing in a dark abyss. It's a compelling open, setting the scene for a film that tackles celebrity and God-ship and the way these are often one and the same. By the 15-minute mark, the group of six makes it to the island.

By the 30-minute mark, my brother has started watching a March Madness game on his phone.

"Opus" falls short of its potential. It feels like a movie where the director knew he wanted to say something but forgot to figure out what that exactly was before the film wrapped.

At its core, "Opus" is trying to be more meaningful than it is. When Moretti explains his motivations behind his cult, it doesn't come across as much more than a collection of words. Even the film's base-level message about the cult of celebrity - something they relentlessly drill home by giving the celebrity a literal cult a la Jared Leto - doesn't seem to actually be saying anything new.

The whole film, I kept thinking, "This movie feels like …" because, at the end of the day, "Opus" is hopelessly derivative. The film is like if you took "Knives Out: Glass Onion," mixed it with "Midsommar" and sprinkled in elements of "The Menu" but removed most of what makes each of those movies such compelling stories.

Throughout its runtime, the film is out of sync with itself. We watch Moretti kill five people without really understanding why until near the end. Ariel is ahead of the watcher's emotions; while she's panicking over the members of her group that have gone missing one by one, I can't help but think that, really, nothing she has seen would constitute such intense fear.

This is one of the main faults of "Opus" - the film attempts to build suspense by demanding it rather than creating it. We know we should be on edge because the film has told us it is a thriller, but it doesn't actually show it.

Nearly all the gut-wrenching moments happen at once, far too late into the film. It feels like the movie got bored with itself and decided to run toward the finish line, not looking back to check if we were still behind it.

This is not to say that the film is all bad. "Opus" is stylized so intricately. It mixes a '90s aesthetic with modern elements, playing into the resurgence of a '90s icon in current times. Every shot feels carefully curated with so much intentionality (this movie is an aerial shot masterclass).

The film has one of my favorite types of horror and action scenes: inappropriately calm music played over fight scenes. John Malkovich's and, to a lesser degree, Ayo Edebiri's performances carry the film.

Even so, this movie would probably be a better watch for someone who doesn't like horror very much or loves celebrity commentary. Overall, it falls short of its potential and doesn't do as much as it could. Watch the trailer. Skip the movie.

By: Sara Davidson

The Houston Ballet just finished their performances of "The Sleeping Beauty," a ballet based on the fairy tale by Charles Perrault, with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. This classic piece ran for just over two weeks and included several performances with discounted tickets for students, both through the ballets "Student Rush" and "$30 under 30" deals.

Overall, "The Sleeping Beauty" was beautifully performed, with everything from the costumes to the dancing absolutely wowing the audience. The most impressive dancing came from Aoi Fujiwara, who played Princess Aurora.

Fujiwara pulled off two Rose Adagios during her performance, where she balanced en pointe and is passed between the different prince suitors, doing a spin with each one. It was easy to see the difficulty of this move, with Fujiwara sometimes shaking by the end of each Rose Adagio, but never falling.

The costumes were also stunning throughout the performance. My personal favorite was the tutu and accessories worn by the Lilac Fairy, played by Alyssa Springer. The purple covered in delicate flowers moved like a cloud as she danced across the stage adding to the allure of her character.

I would be remiss if I spoke to the costumes of the show and didn't also mention the White Cat and Puss-in-Boots costumes worn during Act III. These are semi-furry headpieces donned by the dancers as they prance across the stage, pretending to be the famous cats out of another fairy tale. I can only imagine how warm it must have been dancing while trapped in the costumes, but the two dancers executed their performance without letting it show.

Though the performance warned of loud noises, it did not give the exact act in which they would occur, surprising much of the audience with four successive gunshots during the Prologue as the fairy Carabosse is fleeing the scene. The ballet could have done a better job informing the audience of when exactly this noise would be occurring, since it was only in one scene and towards the end at that. There were several children sitting in the audience who were quite disturbed by the noise, and I'm sure their parents would have been more than happy to escort them out early had they known.

Overall, "The Sleeping Beauty" was a wonderfully done ballet by the Houston Ballet, and I would highly recommend making plans to see a future show, especially with the student deals that are offered.

Basma Bedawi, an Outdoor Show director, said the show remains free of charge and continues ktru's long-standing tradition of highlighting Houston's music scene for both Rice students and the wider community.

"We want to bring Houston's local music to campus and keep the show open to everyone," said Bedawi, a Hanszen College senior. "If you don't know it's happening, you'll probably hear it anyway because we're in the middle of campus."

This year's lineup opens with music group F - winners of ktru's Battle of the Bands last semester - followed by sets from artists Reia, Valen the Valentine, Pinkie Promise, Alan Warhol and ORION 224 before Laundry Day headlines. Between sets, student DJs will spin to maintain the festival atmosphere.

"We tried to bring in a wide variety of genres - rap, R&B, indie rock and more," Bedawi said. "We're excited to show Rice students just how vibrant the Houston music scene can be."

Chloe Diehl, an Outdoor Show board member, said that the vision of the festival combines electronic influences with a gritty, DIY spirit.

"We wanted to nod to the European electronic and house music revival while blending it with the do-it-yourself motto of ktru," said Diehl, a Lovett College sophomore. "Think of Berghain in Berlin or a KAYTRANADA set mixed with eclectic collages. We want to give off diva but not brat, scrappy but clean, edgy yet bright."

According to Diehl, ORION 224 is one act to watch for local flavor.

"The band, ORION 224, started out in my high school, Lamar," Diehl said.

"We really want to highlight bands that might not be on everyone's radar yet," Bedawi said.

Beyond music, Bedawi said this year's Outdoor Show will introduce a bigger craft area, including clay figurine-making and collage stations. Food trucks Foreign Policy and Doke Cone will arrive later in the afternoon, and Voodoo Doughnut plans to hand out free donuts, according to Bedawi.

Archi Market, a vendor market organized by architecture students, will bring about 35 vendors to Central Quad from 2 to 4 p.m., according to the market's logistics coordinator Alba Galarza. Galarza said that they are welcoming both student and off-campus sellers.

"It's a nice way to see what Rice students produce outside academics," said Galarza, a Lovett college sophomore. "We also have a non-Rice vendor coming back who sold macaroons last time, which was a great new experience."

According to Bedawi, the future location of the Outdoor Show remains uncertain in light of the planned construction of the new student center in the Central Quad, where the festival traditionally takes place. Bedawi said the ktru board is still working out how future shows will adapt.

"Next year's venue could change," Bedawi said. "But for now, we're excited to have one more year out in the open on Central Quad."

Diehl said she hopes students will clear the day and take in all the Outdoor Show has to offer - from the music to the offbeat vendors.

"It's such a special event on campus," Bedawi said. "Bring a blanket and friends, settle down in Central Quad and enjoy yourself. That's what the Outdoor Show is really about."

The comics conference, hosted by the Moody Center for the Arts, Fondren Library and various other departments, featured five days of presentations, exhibitions and student workshops.

At the opening event on Thursday, Christopher Sperandio began by speaking about the intersectional nature of comics.

"Comics - Is it art? Is it literature?" asked Sperandio, associate professor of art and conference co-organizer.

Pedro Moura, a comics writer and scholar from Portugal and co-editor of the conference collection, also spoke about the versatility and connections comics provide.

"Comics work well often beyond linguistic confines … they speak to you somehow. We all come together in the magic of the printed thing," Moura said. "Comics allow us to resist, remember, reload and revolt."

Art Spiegelman then took the stage in conversation with convention co-organizer Ofra Amihay, the Anna Smith Fine Lecturer in Jewish Studies and text and image scholar. Spiegelman discussed his introduction to comics and the history of working in the genre.

Spiegelman said his strict parents and exposure to Mad magazine first sparked his interest in comics.

"We didn't have TV in the house. Mad [magazine] was as close as I could get to finding the mass media … Even the miniature version changed my life," Spiegelman said.

Spiegelman said he wrote his first comic around age fourteen before working as an intern with trading card manufacturer Topps to design "Wacky Packages" and "The Garbage Pail Kids" cards.

He then discussed his work "Maus," which tells the story of his parents' survival of the Holocaust and the generational trauma he experienced, clarifying that he made it with an adult audience in mind.

"I thought of it as self healing," said Spiegelman. "The irony for me is I never did 'Maus' for kids … It was about othering."

Spiegelman then spoke about his most recent work, a three-page comic about the war in Gaza which he created in collaboration with Joe Sacco, author of graphic novel "Palestine."

"I wanted to make sure 'Maus' was never used for recruiting for the Israeli army … He did the drawing, I did the coloring, we played to our strengths," Spiegelman said.

In addition to the discussion with Spiegelman and other panels, the convention also showcased the Moody Center's 'Project Wall,' a dynamic exhibition space that displays student and artist collaborations.

Its current installation features a sample from a recent donation of original comic art by cartoonist and graphic novelist Jack Katz, curated by Sperandio and students in his Exhibition Design course (ARTS 378).

Alison Weaver, the executive director of the Moody Center for the Arts, said the installation was largely student-created.

"[Fondren Library] just acquired all this incredible historic material by a very important comic artist and decided to make an exhibition around that," Weaver said. "So [students] proposed the design, they painted and 3D laser printed these end caps, mounted them and chose the materials, the vinyl and the didactics."

Weaver also said the conference brought together community and connections.

"[The wall] ties in an interesting way to both a class, the Woodson archive and the conference, and I think that's typical of how the Moody tries to facilitate and give a creative component to things that are already happening on campus," Weaver said. "That's also nice, at Rice, to be able to invite artists from the community … and invite them here not just to attend something, but to participate in something and get to know people."

While some artists and panelists traveled to the conference, many leaders came from departments within Rice.

"I got into it by being asked to buy comics and the artist editions," said K. Sara Ostrach, Fondren Library's art & architecture librarian. "I met Chris Sperandio, and he said, 'I really want this artist edition' … And I see one, and I buy one, and he's really excited about it. And I asked, 'Are there any others that you want?' And he writes me a whole list."

According to Ostrach, 'artist editions' are reproductions of original art in comics at the same scale they were originally done - some of them several feet tall. The Woodson Archive developed a shelf for the conference which included Spiegelman's and other presenters' comics.

Amihay, coined the title "Comics Sans Frontières" for the convention, said she became interested in comics at the beginning of her academic journey.

"When I started my academic path, I became really interested in children's literature, and my MA was dedicated to that," Amihay said. "Yet when I began attending children's literature conferences, I realized that, actually, what I was interested in was picture books and text and image relations."

According to Amihay, Spiegelman's "Maus," alongside other defining works, are notable due to their unconventional nature.

"During my MA, I was exposed to "Maus" and my mind exploded; I thought, 'This is crazy. I've never seen anything like that.

"That's exactly how I think of comics - as a kind of form that really challenges borders, even though it is so famous for its borders … I think it is a medium with an incredible potential to really subvert binaries," Amihay said.

Sperandio agreed that comics act as an unconventional way to subvert borders.

"The secret is out: comics, once considered as cultural garbage by academics, are a vital part of the human experience," Sperandio said.

During his conversation with Amihay, Spiegelman also noted this ability.

"Comics is a history of standing on each other's shoulders and breaking boundaries," Spiegelman said.