Special Projects

First-ever election block party draws crowds

A line stretched across the academic quad this Election Day. In contrast to previous years, however, the line was not for voting at the Sewall Hall polling location — it was for the first-ever election block party hosted by the Center for Civic Engagement.  The event aimed to encourage student voting and engagement in politics, complete with a bouncy castle, free food and a DJ.

Students pack Sid Richardson to watch election results

Around 200 students crowded into the Sid Richardson College commons Tuesday evening, where voting results played out on the commons’ screen. As Massachusetts turned blue, a loud cheer erupted throughout the room.

Waits drop after morning voters crowd Sewall polling place

On Tuesday, 1,094 voters flocked to Rice’s Welcome Center to cast their ballots in the presidential, state and local elections. Wait times climbed to an hour shortly after the polling center’s doors opened at 7 a.m., with many hoping to beat the crowds during Rice’s first-ever non-instructional Election Day. The lines calmed down around noon, when students began congregating in the academic quad for the election block party. 

IGNITE pushes for women in politics

A new chapter of IGNITE, started under the national organization of the same name, was founded at Rice by Aleena Ahmad and Carmine Steiner this semester. The organization is dedicated to closing the gender gap in the political sphere by encouraging civil and political engagement for women and nonbinary people, according to their website.

A peek at the polls: political participation through the years

Waiting on election results isn’t new to Rice students. The 1916 presidential election saw students waiting for the Houston Chronicle’s news for three days; when the results were finally announced, Woodrow Wilson’s reelection drew incoherent shouting, rah-rahs and a congregation in the quad.

Worth the wait: Rice football drowns Navy in rain-soaked victory

During a normal Rice football game, junior quarterback E.J. Warner doesn’t usually tell jokes from the locker room while the offense is in the red zone. Interim head coach Pete Alamar doesn’t usually spend an hour waiting for his clothes to dry while preparing for a five-yard touchdown run. The support staff doesn’t usually sprint to the Rice Stadium Chick-fil-A stand to buy out their entire supply of sandwiches. 

Spring 2025 Sample Course Schedule

11-6-2024 "Owl-American"

Nine hours in the press box with assistant sports editor

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to sit in the Rice Stadium press box for nine hours, drinking Diet Coke and watching raindrops slowly slide down the windows? Let’s revisit the commotion of Rice’s weather-delayed win over Navy on Saturday from the perspective of assistant sports editor Andersen Pickard.    

Women’s cross country achieves breakthrough third-place finish

The Rice women’s cross country team has made significant strides this season, improving from a sixth-place finish at the 2023 American Athletic Conference Cross Country Championship to third place this past weekend. Women’s cross country head coach Jim Bevan said he attributes the success to the dedication of returning athletes and new talent.

Men’s cross country struggles at AAC, eyes regional comeback

The Rice Owls men’s cross country team finished in eighth place in the 2024 American Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships Nov. 1 in Wichita, Kansas, with 215 points. Runners said unexpected challenges left the team grappling to meet pre-race expectations.

Lovett journeys ‘Into the Woods’

Lovett Theater returns from an eight-year hiatus with its performance of “Into the Woods” this weekend. There will be three performances in Lovett College commons from Nov. 7 to Nov. 9, each starting at 8 p.m., as well as a 2 p.m. matinee on Nov. 9. The show is free for all Rice students.

Asia Society Night Market shines, displays culture

Asia Society Texas put on its annual night market on Friday, Nov. 3 at the Asia Society Texas Center in the Museum District, providing opportunities for food, performances and shopping to highlight Asian culture.

Review: “A Different Man” gives a twisted take on self-acceptance

Few films have defied my expectations quite like “A Different Man”. I walked into the screening anticipating a straightforward thriller that dramatizes the lives and struggles of facially disabled individuals . While the film explores that theme, it also looked me dead in the eye, laughed in my face and left me laughing out loud more than I have in years.

​​‘Chromakopia’ bares all

There are few artists that have had as eclectic of a transformation as Tyler, the Creator. Breaking into the game as a teenager in the irreverent rap collective Odd Future, Tyler Okonma has reinvented himself on pretty much every project he’s released since then — and this newest project is no exception. “Chromakopia” throws the quirky and manic edge of “Cherry Bomb,” the funky, psychedelic and soulful production of “Igor” and the introspection of “Flower Boy” into a blender to create a project that sees Okonma delve deeper into themes of family, queerness and identity than we’ve ever seen before. 

The River Oaks Theatre is a Houston film fan’s dream

The River Oaks Theatre, freshly renovated and restored, reopened its doors to Houston audiences Oct. 3. Taking visual cues from the movie palaces of the 20th century, the new theatre now boasts three screening rooms, two in-house bars and a kitchen that serves food to guests. 

Renee Wrysinski crafts circuits for change

As a child, Renee Wrysinski fit the standards for a future engineer to a tee, even getting an early start on model design by building Legos. Fifteen years later, she would win first place in Circuit Showdown, a televised engineering design competition for college students hosted by distributor Mouser Electronics and media company eeDesignIt. Wrysinski, who studies electrical and computer engineering, secured $10,000 and equipment donations for herself and the university.   

From Alabama to Bahia, Hordge-Freeman examines emotion

One night in Brazil, Elizabeth Hordge-Freeman was driving back from a late dinner with friends when a military police officer stopped her and ordered her out of her car. As he aimed a rifle at the side of her head, she said she remembers standing there, shaking, unable to hear anything but his voice — not even her friends shouting at her. This anecdote is one of many Hordge-Freeman shares in her first book “The Color of Love,” which examines how racial hierarchies are reproduced and challenged in Black Brazilian families.

So, you want to be the Rice football coach?

The grim reaper of men’s sports coaches, also known as athletic director Tommy McClelland, struck for the second time since his arrival at Rice in August 2023. This time, his victim was former head football coach Mike Bloomgren.

Rice alumni visit for homecoming weekend

Rice Alumni Weekend took place from Nov. 1-2. Over 48 hours, alumni gathered for events across campus, including a tailgate party, a community business fair and a town hall led by university president Reggie DesRoches.