One year after launching its ambitious 10-year strategic plan, Momentous: Personalized Scale for Global Impact, Rice is already seeing the transformative results of its bold vision.
Professor of cello Norman Fischer was the soloist in the premiere, which marked the first of four debuts still to come this season in a multiyear initiative of seven faculty commissions.
The Shepherd School will open its 2025-26 season with two concerts led by its new distinguished resident director of orchestras, Emmy Award-winning and Grammy-nominated conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya.
With orchestral, chamber, opera and recital programs, the milestone season showcases the excellence of Shepherd’s students and faculty alongside appearances by distinguished guest artists.
Five students joined peers from 30 institutions across Asia, Europe and North America to form the NextGen Symphony, a first-of-its-kind international orchestra.
Martínez joins a distinguished list of honorees that includes fellow and former appointees Norah Jones, Miranda Lambert, Alecia Lawyer, Kevin Prufer and Letitia Huckaby.
It’s not every year that commencement features school deans wearing two hats — as academic leaders and as proud parents. Rice celebrated a rare and heartfelt milestone when two graduating seniors received their diplomas from their own parents.
Rice conferred more than 250 doctoral degrees during its 112th commencement May 10 at Tudor Fieldhouse. Doctoral candidates along with friends, family and loved ones gathered for the ceremony, which included the awarding of doctoral regalia, congratulatory remarks, cheers and a few moments to reflect on this milestone.
Rice conferred more than 2,900 degrees to its newest graduates — the most in the university’s history — during its 112th commencement weekend held May 9-10.