Q: How long have you worked at Rice?
A: Aug. 20 was my 23rd anniversary!
Q: What is your favorite part about working for the university?
A: Working directly with so many amazing students, faculty and staff that are doing their best to make positive changes to the world. I have also had amazing opportunities at Fondren Library to expand my service to the university in various ways, including most recently becoming a certified financial educator. I’ve helped with some financial literacy classes on campus with first-generation, low-income (FGLI) students and improved the financial literacy collection at Fondren Library. As a former FGLI student, I find this incredibly rewarding.
Q: What do you want people to know about living in Houston?
A: It is a dynamic and diverse city that is evolving and changing. It’s a city of opportunities.
Q: What do you do in your downtime?
A: I love to use the Libby App from Houston Public Library as it has a great interface and everyone in Houston can use it. Also, I love to travel; my daughter and I went to the United Kingdom this past summer, and we visited several universities, including the London School of Economics and the University of Edinburgh, and some amazing gardens.
Q: What’s your favorite spot on campus to show someone?
A: The library. Fondren Library has so much to offer, from the archives of Woodson to the many services located in the basement of Fondren. We have so much to offer digitally, but it is just a wonderful place to wander in the stacks and see what you discover.
Q: What’s the most exciting time of year for you as it relates to Rice?
A: I do love October. Students are getting lots of work done, the weather is cooler and I love pumpkin spice.
Q: What’s the one thing that makes Rice special to you?
A: Spending so many years here, meeting so many students and maintaining the connection with them over the years through Facebook and other social media avenues.
Q: If you could be Sammy The Owl for a day, what would you do?
A: I would stand by the east entrance of Fondren Library, facing the newly redesigned quad and get more students to come into the library. I would probably also try to serve mandarin oranges, as that is something that I love to do when we have what I call “UX Tables” in the library where we gather feedback on our services and interfaces we are working on improving.
Q: How would you describe your experience as a Rice employee?
A: It went by entirely too fast but so satisfying and really wonderful.
Q: Where do you see Rice in 25 years?
A: Continuing to be the diverse institution that we are, and being a leader in many important fields. I would love to see another Nobel prize come from one of our scientists or labs. I would also love to see a new library.
Q: Describe Rice University in four words or less.
A: Dynamic, diverse, distinguished and dedicated.
Q: What else have we not talked about yet that merits discussion?
A: I love the global efforts that the university is taking. It is exciting to hear colleagues who have visited the Global Paris Center be enthusiastic about that, and I love the physical growth of the university from the new business school footprint. I am eagerly awaiting the newly redesigned central quad.