Rice University will welcome alumni, students, faculty, staff and the community to campus for Rice Alumni Weekend Nov. 6-9. This four-day celebration is part homecoming and part class reunion, offering a vibrant array of activities. Owls from around the world will gather to reconnect with old friends, relive cherished moments and rediscover what makes Rice extraordinary.
“The development and alumni relations office is thrilled to host Rice’s largest annual alumni gathering,” said James Hurley, associate vice president of alumni relations. “We are anticipating 1,500 alumni and friends to come back to campus. We are particularly excited to expand our programming to four days, celebrate our alumni affinity communities, curate programming for graduate-only alumni and celebrate alumni-owned businesses at the campus vendor fair.”
Nov. 6
- Faculty and staff alumni box lunch, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Peter and Nancy Huff House
This event is a chance to connect with fellow Owls, enjoy a grab-and-go lunch or stick around to get hyped for the weekend.
- Opening session: Traveling Owls Faculty Panel, 2-3 p.m., Lois Chiles Studio Theater, Moody Center for the Arts
In partnership with Traveling Owls, faculty hosts will share a snippet of their research and favorite moments from leading alumni journeys abroad. Faculty hosts include Lisa Balabanlilar, the Joseph and Joanna Nazro Mullen Professor in the Humanities; Arthur Gottschalk, professor of music theory and composition; Julia Morgan, professor of environmental and planetary sciences; Scott Solomon, teaching professor of biosciences; and Sayuri Guthrie Shimizu, the Dunlevie Family Chair and Professor of History.
- Opening reception, 3-4 p.m., Moody Center for the Arts
Kick off Alumni Weekend with tasty appetizers and drinks. Explore the Moody, snap some photos and soak in all the excitement as the weekend gets started.
- Recent Owl-umni gathering, 5:30-9:30 p.m., Axelrad
Recent alumni, start the weekend off right with fellow Owls from the Classes of 2015-2025 at Axelrad. Your first drink is on Rice, plus participants will receive a free Beer Garden at Valhalla drink ticket to use Friday or Saturday. Reconnect, relax and raise a glass with your Rice community.
Nov. 7
- Faculty lecture, 9-10 a.m., Lois Chiles Studio Theater, Moody Center for the Arts
Molly Morgan, assistant teaching professor in anthropology, will share insights from her archaeology research on the lives of those who lived and worked on Brazoria County plantations and how she helps students bring research to life.
Want to dig deeper? Explore what it means to be an archaeologist in Morgan’s Coursera specialization for Rice alumni — mastering key concepts and uncovering groundbreaking projects. Rice graduates enjoy free access to this and more faculty-created courses through Coursera for Rice Alumni. Learn more on the ContinuOWL Learning webpage.
- Faculty panel on artificial intelligence, 10-11 a.m., Lois Chiles Studio Theater, Moody Center for the Arts
Get inspired by Rice faculty members as they share insights in these engaging TEDx-style talks. Faculty panelists include Christopher Jermaine, chair of the Department of Computer Science; Kirsten Ostherr, the Gladys Louise Fox Professor of English and director of the Medical Humanities Program; Lydia E. Kavraki, University Professor and the Kenneth and Audrey Kennedy Professor of Computing; and Anastasios Kyrillidis, the Noah Harding Associate Professor of Computer Science.
- “Beyond the Hedges” live podcast recording, 1-2 p.m., Lois Chiles Studio Theater, Moody Center for the Arts
Join Association of Rice Alumni past president David Mansouri ’07 for a live recording of the “Beyond the Hedges” podcast. He’ll be joined by graduate alumni Alec Ajnsztajn ’23, Jeremy Daum ’25 and Dana Vazquez ’24 — co-founders of Coflux Purification. Together, they’ll share how their entrepreneurial journey took shape during their time at Rice and how it continues to evolve today. Read more about them in this Rice Nexus article.
- President’s Town Hall, 3-4 p.m., Grand Hall, Rice Memorial Center
Join the Rice community on campus for a President’s Town Hall with President Reginald DesRoches and Association of Rice Alumni president David Leal ’03. Additionally, the 2025 Builders Award recipients will be recognized at this event.
The Rice community is invited to submit questions in advance of the event. Please use this form to share your questions for consideration.
- Beer Garden at Valhalla, 4-10:30 p.m.
Head to Valhalla to reconnect with Owls, reminisce about old times and create new memories.
- Graduate alumni homecoming reception, 7-9:30 p.m., east lawn of Keck Hall (located on east side of Valhalla)
Enjoy a special homecoming reception exclusively for graduate alumni. Savor delicious food and sip on refreshing drinks while you build your network, reconnect with old friends and relive your favorite memories from your time inside the hedges.
Nov. 8
- Alumni Run, 9-10 a.m., outside of Moody Center for the Arts
Get your day started with a burst of energy by joining your fellow Owls for a refreshing run around campus.
- Alumni Weekend Community Market, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Anderson-Clarke Center lawn
Support fellow Owls by perusing products and learning about services offered exclusively by alumni business owners at this community market.
- Building Blocks & Community, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Anderson-Clarke Center Commons
Enjoy this new event, and mingle with other creative Rice minds while building your own Owl with brick kit designer Tim Howell ’92, ’94.
- Tailgate and Family Fest, 11 a.m., Tailgate Owley, east side of Rice Stadium
Mingle with other Owls and enjoy pregame festivities outside Rice Stadium. Price includes a BBQ lunch plate. Two drink tickets are included for sodas, wine and beer. Vegetarian options are also available. Activities include lawn games for all ages and inflatables for children.
Ticket cost:
Alumni and friends: $25 preregistration; $30 walk-up
Recent alumni (Classes ’15-’25): $20 preregistration; $25 walk-up
Current students: $15 preregistration; $20 walk-up
Children (ages 3-16): $5 preregistration; $10 walk-up
- Rice Owls football game, 1 p.m., Rice Stadium
Cheer on the Owls as they take on the University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers. Digital tickets can be purchased through Rice Athletics up until game day or at the box office.
Ticket cost:
All: $25
Children 2 and under do not need a ticket.
Current students enter for free with their Rice ID.
- Beer Garden at Valhalla, 1 p.m.
Continue the excitement after the football game by heading to Valhalla to catch up with fellow Owls, reminisce about the good old days and make new memories together.
Nov. 9
- Rice Alumni at Texans game [SOLD OUT], 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m., NRG Stadium (Tailgate time: 9:30-11:30 a.m., game time: noon)
Watch the Houston Texans take on the Jacksonville Jaguars with Rice alumni, family and friends. Registration includes a ticket to the game, access to the tailgate buffet and a $20 voucher to use anywhere in the stadium.
- Philanthropy brunch (by invitation), 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Hotel Zaza, Phantom Ballroom
The Rice Annual Giving team, together with university leadership, invites Rice Fund leadership donors and reunion committee volunteers for a brunch honoring their generous philanthropy and volunteerism. Spouses and partners are welcome.
The weekend will also be peppered with several residential college events, receptions and other programming of interest. For a full list with locations and times, visit the Rice Alumni Weekend website.