Even for the nation’s highest achieving students, the transition from high school to college can be an intimidating experience. That’s where RISE (responsibility, inclusion and student empowerment) comes in.
Each year, Rice University’s Office of Access and Institutional Excellence (AIE) invites 20 newly admitted students to participate in an immersive two-week summer program, providing students with tools and resources to thrive from the very start of their time at Rice and in Houston.
“RISE is where dreams meet opportunity,” said Jaime Peña, associate director of RISE. “It’s where students harness their power to change the world and become extraordinary leaders their supporters always knew they could be. This program invites students on an adventure that challenges their thinking, expands their perspectives and most importantly connects them to a community of changemakers.”
The daily schedule began with a seminar titled, Race, Place, and Power in Houston, taught by AIE vice provost Alex Byrd and associate vice provost Luziris Pineda Turi.
“The three hours that we spent in seminar every weekday gave us an opportunity to debate with one another, contest each other’s ideas, listen and learn,” incoming freshman Sarah Abi Saab said. “Navigating education as an adult means listening to people who do not think or act like you. I was surrounded by people who couldn’t be any more different than me, and it was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.”
RISE participants also had the opportunity to interact with guest speakers such as Ruth Simmons, Rice’s President’s Distinguished Fellow and author of the New York Times bestseller “Up Home: One Girl’s Journey.” The book chronicles Simmons’ life from growing up in Texas during the Jim Crow era to becoming the first Black president of an Ivy League university.
Other leaders from the city’s civic, business, educational and philanthropic communities joined the seminar to share with students the opportunities waiting for them in Houston and to point out the work being done to meet the region’s challenges.
“The commitment to diversity, inclusion and creating a safe space at the university was what really drew me to the program,” freshman Lezlie Granillo said. “Reading Ruth Simmons’ memoir and later meeting her to hear her insights and advice was incredibly inspiring and impactful.”
“It’s changed my views on a lot of things,” freshman Olaoluwapo Oladipo added. “It’s important to have a diverse community around you. They’ve taught me about cultures that I didn’t know existed.”
In addition to academic seminars, participants attended student life workshops covering essential topics such as mental health strategies during O-Week, adjusting to campus life and exploring summer research and fellowship opportunities.
Student mentors also led evening activities such as karaoke nights, campus golf cart tours and outings to the shops in Rice Village. Weekend excursions included neighborhood tours connected to the class material.
“I needed this, because I had no idea of what I was getting myself into,” freshman Nicholas Ortiz said. “Even though it was a small student-to-faculty ratio, we became a mighty community of 20 peers. It was beautiful.”
Freshman Da’Taeveyon Daniels echoed Ortiz’s sentiment. “It’s really hard acclimating to this type of environment with the academic and social stress,” Daniels said. “I feel like this program alleviated a lot of those fears. I figured out that I could be myself in these spaces and show my true personality. I’ve developed some great connections with other students, professors and guest speakers that I hope to continue.”
This summer marked the RISE program’s fifth year. The 2025 cohort includes students planning majors in business, social sciences, humanities and architecture with some expressing more specific interest in law, political science, entrepreneurship and education.
Participants hailed from large cities such as Los Angeles, New Orleans and Houston as well as much smaller communities including Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Arvin, California.
“I got to have an introduction to what campus life is like. I got to stay in the dorms. I got to experience a small snippet before I actually start in the fall,” said freshman Albany Ray, who will be moving from Manitou, Kentucky. “I don’t have family in Texas. Home will be 13 hours away. But this has helped me with the reassurance that I’ll be okay.”
The Class of 2029 will continue meeting once a week during the fall semester for an evening course with Byrd.