Rice University recently honored an employee who has dedicated more than 36 years of service to the campus and all who enter its doors. The Sept. 25 celebration for alumna Jan West ’73, assistant director of multicultural community relations, highlighted her tenure, which is marked by breaking barriers and championing diversity. Her roles spanned admissions, personnel and public affairs, where she excelled in community engagement and event organization.
“Rice has been such a big part of my life, and it’s been a wonderful ride,” said West, a native Texan. “I came to Rice in 1969 when I was 17 years old. All I knew was that I wanted to leave Port Arthur, not because it was a bad place, but I wanted something bigger and better.”
She found it within Rice’s hedges, where she was a pioneer as one of the university’s first female Black students. West earned a psychology degree and eventually launched her multidecade career of touching hearts and lives.
Adoration for West overflowed as guests took the microphone to recognize her impact.
“We celebrate the retirement of a woman who is nothing short of extraordinary,” said Melinda Spaulding Chevalier, vice president of public affairs. “Jan is the epitome of a life well lived in service to others: to her colleagues, her students and her community. Jan has been a trailblazer by not just breaking barriers but building bridges. She’s brought people together, lifted up voices that needed to be heard and created spaces where diversity is not just welcomed but championed.”
West’s team member David Medina, director of multicultural community relations, added to the praise.
“One thing that I’m sure all of us would agree on is that Jan was born to help others,” Medina said. “At Rice, she has accomplished her mission admirably. In her 36 years at this university, she has put her heart and soul into helping students, staff, professors and the communities of Houston.”
Through her career, she created award-winning campaigns that earned the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s Circle of Excellence Award. A documentary she co-produced, “Young, Gifted and Black,” was so well assembled and poignant that PBS aired the film throughout Texas. The university also honored her in May with its Meritorious Service Award.