Founder’s Court buzzed with energy Friday evening as around 2,000 Rice University students gathered for Moody X-Fest, a spirited celebration filled with live music, games, custom swag and complimentary bites from local vendors.
Now in its third year, Moody X-Fest has quickly become a spring tradition. The festival commemorates the Moody Foundation’s landmark $100 million donation in 2021, Rice’s largest single gift dedicated to enhancing the student experience. The funding supports the construction of a new student center and a dozen endowments, collectively called the Moody Experience, aimed at enriching undergraduate and graduate life.
“Moody X-Fest is designed to be an exciting end-of-the-year celebration for our students that showcases student creativity and talents and highlights the transformational support the university has received from the Moody Foundation,” said Andy Osborn, program manager of educational initiatives. “We are excited to see it continue to grow and evolve, especially as we are able to involve more and more students in the event.”
Students enjoyed free fare from the Waffle Bus, Dripped Birria, Raising Cane’s, Oh My Gogi, Vegan Hippie, Pudgy’s Cookies, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and Boba Cart HTX, while taking in performances by student music groups Mariachi Luna Llena, Basyk, Rice Kasama, Rice Nocturnal and Basmati Beats. The evening culminated with a headlining set by bôa, a band recently revived in popularity thanks to TikTok.
Attendees also played games from inflatable axe throwing to ping pong, and they took home free merchandise, including a T-shirt designed by freshman Ana Budimlic, who won the $250 top prize for her submission.
“It is a nice event to celebrate the end of the semester with lots of good music and different types of food,” freshman Rebecca Attias said.
Freshman Luis Salazar said he also enjoyed the evening. “The free food, games and live music on the last day of classes is a nice little reward before finals,” he said.
As students celebrated the last day of classes and prepared for finals week, senior Lara Zadrozny said the event offered a much-needed break from academic pressures. “It’s exciting to blow off some steam at the end of the semester before finals start,” she said.
Since 1964, the Moody Foundation has been instrumental in shaping Rice’s academic and extracurricular landscape. From the establishment of the Frances Moody Newman Endowed Chair to broad-based student programs, its nearly 60-year legacy continues to strengthen Rice’s reputation as a center of opportunity and growth.
Photos by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University. Video by Gustavo Raskosky/Rice University.