Q: How long have you worked at Rice?
A: Nine years
Q: What is your favorite part about working for the university?
A: I’m so inspired by our students. The research that our graduate students do every day is incredible, and so many of them take time out of their busy schedules to support one another and build communities together. They are generous with their time and with their inclusivity. Getting to work closely with them is a huge privilege.
Q: What do you want people to know about living in Houston?
A: It’s such a big city, both in geography and in population, but it can still feel very much like a small town when you get to know people. I came from a very small town in the Midwest, and I’ve lived in several states. Houston was the easiest place to call “home” because of the warm welcome my family received here. Also, the restaurants! The museums! The opera! The zoo! We’re so lucky.
Q: What do you do in your down time?
A: I cook, swim, read and spend time with my husband, our two kids, three rescue dogs and the cat that showed up on our doorstep five years ago.
Q: What’s your favorite spot on campus to show someone?
A: Brockman Hall for Opera
Q: What’s the most exciting time of year for you as it relates to Rice?
A: I’ve always liked the beginning of the academic year, even as a kid. There is something about a fresh start and new pencils.
Q: What’s the one thing that makes Rice special to you?
A: The communities that people build here are really something special. The undergraduate residential colleges have a built-in community, and graduate students have gotten inventive about building those communities from the ground up.
Q: How would you describe your experience as a Rice employee?
A: It’s been challenging in the best possible ways. I started working in the Office of Student Judicial Programs in 2015. That is the student conduct office at Rice, and I learned so much about how the university functions when I was in that role. In 2022, I moved over to graduate studies, and I’ve gotten to know our students in a different way. In my past role and now in my current position, I’m consistently impressed with the support that Rice students receive from staff. My children have grown up watching Rice students do amazing things, and it has been inspiring to them as they decide what they want to do with their lives.
Q: Where do you see Rice in 25 years?
A: Hopefully, even as it grows, Rice will retain the sense of family that makes it feel like home to so many people.
Q: Describe Rice in four words or less.
A: Innovative, welcoming, creative and beautiful.
Q: What else have we not talked about yet that merits discussion?
A: Rice rightfully gets a lot of attention for its STEM education and research. I feel like the Shepherd School of Music gets the appropriate respect in the larger music community, but I’m not sure how many Houstonians are aware of just how exceptional it is. If you have the opportunity to see a pipe organ concert, I highly recommend it. Every performance I have attended at the Shepherd School has been incredible, and it’s all right here!