Q: How long have you worked at Rice?
A: Four years.
Q: What is your favorite part about working for the university?
A: I’ve been lucky to work with and learn from strong women mentors.
Q: What do you want people to know about living in Houston?
A: The food scene is one of the best in the world. You can find any cuisine you like.
Q: What do you do in your downtime?
A: I love to run, hike, spend time outdoors and watch sitcoms.
Q: What’s your favorite spot on campus to show someone?
A: Skyspace at sunset. It’s an experience like no other.
Q: What’s the most exciting time of year for you as it relates to Rice?
A: Orientation Week. I love the energy, excitement and hope that a new school year brings.
Q: What’s the one thing that makes Rice special to you?
A: I went to Rice for undergrad, and I’ve been working for Rice since I graduated four years ago. I’ve grown so much both personally and professionally because of Rice, and it’s introduced me to my best friends and greatest mentors. Rice has empowered me to grow into the kind of person I aspire to be.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: Meeting educators from across the world who are passionate about making learning more inclusive, accessible and equitable for their students.
Q: What are your most memorable accomplishments?
A: I’ve been lucky to have access to lots of incredible opportunities and resources throughout my life. Some of my most memorable accomplishments are graduating from Rice, pursuing a career in social impact, training for a half-marathon and studying for the LSAT as I hope to go to law school in a few years.
I’ve presented at nine virtual and in-person conferences on open education — I’m proud of myself for applying for these summits and putting OpenStax’s incredible work out there for the world to see.
Q: What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?
A: Outside of work, I volunteer at the local children’s library, tutor and mentor K-5 students from low-income communities and serve as an alumni admissions interviewer for Rice. I am also a member of the Rice Staff Council — I was elected as secretary last year, and this year I was elected as chair of the staff recognition committee.
For fun, I love to run, spend time outdoors, travel and watch comedies. My all-time favorite show is “Malcolm in the Middle.” I recommend giving it a watch if you’re in for a good laugh.
Q: What advice would you give to new employees?
A: Ask people to get coffee, including folks in different departments and roles you find interesting. Rice has several wonderful coffee shops. Coffeehouse is my favorite, but check them all out.
Q: Would you share a bit about your background and career journey?
A: I graduated from Rice in May 2021 with a degree in psychology and sociology. I’ve been passionate about education equity since I was a kid — my brother has autism, and his experiences navigating public K-12 education inspired me to work to make education more accessible for students like him. I’ve worked for OpenStax since May 2021. I started as a marketing specialist, was promoted to demand generation specialist and was then promoted to marketing and communications lead for our higher education team. I plan on going to law school in a few years.
Q: What’s your favorite lunch spot or snack?
A: I live right next door to a Chuy’s, so I love to go there to grab lunch with friends. Plus, the unlimited chips and salsa are perfection.
Q: What’s your secret talent?
A: I know a lot of random facts, so I’m great at “Jeopardy!” and bar trivia. You’ll want me on your team.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
A: Journal more. It’s a fantastic way to reflect and learn more about yourself, and it’s really cool to have a time capsule of your life that you can look back on to see how much you’ve grown.
Q: If you could be Sammy The Owl for a day, what would you do?
A: Take a bunch of selfies with staff and students around campus and try to get a photo with Reggie.
Q: How would you describe your experience as a Rice employee?
A: Rice has given me lots of exciting, unique opportunities to grow my professional skills and network with passionate educators from across the world. I’ve built my product marketing, presentation and communication skills through different upskilling opportunities, like the Professional Certified Digital Marketer program from the American Marketing Association. I used to fear public speaking, but now I lead webinars with more than 500 attendees with no problem. I’ve also been able to travel to several different states to present at, organize and attend conferences on education accessibility and marketing.
Q: Where do you see Rice in 25 years?
A: Preparing bright, ambitious students to change the world for the better. Uncovering even more life-changing scientific discoveries. Conducting research and publishing articles, books and artworks that reflect diverse lived experiences and perspectives
Q: What’s your favorite memory from your time with Rice?
A: I traveled to Providence, Rhode Island, last year for the Open Education Conference, where I presented on topics related to education accessibility and affordability — two causes I’m deeply passionate about. I met so many incredible, courageous educators working diligently to improve the education space, and I had an amazing time getting to know my co-workers more and exploring the area.
Q: Describe Rice in four words or less.
A: Innovative, collaborative, introspective and world-changing.