Q: How long have you worked at Rice?
A: 35 years. Plus, four years before that as a student. Go Hanszen, Class of 1989!
Q: What is your favorite part about working for the university?
A: Where to begin. The community is awesome — so friendly and helpful. Students are amazingly bright and humble. The campus is gorgeous, and my work is challenging and fulfilling. Why would I go anywhere else?
Q: What do you want people to know about living in Houston?
A: It’s an easy and fun city to live in, and people are kind. There might be other places I’d want to visit, but Houston is where I want to live.
Q: What do you do in your downtime?
A: Go to my son’s go-kart races and my daughter’s volleyball games, and watch F1 with my family. I also enjoy our many pets. And I binge watch “Naked and Afraid,” which is ironic because I don’t even go camping.
Q: What’s your favorite spot on campus to show someone?
A: Rice’s main entrance when the fuchsia azaleas are blooming in the spring.
Q: What’s the most exciting time of year for you as it relates to Rice?
A: Reading season for the Admission Office. I loved reading files back in my early years as an admission counselor. Now, I love supporting the process behind the scenes by configuring the reading process to support the readers. It’s an honor that our applicants have chosen to share the stories, background and dreams with us through the application process.
Q: What’s the one thing that makes Rice special to you?
A: The residential colleges are my favorite part of Rice. I still benefit from my student experience because my Rice friends pursued all different kinds of academic and extracurricular interests at Rice and different paths after graduation. They’re an interesting group of people I may not have become friends with otherwise.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: I love the cyclical nature of my work. Every year is a chance to do things better. Also, I love that my work helps students find their best fit for college.
Q: What are your most memorable accomplishments?
A: My three beautiful children: Max, Sam and Zoe. It’s never a dull moment at our house.
Q: What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?
A: I’ve been almost exclusively focused on work and children for the past 22 years. I’m excited to become an empty nester next year. Maybe I’ll learn bridge.
Q: What advice would you give to new employees?
A: Think about joining Staff Council. I’m in my second year on Staff Council, and even though I’ve been at Rice for a million years, I’m learning so much from my Staff Council colleagues who represent many other parts of the university.
Q: Would you share a bit about your background and career journey?
A: Honestly, I stumbled in my first job at Rice as an assistant director of admission. Being an introvert, I’ve always most enjoyed the planning and organizing part of the job. To make a long story short, fortunately over the last 35 years there’s been an evolution in the tools and technology available to support enrollment, and I found my niche.
Q: What’s your favorite lunch spot or snack?
A: I like hanging out outside Valhalla under the trees.
Q: What’s your secret talent?
A: I like to think I can talk to the squirrels.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
A: Keep a journal to remember all the good times and lessons learned.
Q: If you could be Sammy The Owl for a day, what would you do?
A: I’d find stressed-out students and make them smile.
Q: How would you describe your experience as a Rice employee?
A: Challenging and rewarding. I work with an amazing group of people that evolves each year but somehow consistently amazes me with their commitment, hard work and humor.
Q: Where do you see Rice in 25 years?
A: I’m not sure, but I can say that Rice is a place that I’ve been increasingly proud of year after year. I imagine I’ll be in a rocking chair and telling people, “That’s my school!”
Q: What’s your favorite memory from your time with Rice?
A: O-Week. I knew Rice had a great O-Week, but I just assumed that every school did. That belief was dispelled after dropping my sons off at two different schools where they weren’t inundated with welcomes upon arrival and were sent off to eat their first dinners by themselves.
Q: Describe Rice in four words or less.
A: Quirky, clever and caring.