Linked arm-in-arm, cheered on by upperclassmen and guided by a candlelit path, Rice University’s newest Owls took their first steps through the Sallyport Aug. 17 — a rite of passage that marks not just the start of college but the beginning of a life-changing journey.
This year’s matriculation was especially significant: It welcomed the largest incoming class in Rice’s history — 1,336 new Owls, including 63 transfer students. They hail from 49 states, three U.S. territories, Washington, D.C., and 58 countries with international students making up 14% of the class. More than 36,000 students applied for admission, reflecting Rice’s rising national and global profile.
The Class of 2029 entered by residential college, each group met with cheers and signs from their future peers as fireworks lit up the night’s sky. Some students had seen videos of the ritual before they arrived, while others had no idea what awaited them.
For Maryam Salman, who traveled from Pakistan to join Jones College, the scene was unforgettable. “The cheering, the fireworks — I literally felt it in my core … it felt like I’m entering something new,” Salman said. Nearby, Hanszen College’s Molly Vance, a Houston native, echoed the same sense of belonging: “Everybody’s really nice, and it already feels like home.”
That blend of wonder and reassurance rippled through the crowd. Wiess College’s Michael Yu, a first-year student from Las Vegas, admitted the reality was different even from what he expected after hearing stories from his older brother, a recent Rice graduate. “It feels surreal … like I’m really a Rice student now,” Yu said.
Others described the tradition as a kind of magic. Chikanma Okoisor, a new student from Nigeria in Martel College, called it “like something out of Harry Potter.” For Sid Richardson College’s Teddy Staebler, the moment closed a loop that began during the application process: “I saw the tradition online when I was applying. Now that I’ve walked through it myself, I just hope in four years I’ll leave knowing I made the most of everything Rice offers.”
The walk through Sallyport is more than a spectacle — it’s history. For more than a century, incoming students have entered through the arch at matriculation and exited only once more, at commencement. In the days leading up to O-Week, the university also welcomed 180 participants to Undergraduate International Orientation, a program designed to help new international students find community in Houston before joining their peers.
Bridget Gorman, dean of undergraduates, reminded the class that their Rice experience would be defined as much by growth as by academics.
“Everyone’s journey is your own, and you may discover your life’s passion where you least expect it,” Gorman said. “Take chances, make friends and allow yourself to grow in surprising ways.”
Rice President Reginald DesRoches reinforced that message with a reminder of the legacy students now share.
“When you walk through the Sallyport tonight, you aren’t just entering campus — you become part of a legacy that spans generations,” DesRoches said. “Rice stands apart not only because of academic excellence but because of a culture that combines rigorous intellectual pursuit with genuine care for one another. Welcome home.”
For sophomore Karlianna Kapche, an O-Week adviser with Duncan College, watching this year’s freshman class follow the same path she walked just a year ago was emotional. “Seeing them come through as a family brings it full circle,” Kapche said. “I just hope they find the same close-knit community that welcomed me.”
Senior Trevor Tobey, president of the Student Association, encouraged the class to lean into discomfort. “Three years ago, I sat exactly where you are now, disoriented by O-Week and wondering what I had gotten myself into,” Tobey said. “Comfort fades, but truth lasts. Build your life here on what endures. Rice didn’t choose you because you fit a mold — they chose you because you broke it.”
And for alumna Alicia Burns Wright ’08, who will stand alongside fellow Rice friends at her wedding later this year, the Sallyport tradition is both a reminder and a promise. “You’ll grow in major ways — maybe in your career path, maybe in your beliefs, maybe in the friendships you make,” Wright said. “I still deeply cherish my time here. I can’t wait to see how you’ll add to Rice’s legacy.”
As the fireworks burst above and cheers echoed across the Academic Quadrangle, William Ortiz-Mena, a first-year student at McMurtry College, captured the spirit of the night in a single thought: “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The next time I walk through will be graduation. That’s crazy to think about. But tonight, I know I’m exactly where I belong,” Ortiz-Mena said.
Be sure to check out the photos from O-Week. Students might find themselves, new friends or special moments captured at their colleges.