Rice University welcomed admitted students and their families to campus for Owl Days April 13 and for Owl Days Express April 18. The program is an opportunity for new students to explore the campus and its surrounding area. The Class of 2030 connected with fellow Owls, learned more about what the next four years may look like and experienced the university’s community, academics and culture of care.
To start Owl Days, President Reginald DesRoches welcomed the attendees.
“Rice is known for many things: our historic connection to NASA — where President Kennedy gave his famous moon shot speech just steps away in Rice Stadium — our Nobel Prize-winning discovery of the buckyball, our involvement in the engineering of the first artificial heart and our deep partnerships throughout Houston and the world,” DesRoches said. “What we are perhaps best known for is our exceptional undergraduate education. I know I’m biased, but I believe Rice is the best university in the country. I hope that by the end of this weekend, after experiencing our incredible students, brilliant faculty and beautiful campus, you’ll feel the same way.”
The Owl Days program has experienced growth in recent years. This year’s organizers registered 676 students overall, marking 91 more potential students compared to 2025. Owl Days welcomed 479 potential Owls from 39 states and five countries; Owl Days Express welcomed 197 potential Owls from 25 states and five countries.
