For Annelie Han, the most meaningful parts of her Rice University experience have been rooted in both learning and connection.
“I think I thrive most when I can really connect with the community around me and build meaningful relationships,” said Han, a senior double-majoring in psychology and sociology.
That belief shaped how she approached her time at Rice, from the classroom to the community and into leadership roles across campus. It guided her work, deepened her academic interests and ultimately helped define the kind of impact she hopes to make after graduation.
Originally from the West Coast, Han said she did not expect to find herself in Houston. But after hearing from Rice alumni in her community, she took a chance on a place that quickly became home.
“I heard that the community at Rice is really supportive and caring, and it really has been such a blessing to be here,” she said. “I love the diversity, the food and the people most of all.”
That sense of community often guided her at Rice, both in and beyond the classroom.
Through the Kinder Institute for Urban Research’s Community Bridges program, Han partnered with Legacy Community Health, where she worked directly with patients to assess their needs and connect them to essential resources.
One moment continues to stand out.
A patient needed transportation to a medical appointment but did not have a way to get there. Han stepped in and helped the patient make it to the clinic.
“All I did was connect her to a service,” Han said. “But you could hear how much it mattered that someone noticed and that someone cared.”
Experiences like that reinforced her desire to turn what she was learning into something tangible.
“I wasn’t just here to get good grades,” she said. “I wanted to translate what I was learning into real-world impact.”
Over time, that work led her in an unexpected direction.
While she began college with a focus on community health, Han discovered a passion for building the systems that support people behind the scenes. Through leadership roles as a School of Social Sciences ambassador, a lab manager with the VOCES Research Collective and a student leader at the Center for Career Development, she found herself drawn to creating environments where others could succeed.
She also explored how emerging tools like artificial intelligence can support that work, leading a workshop that encouraged students to use AI as a tool, not a replacement for human connection.
“I found a love for creating systems and cultures that support people in thriving and doing their best,” she said. “People spend most of their lives at work, so what a great place to make a difference.”
That perspective now shapes how she thinks about leadership.
“I love [working] alongside people, especially in moments of uncertainty,” she said.
As she prepares to graduate, Han is focused less on finding a specific job and more on the impact she hopes to make. She plans to pursue people-focused work in human resources or organizational strategy within mission-driven organizations.
“I’ve experienced what it looks like to create spaces where people feel cared for and empowered,” she said. “That’s something I want to carry with me wherever I go.”
What began as a search for community at Rice became a foundation for the impact she hopes to make beyond it.
“I’m just filled with gratitude,” she said. “And I’m excited to take what I’ve learned here and bring that culture of care into the world.”