Q: How long have you worked at Rice?
A: April marks 6 months.
Q: What is your favorite part about working for the university?
A: I have to shout out Rice's LGBTQ+ students. They all have such great ideas on cool initiatives and projects on campus and beyond.
Q: What do you want people to know about living in Houston?
A: The food is unmatched. There are so many hidden gems throughout the city.
Q: What do you do in your downtime?
A: I like to chill at home with my cat Ralph. I've also been working on a medium-sized cross-stitch project for a few months now. I've also started getting back into video games thanks to my partner.
Q: What's your favorite spot on campus to show someone?
A: Chaus is an amazing spot and in my opinion the best coffee on campus. I love bringing folks to have their first cup there.
Q: What's the most exciting time of year for you as it relates to Rice?
A: Rice Pride Week. It's so amazing seeing all the pride flags and LGBTQ+ programming on campus. As a plus, it makes the campus look a little more colorful for a week.
Q: What's the one thing that makes Rice special to you?
A: Rice is so walkable. One end of the Inner Loop to the other end is only a 15-20 minute walk at a leisurely pace. We're also right next to the Museum District, which makes trips to the museums so accessible.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: I love how far my job goes beyond Rice. I get to regularly communicate with local LGBTQ+ organizations and public universities to create programming that supports the LGBTQ+ community across Houston.
Q: What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?
A: Although I'm a little rusty, I love covering K-pop dances. I've even considered creating a dance account just for myself and a few of my friends.
Q: What advice would you give to new employees?
A: Take everything in stride. Rice is unlike most other universities out there; give yourself the time to learn about all the structures and traditions that make it unique.
Q: Would you share a bit about your background and career journey?
A: I have five years of experience working with the local LGBTQ+ community. Before working at Rice, I worked at the Montrose Center (Houston's LGBTQ+ community center).
Q: What's one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
A: You know yourself best. Remember to stay true to yourself, especially when it comes to making important decisions.
Q: What's your favorite memory from your time with Rice?
A: Recently, we had our Lavender Graduation, a special ceremony to honor our LGBTQ+ graduates. One of the student speakers was a student I worked with closely over the last academic year. They made sure to express their gratitude to me and even mentioned that this year was one of the best they've had, and it was partly due to me being present on campus. That truly helped me understand the significance of my role at Rice, and I'll carry them with me forever.