Schedule of Events
Alumni Weekend consists of signature events that are sponsored by the Association of Rice Alumni as well as events hosted by schools, organizations and residential colleges across campus.
Registration for Alumni Weekend includes access to complimentary weekend programming sponsored by the Association of Rice Alumni, and you may individually select any additional paid sessions you wish, such as the Alumni Weekend Welcome Reception, Tailgate and Family Fest, and the Rice vs. Southern Methodist football game. You can also experience all the weekend has to offer by bundling these events together for a discounted price.
Events hosted by schools, organizations and residential colleges are separate from the Alumni Weekend signature events and may require a separate registration. See those events and details below in the Campus Events section.
Signature Events
| Event | Date | Time | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alumni Weekend Headquarters | Friday November 3 |
8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. | Anderson-Clarke Center |
Upon your arrival, check in at Alumni Weekend Headquarters. At this location, you will be able to pick up name badges, ask questions and/or make any registration modifications. |
| Faculty Lecture: Scott Solomon | Friday November 3 |
9:30-10:30 a.m. | Hudspeth Auditorium, Anderson-Clarke Center | Listen to biologist and professor Scott Solomon as he discusses, “From Pacific Islands to Mars: How Exploring the South Pacific Can Inform Our Future in Space.” |
| Faculty Mini-Lectures | Friday November 3 |
10:45-11:45 a.m. | Hudspeth Auditorium, Anderson-Clarke Center |
Hear from four Rice faculty members as they discuss including undergraduate students in research endeavors and facilitating successful collaborations in these Tedx-style talks.
|
| President’s Town Hall | Friday November 3 |
2-3 p.m. | Hudspeth Auditorium, Anderson-Clarke Center | Join the Rice community on campus for a President’s Town Hall with Rice University President Reginald DesRoches and Association of Rice Alumni (ARA) President Tania Min ’90 ’92. Additionally, the 2023 Builders Award recipients will be recognized at this event. |
| Alumni Weekend Welcome Reception | Friday November 3 |
3-4 p.m. | Anderson-Clarke Center Lawn |
Mingle with fellow Owls at this Welcome Reception. Light bites and drinks will be provided. Cost: $15 (+$5 for day-of registrations) |
| Alumni Weekend Headquarters | Saturday November 4 |
8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. | Anderson-Clarke Center | Upon your arrival, check in at Alumni Weekend Headquarters. At this location, you will be able to pick up name badges, ask questions and/or make any registration modifications. |
| Alumni Weekend Community Market | Saturday November 4 |
8:30-11 a.m. | Greenbriar Lot | Support your fellow Owls by perusing products and learning about services offered by Rice alumni business owners at this Community Market. See participating businesses or apply to participate here. |
| Tailgate and Family Fest | Saturday November 4 |
4-6 p.m.* | Tailgate Owley, east side of Rice Stadium |
Mingle with other Owls and enjoy pre-game festivities outside Rice Stadium. Price includes BBQ plate and unlimited water, tea and lemonade. Sodas, wine and beer will be available for purchase. Vegetarian options are also available. Activities include lawn games for all and inflatables for children. Alumni: $25 (+$5 for day-of registrations) Recent Alumni ('13-'23): $20 (+$5 for day-of registrations) Current Students: $15 (+$5 for day-of registrations) Children (ages 3-16): $5 (+$5 for day-of registrations) |
| Rice vs. Southern Methodist football game | Saturday November 4 |
6:30 p.m. | Rice Stadium |
Show your Rice spirit as the Owls take on Southern Methodist University.
Please note that after Oct. 29, football tickets must be purchased online separately from Alumni Weekend registration. |
Please note that the deadline for canceling registration and receiving a refund is October 29.
*Updated from its original start time.
Campus Events
Schools, organizations and residential colleges will be hosting additional events throughout Alumni Weekend. These events are separate from the Alumni Weekend signature events and may require a separate registration.
Additional events and details will be added as they are confirmed.
| Event | Date | Time | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice Story Booth | Friday November 3 |
9 a.m.-7 p.m. | Anderson-Clarke Center |
Stop by the Rice Story Booth at check-in to record your responses to these questions! With your permission, the responses will be transcribed and made available online as part of the Rice University Archives. Owls near and far will enjoy your tales for years to come! * Tell us about a Rice tradition that has been the most meaningful to you. * What traditions or advice would you most like to share with the next generation of Owls? |
| Hidden Gems Tour | Friday November 3 |
10-10:45 a.m. 1-1:45 p.m. |
Lovett Hall - Founder's Court (in front of Sallyport) |
Be one of the first to take our Hidden Gems tour. Our student tour guides will highlight unique architectural features and provide history on our beautiful campus. Please RSVP if you plan to attend. |
|
Rice Architecture Homecoming Weekend |
Friday November 3 |
10-11 a.m. 11 a.m.-noon 2-3 p.m. 3-4 p.m. |
MD Anderson Hall |
Rice Architecture and Linbeck Group are hosting hard hat tours of new construction project, William T. Cannady Hall. All tour times are open to the public, and an RSVP is required. Hard hats will also be provided to guests, and they are required to enter the site. There is no wheelchair accessibility to the building at this stage of construction. Please RSVP if you plan to attend. |
| Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen Tour featuring Rice360 Fellows | Friday November 3 |
11 a.m.-noon | Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen | Get an inside look at the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen. Lab assistants will be on hand to answer your questions as you explore our maker space where engineering undergraduates design solutions to real-world projects. Stop by the Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies table to ask the current students and Global Health Fellows about their devices that are designed and deployed specifically for low-resource settings. This event will be held Open House style. Visitors are welcome to come and go at their own pace. Don't forget to ask why it's called a kitchen! |
|
U.S. Elections and the Health of our Democracy (SOLD OUT) |
Friday November 3 |
11:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Ralph S. O’Connor Building for Engineering and Science, Bill and Stephanie Sick Event Suite and Terrace (5th Floor) |
Join us for an educational program presenting research and analysis related to voters’ trust in U.S. elections, endorsed by the Baker Institute of Public Policy and the School of Social Sciences. Professor Mark P. Jones & Mr. John Williams will be the two panelists. (SOLD OUT) |
| Friday November 3 |
12-1 p.m. |
MD Anderson Hall, Farish Gallery |
Architectural historian and lecturer at the Rice School of Architecture, Stephen Fox will deliver a lunchtime lecture. The event is free and light refreshments will be served. | |
|
Moody Center Exhibition Tour |
Friday November 3 |
12-1 p.m. | Moody Center for the Arts | Explore the fall 2023 exhibit "Above Front Tears Nest in South" by artist Laure Prouvost in this tour. |
|
Garden Tour |
Friday November 3 |
12-1:45 p.m. | The Betty and Jacob Friedman Holistic Garden | Refreshments made from garden produce, such as mint tea and lemon grass tea, will be provided. |
|
Ralph S. O'Connor Building for Engineering and Science Tours |
Friday November 3 |
12:30-1 p.m. 1-1:30 p.m. 1:30-2 p.m. |
Ralph S. O'Connor Building for Engineering and Science | Join us every 30 minutes (12:30, 1:00 and 1:30 p.m.) for guided tours of the engineering quad's newest building, the Ralph S. O'Connor Building for Engineering and Science. Opened in September 2023, this building is home to two large classrooms, a café and state-of-the-art research laboratories. Learn about Rice's engineering and science research neighborhoods where students work alongside world-class faculty to translate bold ideas into groundbreaking research. |
|
A Natural History Tour of Rice University |
Friday November 3 |
1-1:45 p.m. | Meet at Johnson Owl Deck at Harris Gully. | Join Cin-Ty Lee, Professor of Earth Sciences, on a walking tour of our beautiful campus, where 265 birds, 350 plants and 800 insect species have been recorded. On this tour, you will get a taste of urban biodiversity. If time permits, we will also visit the university’s geology museum. |
|
Mechanical Engineering Alumni Meetup |
Friday November 3 |
1-2 p.m. | Graduate Commons (Valhalla Courtyard between Keck Hall and George R. Brown Hall) | Mechanical Engineering alumni, students, faculty, and staff are invited! Enjoy a chance to chat, connect, and catch up with your fellow MECHs, past and present! Please RSVP if you plan to attend. |
| Rice Thresher Open House | Friday November 3 |
3-4:30 p.m. | Rice Thresher Office (second floor of the RMC, up the stairs by the Study Abroad office; we will put signs on the walls) | Join the Rice Thresher for an informal open house! Meet senior editors and learn more about the work that goes into each issue of the 108th volume of the Thresher. We will have recent issues, extra copies of our centennial magazine from 2016, fun new merchandise and light refreshments. |
| Civil and Environmental Engineering Alumni and Student Mixer |
Friday |
3-5 p.m. | Ralph S. O’Connor Building for Engineering and Science, Room 131 |
Rice civil and environmental engineering alumni, students, faculty, and staff are invited to a CEVE/ASCE Alumni and Student Mixer during Alumni Weekend. Join the Rice student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers for food, fun activities, and a chance to chat, connect, and catch up with your fellow CEVEs, past and present! Please join the Rice CEVE LinkedIn group to receive information on future events like these. We look forward to seeing you! Please RSVP if you plan to attend. |
| Alumni in Finance | Friday November 3 |
3-5 p.m. | Rice Management Company |
Join Rice Alumni in Finance for a social event during Alumni Weekend. Network with fellow alumni who have an interest in finance or work in the industry as you enjoy a beverage and light snacks hosted by the Rice Management Company. All are welcome to attend this event and we ask that you RSVP by emailing Kristen Wilbanks (kristen.wilbanks@rice.edu) with your name and name of any guests by Wednesday, Nov. 1. |
| Sid Fiesta in the Quad | Friday November 3 |
4-5 p.m. | Sid Richardson Quad |
Meet students, see new Sid and munch on chips, queso and other tidbits. Please RSVP if you plan to attend. |
|
Sid Magister Open House |
Friday November 3 |
4-6 p.m. | Sid Magister House | Enjoy wine, cheese and great conversations with fellow alumni and the Sid Magister. |
|
Wiess Taco Tuesday on Friday |
Friday November 3 |
4-5:30 p.m. |
The Acabowl (Wiess College Quad) |
Calling all Wiess Alumni, please join us in the Acabowl for Taco Tuesday on Friday! Drinks included and no fee required. Please RSVP if you plan to attend. |
|
Baker Hellcoming |
Friday November 3 |
4-5:30 p.m. | Baker Quad |
Join us for a traditional Baker Spirit Friday to put alumni back into the spirit of things. We will have Thai food, lots of red drinks, a cider keg, merchandise, and good vibes. The event will be open to students and alumni with lots of opportunities to mingle. Please RSVP if you plan to attend. |
|
Brown Alumni FITQ |
Friday November 3 |
4-5:30 p.m. | Brown Quad |
All Brownies past and present are welcome to attend a FITQ in the Brown quad. Join us for an ice cream sundae bar, music, snacks and beverages! No fee required. Please RSVP if you plan to attend. |
| Duncan College Alumni Happy Hour | Friday November 3 |
4:30-6:30 p.m. | Duncan Magister House |
We hope you can make more memories with us during Alumni Weekend! We will be hosting a happy hour at the Duncan Magister House. It would be wonderful to welcome you back to your Duncan home! Please RSVP if you plan to attend. |
|
Jones Alumni FITQ |
Friday November 3 |
4-5:30 p.m. | Achard Courtyard |
We are excited to invite alumni back to Jones. Join current students and alumni for a traditional FITQ with games, a nacho bar and beverages. Please RSVP if you plan to attend. |
|
Lovett College Alumni Fun Friday |
Friday November 3 |
4-5:30 p.m. | Lovett Quad |
We are so excited to welcome alumni back to Lovett for our Alumni Fun Friday. Come out to join current Lovetteers and other alums for food, drinks, music and most of all, FUN! Please RSVP if you plan to attend. |
|
Residential College Reception at Martel |
Friday November 3 |
4-5:30 p.m. | Martel Quad |
Join us for loaded nachos and beverages! Share stories of your time at Martel with students. Please RSVP if you plan to attend. |
|
Will Rice Keg in the Quad |
Friday November 3 |
4-5:30 p.m. |
Will Rice Quad |
We are excited to have alumni join us for a traditional Will Rice KITQ. Join current students and alumni for a fun afternoon with drinks, snacks and good company! Please RSVP if you plan to attend. |
| McMurtry Alumni FITQ | Friday November 3 |
4-6 p.m. |
McMurtry Quad |
We are excited to welcome alumni back for a FITQ at McMurtry. In the same way McMurtry was your home base at Rice during your time here, we hope it can serve as your home base during the Alumni Weekend celebrations. Join current students and alumni in a traditional FITQ with games, music and refreshments! Please RSVP if you plan to attend. |
| School of Engineering Alumni Reception & Conversation with the Dean | Friday November 3 |
5-6:30 p.m. |
Duncan Hall |
You’re invited to a special engineering Alumni Weekend event. Join us at 5:15 p.m. in McMurtry Auditorium for a moderated discussion with Dean of Engineering Luay Nakhleh, followed by a toast to graduates from the Class of 1973 celebrating their 50th reunion. Dean Nakhleh will take your questions live or you can submit them when you register. Then join us in Martel Hall and enjoy delicious light bites and beverages while catching up with former classmates and engineering faculty. Please RSVP if you plan to attend. |
| School of Social Sciences Alumni Homecoming Reception | Friday November 3 |
5:30-7 p.m. | Kraft Hall 130 |
You are invited to join School of Social Sciences Dean Rachel Kimbro and former classmates for cocktails and a light dinner during Alumni Weekend! |
| Science in a Flash and Natural Sciences Dean State of the School Champagne Reception | Friday November 3 |
5:30-7 p.m. | Brockman Hall for Physics |
Join us for graduate student presentations and Dean Killian's address to alumni. There is no cost for this event. |
| Friday November 3 |
5:30-7 p.m. | Lee and Joe Jamail Courtyard and Humanities Building lobby, School of Humanities |
You are invited to join Kathleen Canning, Dean of the School of Humanities, and John Eldridge ’75, Chair of the Humanities Advisory Board, for a wine and champagne reception. This is a free event open to all Rice alumni, especially our Humanities graduates. |
|
| Friday November 3 |
5:30-7 p.m. | MD Anderson Hall | All alumni are invited to attend. The event is free. | |
| Friday November 3 |
6-8 p.m. | Valhalla |
Alumni, are you looking for a way to share your wisdom from your grad school experience and pass it forward? Or are you looking to recruit from soon-to-be-graduating students? Or are you just looking to hang out with students and other alumni? Well, say no more: the GSA is hosting a get-together between graduate students and alumni on Friday, November 3rd at 6-8 p.m. in the Grad Student Commons outside Valhalla! Many of our students have asked for more interactions with alumni to see what it was like in your shoes and what opportunities are out there in the world following grad school. Please fill out this form and we look forward to seeing y'all there! |
|
| Friday November 3 |
6-8 p.m. | Tudor Fieldhouse | Watch the nationally renowned Rice volleyball team take on new conference rival Tulane. Tickets are $10. | |
|
Rice Business & The Consortium Partnership: 5 Years of Success! 5th Year Anniversary |
Friday November 3 |
6-9 p.m. | Gibbs Gallery - McNair Hall | Join us for a reception and dinner to celebrate this partnership. |
|
Shepherd School Opera - Eugene Onegin (SOLD OUT) |
Friday November 3 |
7:30-10 p.m. | Lucian and Nancy Morrison Theater, Brockman Hall for Opera | Overflowing emotions, a heart-pounding duel, glittering spectacle, gripping drama, and unforgettable melodies—Eugene Onegin has it all. Be transported as Tchaikovsky’s ardent, achingly beautiful music meets Pushkin’s fascinating tale of unrequited love, missed opportunity, and pride driven past the point of no return. The Shepherd School of Music presents the fully staged opera directed by Paul Curran with the Shepherd School Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Stephanie Rhodes Russell. Sung in Russian with English surtitles. Tickets required. $15+ (SOLD OUT) |
| Hanszen College Reception | Friday November 3 |
8-10 p.m. | Hanszen Quad |
We are delighted to invite you to a cocktail reception at Hanszen College to celebrate our first year in our new residential building. Designed by Barkow Leibinger, a well-known architectural firm based in Berlin, the new Hanszen building is one of the first mass timber constructions in Houston. The reception will be from 8 to 10 p.m. on Friday, November 3, 2023, in the Hanszen Quad. We will have live music, hors d'oeuvres, desserts, wine and other delights. Tours of the building will take place just before the reception from 7 to 8 p.m. We hope you will join us to celebrate! Please RSVP to hans@rice.edu with the number in your party. |
| Rice Story Booth | Saturday November 4 |
9 a.m.-1 p.m. | Anderson-Clarke Center |
Stop by the Rice Story Booth at check-in to record your responses to these questions! With your permission, the responses will be transcribed and made available online as part of the Rice University Archives. Owls near and far will enjoy your tales for years to come! * Tell us about a Rice tradition that has been the most meaningful to you. * What traditions or advice would you most like to share with the next generation of Owls? |
| Saturday November 4 |
9-11 a.m. | 5th Floor Event Space in the Ralph S. O'Connor Building | There is no cost to attend. Alumni, students, faculty and staff are welcome to join Praying Rice Owls for their annual Prayer Breakfast. | |
| ARUBA General Body Meeting | Saturday November 4 |
10-11 a.m. | Kinder Institute for Urban Research (Kraft Hall 130) | There is a general body meeting for all ARUBA members, a call to action for advisory board committee updates, information about opportunities to volunteer, and save-the-date announcements. |
| Coffeehouse Founder Chat | Saturday November 4 |
10:30-11:30 a.m. | Farnsworth Pavilion | Join us as we hear from Coffeehouse founder Marti (Brewer) Sharkey and other Coffeehouse General Managers over the years. From founding to space changes to global pandemics, dive into the rich history of Rice's favorite student-run caffeine hub. |
| Saturday November 4 |
noon-1:30 p.m. | Ralph S. O’Connor Building for Engineering and Science, Bill and Stephanie Sick Event Suite and Terrace (5th Floor) |
Rice CS alumni are invited to join the Department of Computer Science for a reception on campus during Alumni Weekend. Catch up with your fellow alumni and see the new Ralph S. O’Connor Building for Engineering and Science that recently opened in place of the old Abercrombie building. The reception will be held in the new building's 5th-floor event space, the Bill and Stephanie Sick Event Suite and Terrace. Drinks & hors d'oeuvres will be served. Guests are welcome. Please RSVP if you plan to attend. |
|
| SOLAR Lotería Social | Saturday November 4 |
noon-2 p.m. | Peter and Nancy Huff House |
Join the Society of Latino Alumni of Rice for an Alumni Weekend Lotería Social to learn how to get involved, meet the new E-Board, and reconnect with SOLAR members! |
| Saturday November 4 |
1-1:45 p.m. | Lovett Hall - Founder's Court (in front of Sallyport) |
Be one of the first to take our Hidden Gems tour. Our student tour guides will highlight unique architectural features and provide history on our beautiful campus. Please RSVP if you plan to attend. |
|
| Saturday November 4 |
2-4 p.m. | Tudor Fieldhouse | Watch the nationally renowned Rice Volleyball team take on new conference rival Tulane. Tickets are $10. | |
|
New Art/New Music |
Saturday November 4 |
3-5 p.m. |
Moody Center for the Arts |
Experience musical responses to the Moody's fall exhibition, composed and performed by Shepherd School of Music students. Original compositions will be played in the galleries, followed by a reception. The event is free and open to the public. |
| Saturday November 4 |
4-6 p.m. | Peter and Nancy Huff House | Rice Alumni Pride will be hosting a reception to celebrate the work being done and to offer alumni a chance to reconnect with the affinity group. Free to attend. | |
|
Former ARA Board Table at Tailgate |
Saturday November 4 |
4-6 p.m. | Tailgate Owley, east side of Rice Stadium | Former Association of Rice Alumni Board Members Tailgate Table (Cost: Same as Tailgate and Family Fest Pricing.) |
|
Rice Business Homecoming Tailgate 2023 |
Saturday November 4 |
Dependent upon the football game time | Outside Rice Stadium |
Join us for a tailgate outside the stadium. We'll have tents, a DJ, food and a bar. Details and registration link to come. |
|
Rice Football Roadshow Tailgate Booth |
Saturday November 4 |
Tailgate time | Outside Rice Stadium | Come see football memorabilia from the Rice University Archives on display in a booth/tent. There will be no cost. Hosted by Fondren Library (Friends of Fondren Library and Woodson Research Center). |
| Saturday November 4 |
Pregame concert to begin 1.5 hours prior to kickoff. | Outside Rice Stadium | As the season reaches its peak, we are thrilled to announce the season headliner for the concert series - the one and only Kyle Park! Taking the stage on November 4, this Texas country music sensation will serenade us with his chart-topping hits and high-energy performances. It's a day you won't want to miss, as we cheer on the Rice Owls against Southern Methodist University during Alumni Weekend. |
Additional Alumni Weekend Events
Rice Global Paris Center Alumni Event | Monday, November 6 from 6-8 pm
Rice Global Paris Center will celebrate Rice Alumni Weekend in Paris! We will host an open house and reception for alumni who reside in France/Europe and are unable to join the Houston events. Alumni will be able to mingle with other alumni abroad, get a tour of the newly opened Paris Center and learn about what the center is doing along with upcoming events.
Check out who's attending Alumni Weekend 2023!
Please note that only those who have selected to be displayed on the attendee list (via the opt-in included in the registration process) will appear.
