Featured here are the most frequently asked questions we get from Rice alumni looking for help accessing their post-graduation perks or looking for ways to continue their relationship with the university. We also have technical support documentation for digital services like the Rice Portal and alumni email addresses.
Staying Connected l Alumni Resources l The Rice Portal l Alumni Email Addresses l Events l Misc.
Staying Connected
How can I update my contact information?
Contact information can be updated immediately in the Rice Portal. If you already have a Rice Portal account, you can access it at riceconnect.rice.edu. To sign up for your Rice Portal account, visit riceconnect.rice.edu/login and click “New User Registration.” Please allow 3-5 business days for account activation.
You can also update your contact information by filling out the profile update form or emailing your contact information update request to alumrec@rice.edu. Please note that these methods can take up to five business days to be reflected in your account.
How can I sign up for emails from the Rice alumni office or update my email preferences?
We want to honor your preferences and give you more options to manage your email and mail communications.
Email subscriptions and preferences for Development and Alumni Relations and select university partners can be managed through the Rice Portal. Log in to your portal account (or sign up for a Portal account if necessary) then select "My Communications Preferences" under the "Manage My Account" heading in the left-hand column.
Can I opt-in to receive email communications for events in multiple cities or regions?
Yes, while alumni are invited to regional events based on the address listed in their Rice Portal account, you can opt-in to receive communications in multiple cities/regions by subscribing to Rice alumni regional communications.
How can I connect with Rice alumni in my area?
You can connect with Rice alumni in your area through regional groups. The Association of Rice Alumni, in conjunction with local volunteers, has established regional groups around the nation and the world with the goal of fostering community through a range of programs and activities that are unique to each region and its members. Regional groups provide opportunities for alumni, parents and friends to interact with fellow Owls in their area and stay connected to Rice.
For more information, visit the Rice alumni regional groups webpage.
How can I connect with Rice alumni with shared identities or interests?
You can connect with Rice alumni with shared identities or interests through Rice Alumni affinity groups. Affinity groups are largely Houston-based groups that are formed on the basis of shared ethnicity, professional pursuits, leisure activities and other common interests. To see a list of current affinity groups and learn how to connect with them or even start your own, please visit the Rice alumni affinity groups webpage.
Where do I share and find Owlmanac class notes?
To submit a class note for the Owlmanac Class Notes magazine, or to read previous issues of the magazine, please log-in via the Rice Portal. Once you are logged in to the Portal, click “Owlmanac Class Notes” beneath “Connect” in the menu on the left side of the home page.
To sign up for your Rice Portal account, visit riceconnect.rice.edu. Please allow 3-5 business days for your account to be activated.
What are Class Recorders?
Class Recorders are volunteers who help their classmates and other alumni keep in touch with each other and with the University by communicating updates via Owlmanac Class Notes. Current Class Recorders and their contact information are available on the Owlmanac Class Recorders webpage.
If you would like to volunteer to be a class recorder, email owlmanac@rice.edu or call 713-348-6762.
How do I access the Rice Alumni Directory?
The Rice Alumni Directory is accessed through the Rice Portal. Once you are logged in to the Portal, click “Rice Alumni Directory” beneath “Connect” in the menu on the left side of the home page.
To sign up for your Rice Portal account, visit riceconnect.rice.edu. Please allow 3-5 business days for your account to be activated.
Are there any official social media accounts for Rice alumni?
Yes, the Association of Rice Alumni has official social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.
A full social media directory, featuring links to the accounts for campus friends and partners, alumni regional chapters, affinity groups and networks and programs can be found in the Rice alumni social media directory.
What is the ARA Board and who is on it/how can I apply to be on it?
The Association of Rice Alumni (ARA) is governed by a 28-member alumni board, which provides input regarding Alumni Relations operations and programs and serves in an advisory capacity to the Alumni Relations staff. Members of the ARA board represent the alumni body to the university and represent the ARA to its constituents—Rice alumni.
To see current ARA board members and get information about applying to be on the ARA board, please visit the ARA board webpage.
Alumni Resources
How can I request my Rice transcript or find information about diplomas?
You can request your Rice transcript through the Office of the Registrar. Questions regarding transcripts should be directed to transcripts@rice.edu.
For questions regarding diplomas or student records, visit registrar.rice.edu or email registrar@rice.edu.
How can I order a Rice Ring?
Eligible students may purchase their Rice Rings online at balfour.com/rice or by calling Balfour at (866) 225-3687 weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT.
Undergraduate students are eligible to purchase a Rice Ring if they have completed at least 90 credit hours. Graduate students are eligible to purchase a Rice Ring once they have completed all their degree requirements.
For more information about Rice Rings, please visit the Rice Ring webpage.
Where can I order Rice regalia?
To order Rice regalia, please contact the Rice University Bookstore.
Can alumni use the Barbara and David Gibbs Recreation and Wellness Center?
The Barbara and David Gibbs Recreation and Wellness Center offers special rates for Rice alumni. More information can be found at their website.
Can alumni access Fondren Library resources?
Fondren Library provides online access to selected resources through an agreement with the Office of Alumni Affairs. The Rice Alumni Digital Library's selected digital resources are accessed through the Rice Portal and require an alumni login. More information can be found at library.rice.edu.
Where can I park when I return to visit campus?
Rice alumni can register for the Rice Alumni Parking Program online (also accessible within the Rice Portal under "Links and Resources"). Parking permits are sold annually (12-month basis) to active alumni who have graduated from Rice University with either an undergraduate or graduate degree to be eligible to purchase a parking card. You will have access to all visitor lots weekdays after 4:30 p.m. until midnight and 7 a.m. to midnight access on weekends. You will also have everyday access from 7 a.m. to midnight to the Greenbriar Lot.
More information about general campus parking can be found at parking.rice.edu.
Do Rice alumni have access to any exclusive benefits or discounts?
As a Rice alum, you have access to an array of exclusive benefits and resources, specially curated for you by Rice’s Office of Alumni Relations. Browse the full array of benefits, including hotel discounts, memberships with campus partners and much more at the Rice Alumni Benefits Program webpage.
The Rice Portal
What is the Rice Portal?
The Rice Portal gives alumni and friends access to a variety of online resources to connect with each other and engage with the university. Accessing the Rice Portal requires account registration. Formerly known as Alumni Online Services, all users were asked to create new accounts when the Rice Portal system launched in 2018.
The portal will provide access to a variety of tools and resources for alumni to:
- Find other alumni through the Rice Alumni Directory.
- Stay in touch with the Rice community by updating your contact information and communication preferences.
- Request a Rice Alumni email address.
- Access Fondren Library resources.
- Read the latest issue of the Owlmanac Class Notes magazine and submit a class note for the next issue.
- Expedite your giving and your event registration.
To sign up for your Rice Portal account, visit riceconnect.rice.edu. Please allow 3-5 business days for your account to be activated.
Who has access to the Rice Portal?
All members of the Rice community, including alumni and friends, are welcome to create a user account. The content that each user will see will vary, depending on the user’s relationship to the university.
What can alumni do in the Rice Portal?
The Rice Portal will provide access to a variety of tools and resources for alumni to:
- Find other alumni through the Rice Alumni Directory.
- Stay in touch with the Rice community by updating your contact information and communication preferences.
- Request a Rice Alumni email address.
- Access Fondren Library resources.
- Read the latest issue of the Owlmanac Class Notes magazine and submit a class note for the next issue.
- Expedite your giving and your event registration.
What can Rice friends (non-alumni) users do in the Rice Portal?
Most Rice Portal users will be able to:
- Stay in touch with the Rice community by updating your contact information and communication preferences. Please note: Updating your contact email address does not automatically update the email address used to access the Rice Portal.
- Expedite your giving and your event registration.
- Navigate to other Rice resources, such as the Rice Volunteer website.
Some users will have access to additional content depending on their relationship to the university.
How do I access the Rice Portal?
If you already have a Rice Portal account, you can access it at riceconnect.rice.edu. To sign up for your Rice Portal account, visit riceconnect.rice.edu/login and click “New User Registration.” Please allow 3-5 business days for account activation. Users receive a “Welcome to the Rice Portal” email as confirmation of account activation once their relationship to the university is verified. If you do not receive confirmation, please contact us.
We recommend that students and new alumni use a personal, more permanent, email address, not their Rice student address when registering for the Rice Portal. This is because Rice student email addresses expire approximately six months after graduation.
I like to use my Rice email address or Rice alumni address for all things related to Rice. Why do you recommend using a personal email address for Rice Portal registration?
The email address you include for New Rice Portal User Information is used to recover your account when your password is reset or forgotten. Rice student addresses expire shortly after graduation and, over time, most individuals have consistent access to a personal email address. We recommend using the same personal email for your Rice Portal Login Information since this will also be your username for the Portal.
Alumni: Should you wish to make your alumni email address your primary contact email for receiving communications from Rice Alumni and other university partners, you can update this through the Rice Portal. Changes to your contact information will not affect your Rice Portal account login.
How do I access the Rice Alumni Directory?
You can access the Rice Alumni Directory through the Rice Portal at riceconnect.rice.edu. To sign up for your Rice Portal account, visit riceconnect.rice.edu/login and click “New User Registration.” Please allow 3-5 business days for account activation.
Once logged into the Rice Portal, click "Rice Alumni Directory" under "Connect" on the left-hand side menu on the home page.
I receive communications from Rice all the time, does that mean I have a Rice Portal account?
No. Contact information for alumni and friends of the university is in OwlConnect, Rice University’s advancement system, which was launched in 2018 and is powered by Blackbaud CRM. Constituents must sign up for Rice Portal access to edit limited details within their database record like contact, spousal or employment information.
I’ve signed up for events, have an alumni email address or have donated to the university, does that mean I have a Rice Portal account?
No. Rice Portal accounts require registration at riceconnect.rice.edu and remain provisional until verified by our department. Verified users receive a “Welcome to the Rice Portal” email as confirmation of activation.
I signed up for an account — when can I access the Portal?
New users will be given provisional access to the Rice Portal upon registering for an account. Full access will not be granted until that request is processed and the new user’s relationship to the university is verified. Once given full access, users can view and update personal contact information and communication preferences. In addition, Rice alumni will have access to Rice Alumni Directory, the latest issue of Owlmanac magazine and the online form to submit class notes, and Fondren Library resources.
How do I change or reset my Rice Portal password?
To reset your Rice Portal password, simply visit riceconnect.rice.edu and click "reset password" under the login button. Please note: You will need to add your Rice Portal email address here (if different than your username). You will then be sent a link to your Rice Portal email address to start the password reset process.
Starting in 2022, passwords must be 12 characters, must contain one uppercase and one lowercase letter, must contain at least one numeric and one special character (such as $, #, %, *) and cannot include your name, username, or organization name. New passwords may fail if they are an iteration of previous passwords.
Please note: your Rice Portal login might be different than your primary email address on file. If you are still experiencing trouble resetting your password, please contact us.
How often do I need to change my Rice Portal password?
Starting in 2022, you will need to reset your password every year. Length and character requirements will be listed when you go to change your password. You will also not be allowed to use any of your previous six passwords.
I've tried to reset my Rice Portal password and it's not working. What should I do?
If you're having trouble resetting your Rice Portal password, ensure you are using the correct Rice Portal email address, which might be different from your primary email.
Due to Rice Portal security settings, your password reset must also include the following:
- Minimum length of 12 characters
- Must contain one uppercase and one lowercase letter
- Must contain at least one numeric character and one special character (such as $, #, %, *)
- Cannot include your name, username or organization name
We have also found that new passwords fail if they are an iteration of your last six passwords.
Please try again to reset your password with a unique password that meets the above criteria. If you are still having trouble accessing your account, please contact us.
When resetting my password, the login prompt screen says Blackbaud Internet Solutions. What is this?
Blackbaud Internet Solutions is Rice’s content management system that hosts the Rice Portal. After resetting your password, you will be led to a login page for BlackBaud Internet Solutions. Simply log in using your Rice Portal credentials. You can log onto the Rice Portal and Blackbaud interchangeably.
The Rice Portal says that my browser is not supported. What should I do?
The Rice Portal does not support Internet Explorer. Any other browsers should work. If you are not using Internet Explorer and are still experiencing trouble, please contact us.
Alumni Email Addresses
How do I create a Rice alumni email address?
Rice alumni are provided a Gmail email address with the custom @alumni.rice.edu domain upon request. To sign up for one, please follow these steps:
- Log in to the Rice Portal at riceconnect.rice.edu.
- Once you are logged in to the Portal, click “Alumni Email Signup” beneath “Links and Resources” in the menu on the left side of the home page.
- Complete the Alumni Email Request form and click the “Submit” button. Allow 5-7 business days for your email request to be processed.
- Once processed, you will receive a confirmation email from the Google Cloud Team with your username (email address) and a link by which to set your password. Please note that this link expires after 48 hours.
Due to policy changes at Google, beginning July 1, 2022, additional Workspace components (including Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides and more) will not be available for Rice alumni accounts..
I don't see the "Alumni Email Signup" link in the Rice Portal. What should I do?
The option to sign up for a Rice alumni email address will only be visible within the Portal to alumni whose degree status has been fully verified - which can take up to six weeks after graduation. If you are an upcoming or recent graduate, please try again six weeks after graduating.
What is the difference between ricealumni.net and alumni.rice.edu email addresses?
All ricealumni.net and alumni.rice.edu email addresses were carried over to Google Workspace from the previous email forwarding service, which was discontinued in July 2017. Since that time, all new accounts are created with the alumni.rice.edu branding. All alumni email accounts, regardless of their domain, are hosted through Google Workspace and have the same functionality.
How do I access my Rice alumni email account once it is created?
To access your alumni email account inbox, visit mail.google.com. If you are logged into a personal Gmail account, you must log out or switch accounts, then log in with your alumni email address and password.
I’ve forgotten or missed the 48-hour window to set the password for my Rice alumni email. Now what?
All users should now be able to select “Forgot Password” during the log in process and initiate their own recovery link to the secondary email on file. If you do not receive the link, or receive a “contact your administrator” message, please contact us.
To view or change the recovery email address for your account, please visit accounts.google.com while logged into your alumni Google account.
If you are still unable to recover or log into your alumni email account, contact us for assistance.
How do I set up my Rice alumni email account to forward to my personal email?
The steps to forward email from your Rice alumni account to another account can be found at Google Support. We recommend selecting the option to delete email forwarded from your alumni email account to another account.
Who do I contact about the email account I used as a student?
Rice student emails are managed by Rice IT. They can answer any questions you have about your Rice email address. Contact them at helpdesk@rice.edu or 713-348-4357. Please note, @rice.edu accounts expire approximately six months after graduation.
Can I forward my Rice student emails to my Rice alumni email account?
The steps to forward email from one account to another can be found at Google Support.
Please note that Rice student emails expire approximately six months after graduation and are managed by Rice IT. They can answer any questions you have about your Rice student email address. Contact them at helpdesk@rice.edu or 713-348-4357.
Why can't I access Google Workspace features (Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Drive, etc.)?
Due to policy changes at Google, beginning July 1, 2022, additional Workspace components (including Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides and more) will not be available for Rice alumni accounts.
Events
Where can I find information about upcoming events for Rice alumni?
A list of upcoming alumni-focused events can be found at alumni.rice.edu/events.
A list of all upcoming university events can be found at events.rice.edu.
How can I change, update or cancel my registration for an event?
Instructions for changing, updating or canceling event registrations can be found in the confirmation email you received. For most Rice alumni events, you'll need to email alumni@rice.edu to request changes. Signature events such as Alumni Weekend or the Alumni Tent at Beer Bike allow for online updates. Please confirm the instructions as specified in your registration confirmation email.
Where can I park for on-campus events?
For on-campus events, please check your registration confirmation email or the "know before you go" email (sent for select events 1-3 days before the event) for specific parking instructions. If you don't receive either of these emails or they don't specify parking instructions, information about general campus parking can be found at parking.rice.edu.
Who can I contact to share an idea for an event or to host an event in my area?
To share an idea for an event or offer to host an event in your area, please contact us.
Who can I contact to share feedback about an event I attended?
To share feedback about an event you attended, please look for a post-event survey email that will be sent to the email address you used to register for the event approximately 1-3 business days after the event. If you do not receive a post-event survey email, please contact us to share feedback.
Who can I contact with questions about the Traveling Owls program or upcoming trips?
For questions about the Traveling Owls program or information about any upcoming trips, please first visit the Traveling Owls webpage. If your question isn't answered there, please email travelingowls@rice.edu.
Miscellaneous
Can alumni visit their residential colleges when returning to campus?
Outside of designated times, like dedicated receptions during Alumni Weekend, we kindly ask that alumni refrain from visiting residential colleges.
Can I use the Rice University campus for a photoshoot?
Rice University has a formal film and photo policy that should be followed for any video or photo shoots on campus.
Where can I find a map of campus?
If you need a map to help navigate campus, use this Interactive Map or the Rice Google Map to get you where you need to go.
Can visitors use the Rice campus shuttles?
Visitors to campus have access to Rice’s shuttle system that circles the university’s inner loop and connect Rice Stadium, the Annex Building (near RUPD, post office, etc.), Graduate Apartments on Bissonnet and Rice Village Apartments to the rest of campus.
In the fall and spring semesters, the Inner Loop service operates from the West Stadium and around the Inner Loop, Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 10:45 p.m., every eight to 10 minutes. In the summer, it runs Monday through Friday - 6:00 am to 8:00 pm, every eight to 10 minutes.
For more information, visit transportation.rice.edu.
Are there volunteer opportunities at Rice?
Whether you're an alum, parent, faculty or staff member, or friend of the university, there is a volunteer opportunity that is right for you. Explore a range of opportunities, including alumni networking, mentoring students, assisting with recruiting events, and many other options at volunteer.rice.edu.
Where can I find events and resources for Rice parents?
Information about events and resources for parents of current Rice students can be found at parents.rice.edu.
Rice parents are also invited to many events hosted by the Office of Alumni Relations that are open to alumni, parents and friends.
Can alumni still access ESTHER?
No, alumni cannot access ESTHER.
ESTHER, an acronym that stands for Employee and Student Tools, Help, and Electronic Resources, is a self-service web application for students, faculty, and staff. Students use this application to access their academic records, register for classes, view financial aid, and more. Faculty and staff use ESTHER for grade entry, view course rosters, and access Degree Works among others.
How do I donate or make a gift to Rice?
To make a gift online, please visit riceconnect.rice.edu/giving. For other ways to give or to find areas to support, please visit giving.rice.edu.