Signature Events
Friday, September 29
| Event | Time | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential College Breakfast | 9:30 -11 a.m. | Grand Hall, Rice Memorial Center | Meet the leadership team at your student's residential college and enjoy some grab-and-go breakfast options. |
| Center for Teaching Excellence Showcase – Faculty Lectures | 10:30 a.m. - noon | McMurtry Auditorium, Duncan Hall | Join the Center for Teaching Excellence as we celebrate teaching and learning at Rice. At this event, you will have the opportunity to hear engaging mini lectures from Faculty Fellows and recipients of the University Teaching Awards representing a range of disciplines and subjects. Parents and families are encouraged to submit questions in advance (link to be provided via email before the event), as we highlight the classroom and academic experience of a Rice student. Faculty Fellow Speakers: Lesa Tran Lu Rafael Verduzco Carl Caldwell |
| Residential College Families Luncheon | 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Residential College Serveries | Families can join their Owls for lunch in the dining hall of their respective residential college. Students with a meal plan are asked to swipe their card for guests. |
| A Conversation with Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman | 2-3 p.m. | Lucian and Nancy Morrison Theater, Brockman Hall for Opera | Join the Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman for a conversation on the undergraduate student experience at Rice. |
| Prep for the Future | 3-4 p.m. | Peter and Nancy Huff House | Discover the career resources available for your student at Rice. |
| Academic Schools Reception | 4-6 p.m. |
Auditorium and Event Hall, BioScience Research Collaborative
|
Hear formal remarks from academic leaders about their respective schools and units, while also connecting with parents and families during an informal reception. Easy-grab food items will be available. 4:00 p.m. Event Starts A full list of academic programs and which school they are affiliated with can be found here. |
Saturday, September 30
| Event | Time | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student Leadership Forum | 9:30-10:30 a.m. | Hudspeth Auditorium, Anderson-Clarke Center | Hear current student leaders discuss opportunities for students to excel outside of the classroom. |
| At Rice and Beyond | 10:30-11:30 a.m. | Peter and Nancy Huff House | Come by Huff House to see what services the Office of Alumni Relations offers your student during their time at Rice and after they cross the stage. Coffee and breakfast bites will be provided. |
| Alumni Parents Meetup | 3-4 p.m. | Brochstein Pavilion | Visit with fellow alumni who have students at Rice. Snacks and drinks are available for purchase. |
| Family Tailgate | 4-6 p.m. | Tailgate Owley, east side of Rice Stadium | Meet other Owl families 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. |
| Rice vs. East Carolina football game | 6 p.m. | Rice Stadium | Show your Rice spirit as the Owls take on East Carolina University. |
Please note that the deadline for canceling registration and receiving a refund is September 24.
Campus Events
Schools, organizations and residential colleges will be hosting additional events throughout Families Weekend. These events are separate from the Families Weekend signature events and may require a separate registration.
Additional events and details will be added as they are confirmed.
Friday, September 29
| Event | Time | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen Open House |
11 a.m.-noon 1-2 p.m. |
Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen | Get an inside look at the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen. Lab assistants will be on hand to show you around our maker space where engineering undergraduates design solutions to real-world projects. Don't forget to ask why it's called a kitchen! |
| Student Services Panel | 11 a.m.-noon | Kyle Morrow Room (third floor area of Fondren Library) | A panel composed of staff from student-facing departments will give families information about their programs and services to support student success on campus. Families will be given time to ask questions about resources available to their students. |
| Research 101 | 1-2 p.m. | Farnsworth Pavilion, Rice Memorial Center | Learn about the research being done at Rice and how your student can get involved. This event is hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry. Topics will include different research program structures and advice for finding a good "fit", how to find out about research for course credit options, and exploring on- and off-campus opportunities. |
| Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies Open House | 2:30-4:30 p.m. | Meet in the BioScience Research Collaborative Lobby | You are invited to the Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies Open House. Stop by anytime between 2:30-4:30 p.m. for a tour of the Rice360 Lab and the NEST360 (Newborn Essential Solutions & Technology) demo site complete with technology demonstrations. Light snacks will be provided. |
| Duncan College: Family in the Quad | 3-6 p.m. | Duncan College Academic Quad | Join us in the quad from 3 to 6 p.m. for some great catered food, snacks and plenty of games. Make sure to tell your parents, siblings, family friends, and anyone who you want to show off your beautiful residential college to! |
| The Chill of the MCC | 3-5 p.m. | Rice Multicultural Center | Stop by the MCC for sparkling water, a caricature artist and a family photo booth. |
| Meet the Magister | 4-6 p.m. | Sid Magister House | Meet the magister and mingle with families at the Sid Magister House. Wine and cheese will be available for snacking. |
| Opening Reception for Off the Wall: william cordova | 5-7 p.m. | Brochstein Pavilion | Join the Moody to celebrate the latest installation in our Off the Wall series by artist william cordova. Off the Wall at the Brochstein Pavilion is a partnership between the Moody Center for the Arts and the Core Residency Program at the Glassell School of Art at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. The series commissions Core residency program alumni to create a site-specific installation for this space that will be on view for one year. |
| Poetry Reading with Tomás Q. Morín | 5-7 p.m. | Sewall Hall, Welcome Center | Reception, 5 p.m., Poetry Reading 5:30 p.m. Free and open to the public with self-paid parking. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, join us for a poetry reading with Tomás Q. Morín, associate professor of creative writing at Rice University. Morín will read from his latest poetry collection “Machete,” followed by a conversation with José F. Aranda, Jr., professor of English and Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies and co-coordinator of Undergraduate Mellon Program at Rice University. More information |
| Volleyball: Rice vs. UTSA | 6 p.m. | Tudor Fieldhouse | Purchase tickets. |
| Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra Concert - Harmonious Horizons | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Stude Concert Hall, Alice Pratt Brown Hall | To kick off the new season, internationally renowned conductor Robert Spano leads the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra in an evening of American masterworks anchored by Jennifer Higdon’s Concerto for Orchestra—in the composer’s words, “truly a concerto in that it requires virtuosity from the principal players, the individual sections, and the entire orchestra.” Barber’s Symphony in One Movement runs the emotional gamut, from kinetic energy to tender beauty and sweeping, cinematic drama. Soprano Michelle Bradley joins the orchestra for Barber’s dreamy and nostalgic Knoxville: Summer of 1915, which recounts the sights, sounds, and musings of a peaceful summer evening from a child’s point of view. Tickets required, $0-25. Visit music.rice.edu/content/harmonious-horizons. |
Saturday, September 30
| Event | Time | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moody Exhibition Tour with Curator Frauke Josenhans | 11 a.m.-noon | Moody Center for the Arts | Enjoy a guided tour of the Moody's fall 2023 exhibition "Laure Prouvost: Above Front Tears Nest in South" with curator Frauke Josenhans. |
| Help! My Student Wants To Study Internationally! | 11 a.m.-noon | Zoom | This free, online session will address common questions parents have about international study and experiential learning opportunities, as well as the overall value of international experiences for students. Common concerns include costs, safety, opportunities for non-U.S. citizens, the varieties of credit and non-credit opportunities, and academic support. This session will be presented by the Center for Civic Leadership, the Office of Student Success Initiatives and the Study Abroad Office. |
| Volleyball: Rice vs. UTSA | 1 p.m. | Tudor Fieldhouse | Purchase tickets. |
| Student Success Initiatives - How to Help Your Scholar Succeed | 1-2 p.m. | Fondren Library (Kyle Morrow Room) | Presenters from Student Success Initiatives will teach you the skills and resources needed to best support your student’s success from their first year through graduation. We will discuss holistic support for your scholars and what you can do at home to provide them with everything they need to maintain their academic, personal and social wellbeing. |
| Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra Concert - Harmonious Horizons | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Stude Concert Hall, Alice Pratt Brown Hall | To kick off the new season, internationally renowned conductor Robert Spano leads the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra in an evening of American masterworks anchored by Jennifer Higdon’s Concerto for Orchestra—in the composer’s words, “truly a concerto in that it requires virtuosity from the principal players, the individual sections, and the entire orchestra.” Barber’s Symphony in One Movement runs the emotional gamut, from kinetic energy to tender beauty and sweeping, cinematic drama. Soprano Michelle Bradley joins the orchestra for Barber’s dreamy and nostalgic Knoxville: Summer of 1915, which recounts the sights, sounds, and musings of a peaceful summer evening from a child’s point of view. Tickets required, $0-25. Visit music.rice.edu/content/harmonious-horizons. |