Dear Owls,
It was wonderful to see so many of you at Alumni Weekend, Nov. 6-9! Campus was full of Owl spirit as alumni returned home — reuniting at milestone gatherings, attending faculty lectures, cheering at the football game and raising a glass at the Beer Garden at Valhalla. More than 2,000 guests joined the weekend celebration, and reunion class gifts topped $45 million, reflecting the incredible generosity of our alumni community.
That same weekend, Rice unveiled the Gateway Project, an ambitious plan to reimagine the west side of campus and create a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly connection between campus and Rice Village. Anchored by the renovation of Rice Stadium, the project will transform university-owned land into a welcoming landmark that strengthens ties between the university and the surrounding community.
In the spirit of the season, Rice alumni, parents and friends across the country are invited to gather this winter to celebrate the holidays and welcome the new year. I encourage you to find a celebration near you and subscribe to regional communications to stay up to date on Rice programming in your area.
If you’ve visited the refreshed Rice Alumni website lately (and I hope you will if you haven’t), you may have met Sammy, our new virtual Rice Alumni assistant. Sammy is available to answer questions about a range of topics, from updating contact info to finding your favorite alumni group. And keep an eye out — your inbox will soon receive a personalized video, created just for you, highlighting ways to stay involved with the alumni community.
As we close out the year, we look forward to connecting with you in 2026. On behalf of the Alumni Relations team, we wish you a harmonious, joy-filled holiday season!
Happy holidays,
James Hurley
Associate Vice President, Alumni Relations
Executive Director of the Association of Rice Alumni
