What inspires you to remain so engaged with Rice?
I've repeatedly seen what the Rice degree and network has done for me on both professional and personal levels. I enjoy staying connected to what is happening at the school and meeting alums across class years and majors. We may be a smaller school, but we have a broad engaged active alumni group across the US and abroad!
How have you evolved in your Rice journey since receiving the award?
A few months after I received the award in May 2018, I relocated to ExxonMobil's New Jersey R&D facility. The move coincided with me finishing up my final year on the REA Board and gave me an opportunity to connect with the local Rice community in the East Coast. I especially enjoyed attending the Rice reception at the NY Stock Exchange in July 2019 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, where I got to meet local alums and hear from President Leebron and other Houston leaders. In 2020, I joined the Association of Rice Alumni Board and the Alumni Advisory Board for the Rice Center for Career Development. Both experiences widened my Rice network and have given me perspective on challenges and initiatives the school is navigating during these times.
Priya’s advice:
Look for an affinity group that interests you or is local to where you live and get involved in any way you can. You can start small by volunteering for one-off events or projects and grow your involvement. Reach out to the leaders of that organization (also Rice alums who would be happy to share their experiences) to learn more about what being a volunteer entails.
What’s next for you?
I'm in the process of relocating to Texas and will be working at ExxonMobil's headquarters in Irving, Texas, for a short assignment. Looking forward to growing my networking and getting involved in Rice DFW activities.