As president of the Association of Rice Alumni (ARA), I’m honored to serve this remarkable community of Owls. Whether you graduated last year or decades ago, your connection to Rice is enduring — and your engagement helps shape the future of our university. 

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.

As president of the Association of Rice Alumni (ARA), I’m honored to serve this remarkable community of Owls. Whether you graduated last year or decades ago, your connection to Rice is enduring — and your engagement helps shape the future of our university. 

This past year has been a banner one for alumni engagement, with thousands of Owls participating in events, programs and volunteer opportunities across the globe. Your involvement strengthens our community and makes a lasting impact. 

David Mansouri ’07 and David Leal ’03 share reflections on the past year and ARA goals for 2025-26.  

Last month, more than 2,000 Owls crossed the stage during Rice’s 112th Commencement — cheered on by friends, family and faculty — and officially joined our vibrant and ever-growing alumni community. 

Spring activities are in full motion, and there’s so much to look forward to at Rice and beyond! From beloved traditions to exciting reunions, we’re bringing our Owl community together for moments you won’t want to miss. 

The ARA board serves as a link between the alumni and the university — representing the alumni community, advising and providing feedback on alumni programming, and elevating the impact that Owls are having around the world.

Michelle Gadd’s ’93 journey into ecology began early. “I watched way too much PBS as a child,” she recalled. “I’d memorized every documentary by the time I was 10, but I didn’t realize it could be a career until I studied abroad in Kenya during my junior year at Rice.”