Rice University facts for kids
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Former names
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William M. Rice Institute for the Advancement of Literature, Science and Art (1912–1960) |
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| Motto | "Letters, Science, Art" |
| Type | Private research university |
| Established | September 23, 1912 |
| Accreditation | SACS |
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Academic affiliations
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| Endowment | $7.814 billion (2021) |
| President | Reginald DesRoches |
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Academic staff
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855 full-time (fall 2024) |
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Administrative staff
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2,152 |
| Students | 8,880 (fall 2024) |
| Undergraduates | 4,776 (fall 2024) |
| Postgraduates | 4,104 (fall 2024) |
| Location |
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Texas
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United States
29°43′1″N 95°24′10″W / 29.71694°N 95.40278°W |
| Campus | Large city, 300 acres (120 ha) |
| Newspaper | The Rice Thresher |
| Colors |
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| Nickname | Owls |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division I FBS – The American |
| Mascot | Sammy the Owl |
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William Marsh Rice University, usually called Rice University, is a private research university in Houston, Texas. It opened in 1912 on a 300-acre campus.
Rice has eight schools for students to study different subjects. These include schools for humanities (like history and art), social sciences, business, engineering, natural sciences, architecture, and music.
The university was first named the William M. Rice Institute for the Advancement of Literature, Science and Art. It was created after the death of its founder, William Marsh Rice. Rice is known for its high level of research. The university's sports teams are called the Rice Owls and they compete in the NCAA Division I.
Many successful people have graduated from Rice. These include 26 Marshall Scholars, 13 Rhodes Scholars, and 3 Nobel laureates.
Contents
History
How Rice University Began
The story of Rice University starts with a wealthy businessman from Massachusetts named William Marsh Rice. He made his fortune in Texas from real estate, railroads, and cotton. In 1891, he decided to use his money to create a free school in Houston after his death. His will said the school should be a "competitive institution of the highest grade."
On September 23, 1900, Mr. Rice was found dead at the age of 84. Soon after, a strange check appeared, signed by Rice but made out to his lawyer in New York. A bank teller noticed the name was misspelled and became suspicious. The lawyer, Albert T. Patrick, claimed that Rice had changed his will to give his fortune to him instead of the school.
An investigation discovered that the new will was a fake. It turned out that Patrick had worked with Rice's butler to murder him. Rice's friend and lawyer in Houston, Captain James A. Baker, helped protect the fortune. The money, worth $4.6 million in 1904, was used to start the Rice Institute, which later became Rice University.
In 1907, the school's leaders chose Edgar Odell Lovett, a professor from Princeton University, to be the first president. Lovett traveled the world to get ideas for the new school. He wanted the university to have beautiful, matching buildings and a focus on both teaching and research.
Opening and Growing
In 1911, construction began on the first building, now called Lovett Hall. The university officially opened on September 23, 1912, with 77 students. From the beginning, both men and women were allowed to attend. However, they lived in separate buildings on campus until 1957.
At first, students did not have to pay tuition. The classes were very challenging, and many students did not pass their first term. The first graduation was in 1916. That same year, students voted to create an Honor System, which is still used today.
The university's original rules said that only white students could attend. In 1963, the university went to court to change these rules. This allowed students of all races to be admitted. The first Black student, a Ph.D. student named Raymond Johnson, was admitted that year. In 1965, Rice began charging tuition for the first time.
A bronze statue of William Marsh Rice was placed on campus in 1930. Because Rice had owned enslaved people, some students in 2020 asked for the statue to be taken down. In 2023, the university moved the statue to a new location in the same area.
Working with NASA
In the 1960s, Rice University played a role in America's space program. The university helped NASA get the land to build the Manned Spacecraft Center, which is now the Johnson Space Center.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy gave a famous speech at Rice Stadium. He announced America's goal to land a man on the Moon by the end of the decade. Rice has worked with the Johnson Space Center on space research for over 50 years.
Recent History
The university has continued to grow over the years. In the 1970s, it added new schools for business and music. In 1990, world leaders met at Rice for the G8 Economic Summit.
In 2003, the Rice baseball team won the national championship. This was the first national title for any team sport at the university.
In 2008, President David Leebron announced a plan called the "Vision for the Second Century." This plan led to the construction of new buildings, including a research center, a recreation center, and two new residential colleges.
Campus
Rice University's 285-acre campus is in Houston's Museum District. It is a very green campus with over 4,000 trees and shrubs.
The first president, Edgar Odell Lovett, wanted all the buildings to have a similar style. Most buildings have a Byzantine look, with sand-colored bricks, large arches, and columns. Lovett Hall is the university's most famous building. New students walk through its archway when they start at Rice, and they walk out the same way when they graduate.
The campus is organized into several open squares called quadrangles. The main Academic Quad includes Lovett Hall, the library, and buildings for science, art, and languages.
About three-quarters of undergraduate students live on campus in one of eleven residential colleges. These colleges are like small communities within the university. Each one has its own dining hall and social events.
The campus also has several sports facilities. Rice Stadium, where the football team plays, can hold 47,000 people. It was the site of Super Bowl VIII and President Kennedy's famous "We choose to go to the Moon" speech.
Academics
Rice is a medium-sized research university. Most students are in a four-year program studying arts, sciences, and professional fields.
To graduate, students must take classes in three different areas: humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. This ensures they get a well-rounded education. All new students also have to take a writing class.
Honor Code
The Rice Honor Code is a very important part of student life. Most exams are not watched over by professors. Instead, students take their exams home and complete them on their own time. Students promise not to cheat by writing on their assignments: "On my honor, I have neither given nor received any unauthorized aid on this [examination, quiz or paper]". If a student is suspected of breaking the code, their case is reviewed by a student-run Honor Council.
Research Centers
Rice is home to many important research centers.
- The Baker Institute for Public Policy is a well-known center that studies public policy.
- The BioScience Research Collaborative is a building where scientists from Rice and the nearby Texas Medical Center work together.
- OpenStax is a Rice project that creates free online textbooks for students everywhere.
- The Smalley-Curl Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology was the first center in the U.S. dedicated to nanotechnology (the study of extremely small things).
Student Life
Rice's campus is next to Hermann Park, which has a science museum and an outdoor theater. A light rail system connects the campus to downtown Houston.
Residential Colleges
The residential college system is a key part of the Rice experience. When students first arrive, they are randomly assigned to one of eleven colleges. Students usually stay in the same college for all four years and become very loyal to it. The colleges compete against each other in friendly rivalries, especially during events like O-Week (orientation week) and Beer Bike.
List of Residential Colleges
- Baker College
- Will Rice College
- Hanszen College
- Wiess College
- Jones College
- Brown College
- Lovett College
- Sid Richardson College
- Martel College
- McMurtry College
- Duncan College
Beer Bike Race
Beer Bike is one of Rice's biggest traditions, dating back to 1957. It is a relay race that combines bicycle racing and a drinking competition. Each team has ten riders and ten "chuggers." The chugger for each team must quickly drink a cup of beer or water before their team's rider can start biking.
The week before the race is called Willy Week, and it's a time of fun and pranks between the colleges. The morning of the race starts with a huge water balloon fight. Beer Bike is a major event that brings students and alumni back to campus every year.
Student-Run Media
Rice has several student-run media organizations.
- The Rice Thresher is the weekly student newspaper. It covers campus news and has been recognized as one of the best college newspapers in the country.
- KTRU Rice Radio is the student-run radio station. It plays a wide variety of music that you might not hear on other stations.
- The Campanile is the university's yearbook, which has been published every year since 1916.
Athletics
Rice's sports teams, the Rice Owls, compete in NCAA Division I. They are part of the American Athletic Conference.
The Rice baseball team won the 2003 College World Series, which is the university's only national championship in a team sport. The team has won its conference championship many times.
The football team plays at Rice Stadium. In 2006, the team played in its first bowl game in 45 years. In 2008, they won the Texas Bowl.
The university's marching band is called the Marching Owl Band, or "MOB." Instead of traditional marching, the MOB is a "scatter band" that performs funny skits on the field during halftime.
Rice's mascot is Sammy the Owl. In the past, the university kept live owls on campus, but this is no longer done.
Notable People
Many famous and successful people have attended Rice University.
- Scientists and Tech Leaders: Rice alumni include 14 NASA astronauts, like Peggy Whitson. Robert Woodrow Wilson won the Nobel Prize in Physics. Howard Hughes, a famous aviator and businessman, also attended.
- Business Leaders: John Doerr is a billionaire venture capitalist. Tim and Karrie League founded the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.
- Government and Politics: Alberto Gonzales served as U.S. Attorney General. Annise Parker was the mayor of Houston. Glenn Youngkin is the Governor of Virginia.
- Artists and Writers: Larry McMurtry won a Pulitzer Prize and an Oscar for writing the screenplay for Brokeback Mountain. Candace Bushnell, author of ... and the City, also attended.
- Athletes: Famous athletes from Rice include Lance Berkman (baseball), Anthony Rendon (baseball), and Luke Willson (football).
- Notable Rice University alumni
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James V. Allred, 33rd governor of Texas
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Howard Hughes, aviator, engineer, industrialist, film producer and director
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Tommy Kramer (1977), Former quarterback for Minnesota Vikings
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Gary H. Stern, Eleventh chief executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
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Annise Parker (1978), 61st Mayor of Houston
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Alberto Gonzales (1979), former U.S. Attorney General
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Peggy Whitson (1986), NASA astronaut
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Josh Earnest (1997), 29th White House Press Secretary
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Lance Berkman, professional baseball outfielder and first baseman
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George P. Bush (1998), Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office
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Jim Bridenstine (1998), thirteenth NASA Administrator
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Glenn Youngkin (B.S., B.A.), Governor of Virginia
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Stephen Hahn (1980), 24th Commissioner of Food and Drugs (2019–2021)
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See also
In Spanish: Universidad Rice para niños
