Rice SOAR 2026
I am very honored to have been selected to explore Rice University through the Seeking Opportunities at Rice (SOAR) program. On my first day, I saw student performances, from Mariachi Luna Llena to the Rice Lions.
At dinner, I had the pleasure of talking with Sandra Harrison, the director for the Student Disability Resource Center, and Guillermo Rosas, a Magister for one of the twelve residential colleges. Maybe it was because I promised to myself earlier that day I would make the effort to talk to more people, it was easy to converse with them: Sandra described to me how you were randomly assigned to one of the twelve colleges as freshmen, a car wasn’t necessary for your first year, asked me what issue I wanted to solve if I could, and I showed her my artworks. Guillermo mentioned that he taught Political Science at the graduate level, described the varying students he encounters, and talked about the twelve random college assignments; as we spoke, I could feel the genuine effort he put in.
One social aspect I admire about Rice is the random college assignment. Connecting with new people doesn’t always come easily to me, so being placed in a community where that connection is encouraged will help me find my place and genuinely enjoy my college experience. Academically, I learned that Rice sits right next to the Texas Medical Center, which I believe will help my pursuit of scientific research.