People

Society

Rice Architecture Society is the voice of the Rice Architecture student body. With representatives from every studio, this group helps to shape the culture of the school while also providing a liaison between the students and the school’s faculty and administration.
Society’s main social and educational events include:
  • Weekly open studios: late-night social gatherings for the exchange of snacks and ideas
  • Mini-charrettes: short-term design competitions
  • Architectronica (fall) and ArchiArts (spring): university-wide parties
  • Society Pages: bi-monthly student publication in response to life in Anderson Hall
  • Materials Reuse: free digital and physical community-sourced resources
Society also helps organize and run the community Mini-Kitchen, wellbeing events, Ask the Dean panels, DEI lectures, student directory, and study breaks. Its hardworking, focused members collaborate closely with faculty, staff, Society-adjacent student organizations at Anderson (ARC, AGSA, NOMAS), and the Student Association at Rice University to build a culture of care and participation at Rice Architecture.
 
President: Valerie Elizondo
Undergraduate Vice Presidents: Joshua Chiang, John Curylo
Graduate Vice Presidents (also known as AGSA): Andy Entis, Samed Kaya
Secretary/Treasurer: Mark Litchenberger
 
Archimarket Coordinators: Jackie Aguilar, Valerie Elizondo, Ekene Emenike, Neha Nayar
Cruise Directors: Isabela Canavati, Ali Kazmaz, Tori Carniero Zhu
Curators: Alice Bian, Anwuili Chukwumah, Aiden Li
Mentorship Coordinators: Nikola Kolarov, Stuti Mehta, Amber Wang
Recess Coordinator: Grace Andrews
Sustainability Representatives: Abby Chen, Sarai Huaman, Abigali Jablon, Anadaysi Lopez
Well-being Directors and Coordinators: Jackie Aguilar, Janri Aquipel and Millie Peacock, Daniela Serna
 
Society Group Photo 2023/24

The Architecture Graduate Student Association

The Architecture Graduate Student Association (AGSA) represents the graduate student body at Rice Architecture. We complement Society by devoting our full attention to the needs of graduate students.

Our main activities are themed lecture series and discussions that bring us together with our faculty, professors of other Rice departments and, of course, events to connect with each other. We want to incentivize students to speak about their concerns and needs.

Our Mission Statement

  1. To represent the graduate students of Rice Architecture and advocate for their interests and wellbeing on both the schoolwide and University level.  
  2. To provide a collective voice and support network for Architecture graduate students, and to facilitate open and thoughtful communication between RSA’s graduate students and the administration of RSA, including but not limited to faculty, staff, and the Dean of Architecture.
  3. To foster a culture of inclusivity within Rice Architecture, and to work in tandem with Society to ensure that all students, regardless of their degree level, have a voice within the school.
  4. To communicate with the university through collaboration with the university-wide GSA and to open avenues for engagement and collaboration with departments outside of the school of architecture. 
  5. To function as a resource for architecture graduate students regarding professional and personal opportunities. 
  6. To build and maintain relationships among students, professionals, alumni, and community members.

Co-Vice Presidents : Andy Entis, Samed Kaya

People watching a presentation
Faculty Lecture and Discussion with Sarah Nichols on her exhibition on concrete at S AM Swiss Architecture Museum.

National Organization of Minority Architecture Students Rice

NOMAS Rice is a student chapter of the larger professional organization that is the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), consisting of a vast network of student and professional chapters from all over the country.

NOMAS Rice is an inclusive collective of students of all racial, ethnic, national, religious, and gender identities. Our mission is to collaborate, learn, and share ideas to elicit success in individual and group endeavors. As a member, students get access to a wider network of professionals and students through NOMA who have an invested interest in students’ success.

NOMAS Rice aims to empower minority architecture students to foster justice and equity in communities of color through outreach, community advocacy, professional development, and design excellence. For more information or to get involved, please contact any of the individuals listed below.

Co-Presidents: Prea Davis and Razella Freeman

Treasurer: Manuella Gbossou

Secretary: Osvaldo Salgado

Social Media Chair: Roxanna Mendez

Outreach Chair: Alex Jamu

Social Events Chairs: Yassmine Boualam and Sarai Huaman

Professional Development Chairs: Ekene Emenike and Ivan Medrano

Club Advisor: Kristina Kennedy

Contextualizing Africa, NOMAS exhibition reception. Photo by Jason Chen, 2022.

Anti Racism Collective (ARC)

The Anti-Racism Collective, a student group of Rice Architecture, affirms the idea that a responsible architectural education must be actively anti-racist. While the school’s leadership works toward long-term and systematic changes, ARC highlights, develops, and acts upon the immediate anti-racist initiatives echoed by the student body. This lecture is one of series of student-led public events, allowing for a more inclusive set of dialogues and conversations within the school and more broadly, with the larger public, spanning multiple generations, topics and audiences.

 

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