The campus has hosted more than 400 students over two decades, giving them comprehensive insight into a particular built environment over the course of a semester. “A lot of people have been to Paris, but it’s a different story when you’re walking around the city with experts,” said Sophie Eichner ’18. “That's an amazing experience.” Rice will formally recognize RSAP’s benchmark anniversary with two events, one on the Houston campus Oct. 7 at 6 p.m., and another at the Paris campus Nov. 17 and 18.
“I think of Rice as locally grounded in Houston but also globally connected, including to Paris, a vibrant, multicultural metropolis that continues to inspire architects around the world,” said Igor Marjanović, the William Ward Watkin Dean of Rice Architecture. “What’s unique about the program is that while faculty from Houston visit, we also have local faculty from Paris and other parts of Europe who participate. We’re not just flying in Rice students to study in a bubble. We’re connecting them to architects, historians and engineers to create a hub of conversations and collaborations.”
“Successful study abroad programs don’t happen in a vacuum; they require sharp vision and deep knowledge of language and culture to create a successful student experience," he said, expressing gratitude for the work of John Casbarian, Rice’s Harry K. and Albert K. Smith Professor of Architecture, founding director of RSAP, director of external programs and a faculty member since 1973.
That RSAP came to be in one of the world’s most vibrant cities is due to experience, good planning and some dogged legwork. It could have been RSA-somewhere else. In the beginning, it was.
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