Head of Hospitality

College athlete. Foodie. Hospitality expert. There are many ways to describe Beth Leaver, Rice’s senior director of operations for residential and dining offerings. Her job, just like her varied interests in life, touches several areas around her. And through it all, the detail-oriented Leaver keeps her focus on transitioning the campus from a brick-and-mortar location into a comforting home for more than 8,500 undergraduate and graduate students as well as campus visitors.

How has your sports background influenced your current role?
I have always been a leader on and off the soccer field. It was my job to motivate those around me before, during and after the game. I needed to be adaptable in all those phases, and that has prepared me for this position in how I lead others, whether that be in our day-to-day work or the moments that are unplanned. In a sport like soccer, it is very much about speed of thought and the action that follows. Operations is much the same in that regard.

You care deeply about hospitality, enough to earn a master’s degree in the subject. Tell us why.
Providing quality service and a great experience motivates me. In hospitality, you can create an experience by simply anticipating someone’s needs. I am a food aficionado — good service and food quality are the main factors I pay attention to when choosing to frequent a local restaurant. Likewise, I imagine the hospitality Rice provides, from the variety of dishes that satisfy different backgrounds to the clean college spaces and our approachable staff, adds to the overall student experience.

Do you have any favorite dishes at the serveries?
I am mostly vegetarian. By having an international group of chefs, I am drawn to the Mediterranean and Asian cuisines we offer. At West Servery, Chef Roger’s fresh pita bread and hummus is delightful. At North Servery, Chef Kim’s wok station has a variety of dishes like ramen, mapo tofu, sushi
and poke.

What’s your most memorable achievement?
The relationships built in this community stand out. I connected with Frank Liu ’78 and John Wawrose ’78, two Lovett alumni who envisioned starting a residential development company that would also give back to the university. We worked to turn that dream into a reality by building townhomes for graduate students in the Rice Village area. This project was meaningful, collaborative and memorable because of the thread to the mission and core values at Rice.

What is your secret to success in this role?
I never imagined I would be working at the same place for 14 years, but I’ve had considerable latitude to foster creativity, which ranges from growing the university’s housing capabilities to developing new and noteworthy food offerings. My team consists of more than 100 people, spanning from culinary masterminds to housekeeping mavens. I greatly appreciate that the multifunctional teams coalesce to remain highly focused, output driven and accomplished. Rice is a place I look forward to going to every day because of the strong community, connection and distinction.
— Sam Byrd