Momentous: Scaling Rice’s Vision for Global Impact

Winter 2025 

Since becoming president two and a half years ago, I’ve witnessed Rice grow at an accelerated pace, faster than many of our peers. This ambitious, yet thoughtful, expansion is something we’re proud of, aligns with our commitment to accessibility and affordability, and sets Rice apart from many other private, top-tier universities.

This semester alone, we expanded our global efforts in India, launched several new collaborations with our partners in the Texas Medical Center, changed the name of Rice’s School of Engineering to the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing to recognize the transformative impact and historic momentum of computing, and named the university’s undergraduate business school the Virani Undergraduate School of Business to honor Farid and Asha Virani’s generous support of the program. 

Guiding all of this growth is Rice’s new strategic plan — Momentous: Personalized Scale for Global Impact. Launched in October, the plan sets a path for the university to follow for the next decade. Work on the plan started two years ago under the leadership of Provost Amy Dittmar and a committee of Rice students, faculty and staff. The committee collected input from a wide range of stakeholders, including campus community members, alumni, and other friends and partners.

The plan reaffirms our commitment to becoming the world’s premier teaching and research institution — delivering personalized education while advancing discoveries that transform lives.

The tagline, “Personalized Scale for Global Impact,” reflects our mission to preserve what makes Rice special — our culture of care and close-knit community — while positioning us for global leadership and relevance. Our location in Houston, an international hub for industry and culture, offers unmatched opportunities for partnerships, exploration and innovation. 

Rice will be internationally recognized for preparing leaders who address the world’s complexities and advancing groundbreaking research across disciplines. Whether through innovations in health, sustainable futures or urban solutions, we will harness our unique size and collaborative culture to make lasting impacts, all while mastering advances in responsible AI.

From Edgar Odell Lovett’s founding inspirational vision to the impactful leadership of David Leebron, each president has propelled Rice forward in different but important ways. 

The power of this plan is in the “and” — our ability to excel at both teaching and research. The vital synergies between the two, and our skill in working across disciplines and ability to leverage both our agile size and our interdisciplinary nature to solve humanity’s most pressing issues in a way only Rice can.

From Edgar Odell Lovett’s founding inspirational vision to the impactful leadership of David Leebron, each president has propelled Rice forward in different but important ways. As we move into the future, we must build on this foundation while adapting to changes in higher education. Rice will focus on growing with purpose; propelling research and innovation; enhancing graduate programs and advancing student success; enhancing athletics; and expanding our global presence.

Central to our success is investing in people — faculty, staff and students alike. We will support professional and leadership development, mental health and well-being, knowing these investments will foster a thriving campus community. This, in turn, will reinforce an empowered campus culture that supports everyone on campus and allows them to reach their highest potential. 

As I explained at our strategic plan launch event, built into Momentous is a focus on us. Each one of us. Everyone has a role to play in this plan — including you. This is our moment for Rice. We invite you to join us for this next exciting chapter as we take Rice to new heights … together.