For Felix Campos ’08, giving back to Rice began with a conversation. When fellow alum and Rice Engineering Alumni (REA) board member P. V. “Suri” Suryanarayana ’91 told him about a program designed to help students secure their first internships, it immediately struck a chord. As an undergraduate, he’d faced his own challenges balancing rigorous academics with anxiety about his career prospects. That shared experience became the spark that led him to volunteer, and eventually to lead.

What inspired you to start volunteering with REA?

As an undergraduate at Rice, I struggled academically and was really anxious about my internship and job prospects post-graduation. I remembered what that felt like and wanted to help students avoid that same stress. I told Suri, “If there’s any way I can help, let me know.” That’s what got me involved.

I started volunteering in March 2021, mostly working with the Summer Engineering Experience program. I worked closely with Jim Pyke ’97, who led the program at the time, and he encouraged me to apply for the board. Initially, it felt outside my comfort zone. I had never served on a board before, but with his encouragement, I applied.

What has your experience been like serving on the board?

It’s been incredibly meaningful, especially given that I had struggled academically. I graduated, but I always had this feeling whenever I ran into other Rice engineers, like my GPA was tattooed on my forehead. Being on the board and working with other engineering alums has really reinvigorated my love for Rice.

I really enjoyed my social experience at Rice and missed that interaction. Serving on the board has helped me reconnect with the Rice community, and that connection has only deepened as I was encouraged to serve, and now serve, as REA president.

What accomplishments are you most proud of as REA president?

We’ve relaunched the REA newsletter, which I’m really proud of. It’s another way to engage alumni who might not be active on social media and to share the impact of what we’re doing: how donations support students, how programs connect alumni and the kind of mentorship happening across the community.

I’m also proud of continuing to grow the Summer Engineering Experience, the program that inspired me to get involved in the first place. It connects students with alumni mentors who help them with résumés, interview skills and, just as importantly, confidence and encouragement. Rice is academically rigorous, and that can take a toll. Sometimes, hearing from an alum who’s on the other side of that and can tell you there’s light at the end of the tunnel makes a huge difference.

I’m also looking forward to finding new ways to engage more alumni. I’ve encouraged our board to seek partnerships with other Rice organizations, and even non-Rice organizations, to broaden our impact. I’ve encouraged the board to be more collaborative, both internally and externally.

How has collaboration strengthened the REA’s work?

If we are more collaborative as a board, that can have a ripple effect. We’ve worked with the Center for Career Development and the Rice Emerging Scholars Program and expanded our partnership with Student Success Initiatives this year. That kind of partnership allows us to reach more students and alumni, building a community of support.

I often say none of us accomplishes anything alone. The Summer Engineering Experience is a perfect example. It’s grown organically, mentor by mentor, because people talk about it and bring friends in. It’s a great reminder of what we can accomplish when we focus on building community.

What would you say to a Rice Owl who’s considering volunteering for the first time?

Take a look at the different volunteer opportunities, see what interests you and let’s talk about where we can plug you in based on those interests. You don’t have to be a board member to make an impact. I wasn’t when I first got involved. I started as a volunteer through the Summer Engineering Experience. There are so many ways to contribute and connect.

What have you learned about leadership through your work with REA?

One of the big takeaways is that I don't need to lead like someone else leads. I need to lead the way that's unique to who I am. This is the largest leadership role I’ve ever had, with a board of 21 folks, and figuring out how to lead a group that size has definitely come with growing pains, but it’s been rewarding.

Why is giving back to Rice meaningful to you?

It’s been really cathartic. I used to carry this shame of not having done well at Rice academically, and now I'm able to help students that may be experiencing what I experienced. It's like being able to help the younger me.

Through my involvement, I’ve learned more about what’s happening at Rice today, and it’s made me even prouder to be a Rice alum because of the values that Rice espouses. I’m proud of the work Rice is doing to support students from under-resourced backgrounds, of initiatives like The Rice Investment and of how the School of Engineering and Computing lives its motto: solving for the greater good. That really aligns with my own values, and I imagine I’ll be a lifelong volunteer because of it.