A MESSAGE FROM
RICE PRESIDENT
REGINALD
DESROCHES
Dear Rice Volunteers,
Prior to becoming Rice president in July of this year, I had the great privilege of serving as provost and, before that, as dean of engineering. In each of these roles, I have worked with and learned from so many amazing volunteers, and my appreciation for your efforts has only grown deeper.
SAM
STAMPORT
MAKES THE GARDEN BLOOM
For Rice community member and volunteer Sam Stamport, the campus’ holistic garden, with its fruits, vegetables, and flowering plants, has served as refuge – especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a place where Stamport can connect with nature and bond with fellow plant-loving friends he’s made through the university.
ROOTS TO
BRANCHES:
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF LATINX
AND HISPANIC LIFE AT RICE
Fifty years ago, a visionary young mathematics professor named Richard Tapia and 16 Rice students formed the university’s first student group dedicated to supporting Hispanic life on campus: the Rice Association of Mexican American Students. The acronym RAMAS, which translates to “branches” in English, was more than a fitting descriptor: over the ensuing decades the group would evolve to become HACER, the Hispanic Association for Cultural Enrichment at Rice, serving as the impetus for the five other Rice Latinx and Hispanic student organizations that exist today.
MOODY CENTER
FOR THE ARTS
VOLUNTEERS FOR ALL SEASONS
Since its opening in 2017, the Moody Center for the Arts has served as a public-facing institution connecting the arts at Rice with the greater Houston community, welcoming over 9,000 visitors annually. Volunteer greeters welcome each of these visitors, providing information on the current exhibits. Linda Stokes and Marilyn Dishman, both volunteers since the center's opening, see the art as an inspiration to be shared with the campus and broader arts community.
THE REAL GIFT IS THE PEOPLE
MARILYN DISHMAN
Marilyn Dishman has volunteered at the front desk of the Moody for over five years. She’s fascinated by the art and the different ways it helps her to see the world, but the real gift for Marilyn has been the people she has met along the way. “I love interacting with students and staff,” Marilyn explained. “So many of the visitors are curious and ask thought-provoking questions, and I am continually inspired by the young people who come through each day.”
ART KEEPS ME THINKING
LINDA STOKES
Looking for ways to give back to her community, Linda Stokes has made volunteer work a big part of her daily life. “Volunteer work exposes me to different people, new parts of the city and varied experiences,” she explained. “The art keeps me interested, it makes me think.” From the very first exhibit, Thomas Struth’s “Nature & Politics,” to her favorite exhibit, Natasha Bowdoin’s “Sideways to the Sun,” Linda finds herself continuously rethinking the artists’ statements, methods and messages.
