Brandi Smith

‘Truly stunning’: Rice Shepherd School of Music alumnus reflects on conducting during Olympics opening ceremony

In the minutes before the Orchestre National de France prepared to play Edith Piaf’s “L’Hymne à l’Amour” to close out the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, music director Cristian Măcelaru had a moment of confusion.

Unlearning Paris offers new perspectives on iconic city

This summer, Rice brought back the innovative Unlearning Paris course at its Paris Center, providing students an opportunity to deconstruct and critically analyze the historic city of Paris.

Amy Kahrmann Huseby to lead Studies in English Literature 1500-1900

As an undergraduate student, Amy Kahrmann Huseby remembers reading articles in Studies in English Literature 1500-1900 and being “overawed by the knowledge, interpretive work, clarity of prose and cleverness of its articles.”

Alumnus of Rice’s Shepherd School of Music to direct orchestra during Olympics opening ceremony

Grammy Award-winning conductor Cristian Măcelaru, an alumnus of Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, will direct the Orchestre National de France during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics Friday.

‘I’ve gained a lifetime amount of knowledge’: Rice sophomore Nathan Chen joins elite group of critical language scholars

Rice sophomore Nathan Chen has been selected to participate in the U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship Program, an elite initiative aimed at promoting the study of languages critical to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness.

Alumna of Rice’s Shepherd School selected for Met Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Program

Tessa McQueen, a 2024 master’s graduate of Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, has been selected as one of 14 participants for the Metropolitan Opera’s esteemed Lindemann Young Artist Development Program.

‘Vibrant part of cultural life in Houston’: Summer Jam transforms Rice’s Moody Center for the Arts

The Moody Center for the Arts at Rice hosted its annual Summer Jam July 20, celebrating community and the arts.

A living chronicle: Rice’s Houston Asian American Archive documents community contributions

The Houston Asian American Archive, created in 2009, managed by Rice’s Chao Center for Asian Studies and housed at the Woodson Research Center, serves as a living chronicle of the vibrant and diverse Asian diaspora in Houston.

Rice Shepherd School professor, alumni help develop affordable, accessible, American-made professional bassoon

After years of development, an elite team of professional bassoonists from across the country including representatives from Rice gathered to test a new bassoon prototype from Fox Products.

Rice-housed Religious Studies Review marks 50 years of documenting and shaping field

Since its establishment, RSR has been dedicated to providing comprehensive reviews of publications in the discipline, covering more than 1,000 titles annually through short and long reviews.

Exploring Paris beyond the classroom: Rice student’s unique summer abroad

Juan-Pablo Cajiga-Pena, a junior at Rice, is making the most of his summer by diving into the cultural depths of Paris.

Rice professor’s memoir secures spot in NYT’s ‘100 Best Books of the 21st Century’

“I found out with everyone else,” said Kiese Laymon, the Libbie Shearn Moody Professor of Creative Writing and English.

Free summer program at Rice focuses on environmental justice for Houston students

The weeklong experience hosted on Rice’s campus focuses on environmental justice through storytelling via arts and media practices.

Summer in the City of Light: Rice students explore Paris through Global classes

Under a Rice Blue sky 5,000 miles from the Houston campus, class was in session during the summer months.

Erika Thompson joins Rice’s Center for African and African American Studies as associate director

In a move to bolster its academic and community engagement, Rice’s Center for African and African American Studies has appointed Erika Thompson as its new associate director.