More than 700 Owls will receive their degrees Dec. 5 during Rice University’s 2023 December commencement ceremony.
Making up these graduates is a flock of talented students who will soon go on to become leaders and innovators across the country and the globe, using the knowledge and expertise they gained at Rice.
Rice News caught up with five upcoming graduates to see what their experiences at the university were like and what their next steps will be after marching through the Sallyport.
Matias Romero
What field of study is your degree in?
Master’s in data science.
What is the biggest nonacademic lesson you’ve learned from your time at Rice?
Don’t be afraid of taking a break from the daily rush to reflect on your accomplishments and celebrate that.
What advice would you give your past self prior to attending graduate school?
Have confidence in yourself — you are far more capable than you think. Every small effort contributes towards the final goal.
What is your favorite memory at Rice?
I think that one thing that differentiates Rice from any other university is the sense of community. Whether it was forming friendships within my program, connecting with the Fulbright community or bonding with fellow international students, Rice fosters a welcoming environment. I believe that this feeling is something that will come back to me every time I think about Rice.
What are your plans after graduating?
After completing the program, I feel that my skills and knowledge have significantly improved. As a Fulbright scholar, my long-standing plan has been to bring the knowledge I’ve gained back home and actively contribute to creating a positive impact in my country.
Randi McInerney
What field of study is your degree in?
I earned a Ph.D. in English with a certificate in women, gender and sexuality studies.
What is the biggest nonacademic lesson you’ve learned from your time at Rice?
The importance of building a community. My young daughter and I moved across the country so that I could attend Rice. Over the years, we’ve grown an amazing support system here, and Houston has become home.
What advice would you give your past self prior to attending graduate school?
I don’t know that I would offer my past self advice: Graduate school was a journey that I needed to navigate in real time. I had tremendous opportunities for self-discovery and growth at Rice, and I am grateful that I was able to chart my own professional path.
What is your favorite memory at Rice?
My tie cutting at Valhalla! I went with a few friends from my department who had also recently defended. Some of my family attended, and I had my late father’s tie cut.
What are your plans after graduating?
I’m thrilled to have joined Rice’s Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) as a postdoctoral associate and program administrator. As a graduate student, I became increasingly involved in on-campus work that allowed me to provide resources and develop opportunities for other graduate students. At GPS, I’ve been delighted to have new and exciting opportunities to support our graduate students and postdocs at Rice.
Kimberly Jones
What field of study is your degree in?
History, Afro-Atlantic world history, Ph.D.
What is the biggest nonacademic lesson you’ve learned from your time at Rice?
Trust myself and grant myself the grace and care that I grant to other people. You deserve it too!
What advice would you give your past self prior to attending graduate school?
You have more time than you believe you do and less than you will hope, so enjoy every moment.
What is your favorite memory at Rice?
My time at Rice is filled with memories that I cherish. Perhaps one of the fondest happened during the snowstorms in 2021. I went to campus with two friends. It was a rare and beautiful sight to see Rice covered in a blanket of snow.
What are your plans after graduating?
Currently I am an assistant professor of Black diaspora/African American history at the University of Denver. I will continue to pursue my career in academia.
Rodrigo Galeano
What field of study is your degree in?
Chemical engineering, master’s.
What is the biggest nonacademic lesson you’ve learned from your time at Rice?
The value of friendship. When you feel stressed due to the long hours of study and numerous homeworks, it is helpful to spend some time with friends.
What advice would you give your past self prior to attending graduate school?
My advice would be to prepare as much as you can for the courses.
What is your favorite memory at Rice?
My favorite memory at Rice is the football game we had against the Houston Cougars. Rice won at the last minute!
What are your plans after graduating?
I plan to work in the chemical industry and apply all the knowledge I acquired.
Joshua Moore
What field of study is your degree in?
Ph.D. in biochemistry and cellular biology.
What is the biggest nonacademic lesson you’ve learned from your time at Rice?
That my passion for student advocacy and well-being did not have to be fully separate from my academic pursuits.
What advice would you give your past self prior to attending graduate school?
My biggest piece of advice is to enjoy the small milestones, because graduate school is about small progress forward to a larger goal of understanding your field or subject of interest.
What is your favorite memory at Rice?
The experience I had during recruitment weekend. I saw a closeness in the graduate community within my department and across programs that demonstrated the connectedness of graduate students that I did not see or feel anywhere else.
What are your plans after graduating?
I will begin a postdoctoral fellowship at McGill University as I begin to prepare for the pursuit of academic faculty positions.