When Rice’s faculty and staff gathered Sept. 28 at the Anderson-Clarke Center for a Welcome Back Breakfast, President Reginald DesRoches and four members of his leadership team offered insight into their plans for the upcoming school year and beyond. They saved some big news for last when Vice President for Public Affairs Melinda Spaulding Chevalier revealed the campus has adopted the tradition of Rice Spirit Fridays.
Each Friday, Rice faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters are encouraged to wear clothing that bears the Rice logo or features Rice colors.
“We empower you to promote Rice,” Spaulding Chevalier said. “We are all part of the Rice community, and one of the things that we’re going to do to be very intentional about that is we’re going to change the way we look on Fridays here on campus. We can show the world who we are, what we stand for and what we look like.”
DesRoches supported the new tradition along with the meeting’s other presenters: Howard R. Hughes Provost Amy Dittmar, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Kelly Fox and Executive Vice President for Research Ramamoorthy Ramesh. Rice’s Office of Public Affairs also handed out new blue polo shirts emblazoned with the university name to attendees after the event.