The Ross Rankin Moody Opportunity Fund (MOF), administered by the Office of Student Success Initiatives (SSI), is designed to financially assist undergraduate students seeking financial support for a cocurricular opportunity related to their academic and professional development.
Through this funding opportunity, students can apply for up to $2,500 and are strongly encouraged to seek out experiential opportunities that supplement their undergraduate experience beyond professional conferences. Students who want to launch their own research projects, topics or other initiatives but need funding are encouraged to apply.
In its inaugural year, SSI received 19 applications requesting funding for various projects, including engineering opportunities, musical competitions, cultural immersion experiences abroad and more.
The program distributed $9,500 among 13 students to support their travel opportunities. Most of the funds were allocated to Rice in Country programs, while others were used for internships, research programs or international competitions.
The program also distributed $5,500 to support 13 students’ creative projects. These included startups to build low-cost drones, develop cost-effective braille devices, research innovative ways to diagnose health needs using saliva and develop a facial recognition model to evaluate students’ emotional responses during their interactions.
A few previous recipients shared how MOF impacted their time at Rice and how they utilized the funds.
Senior Kevin Hernandez, a computer science major, used MOF to contribute to Columbia University’s GoGo Board project as a research assistant. His tasks focused on enhancing sensor accuracy and developing a facial recognition model to evaluate students’ emotional responses during their interactions with the GoGo Board.
“This experience deepened my commitment to using technology to empower education,” Hernandez said. “The technical skills I honed are significant, but the insight into how emotional engagement affects learning was transformative. I observed the intersection of technology and human emotion firsthand, highlighting the profound impact emotional responses have on educational outcomes. This project wasn’t just about improving a tool but about challenging how we assess and enhance learning through technology. It pushed me to consider education from both a developer’s and a learner’s perspective, aligning with my focus on creating accessible educational technology that supports diverse learning needs.
“My summer work at Columbia University is a stepping stone to a broader vision: addressing educational inequities revealed by significant disparities in academic achievement. These disparities underscore a profound theft of potential from underrepresented communities, notably Black and Hispanic students. I am driven to dismantle these barriers using adaptive learning technologies powered by AI precisely because of my journey from a crime-ridden, underfunded neighborhood.”
Senior Seryna Ayala, a biosciences major with a minor in art history, used MOF to study in France.
“After being accepted into the Rice in Paris Fellowship, I submitted an application to MOF,” she said. “I needed to obtain my first passport to participate in a summer study abroad program to advance my art history minor and embark on my first international travel experience. Securing a passport through MOF allowed me to pursue this study abroad opportunity and has paved the way for potential future international experiences.”
Junior Thunyapat Silpsamrit, a bioengineering major, used the MOF funding to develop Diagnos, a mobile app that allows students to tackle the problem of proper nutrition. The main features he wanted to develop in this project are an accurate database and AI-powered food analysis, a healthy eating incentive and integration with the Gibbs Recreation and Wellness Center.
“To evaluate the impact of Diagnos on individual health management practices, researchers tracked the progress of the HEI index score, offering insights into dietary improvements,” Silpsamrit said. “Along with the body composition analyzer at Rice’s Recreation Center, the system will track changes in percent fat mass and skeletal muscle mass. This data will be regularly updated and accessible through the users’ software, enabling students to monitor long-term trends and evaluate how effectively healthier eating affects body composition.”
MOF is financed by the Moody Foundation. In 2018, the foundation granted Rice $100 million, and a portion of that gift is earmarked to provide students with an extensive array of enhanced educational opportunities, including MOF.
The $100 million grant is the largest gift in the university’s history. Since 1964, the Moody Foundation has contributed over $125 million to Rice.
The MOF application opens every semester. For more information about the application process, visit success.rice.edu/MOF.