Tamara Siler honored by trustees

The Rice Board of Trustees honored Tamara Siler ’87 at the March 24 meeting for her unwavering dedication to the university.

Tamara Siler

Siler has worked for the university since 1992, when she was hired in the Office of Admission as assistant director. She’s been promoted several times over the years and is now the senior associate director of admission and coordinator of minority recruitment.

As the leader of the minority recruitment team, Siler is involved with strategic planning and execution of two major campus programs that target underrepresented minorities; she is liaison for the QuestBridge College Match Program and the staff leader for the Minority Recruitment Committee, which is made up of current Rice students in support of diversity recruitment.

“Tamara’s devotion to the university is steadfast,” said Chris Muñoz, vice president for enrollment. “Her commitment to supporting minority recruitment efforts at the university is, and has always been, resolute.”

Siler served as president of the Texas Association for College Admission Counseling (TACAC) from 2009-2010 and was honored as a Rice Centennial Star in 2012. In 2013 she was selected for the TACAC Founders Award for contributions to the college counseling profession “above and beyond the call of duty.” Siler was recently elected to the National Association for College Admission Counseling Board of Directors.

Along with the director of admission, Siler assists with coordinating travel plans for the admission staff and manages the university’s participation in “Exploring Educational Excellence,” a joint travel program of Rice, Brown, Columbia and Cornell universities and the University of Chicago.

Siler, a graduate of the High School for the Performing Arts, works with prospective students and their parents and represents Rice at recruiting events across the country. In addition, she co-manages the transfer-student evaluation process and is the admission liaison to the Shepherd School of Music.