Newest Owls nestle in to begin their Rice journeys

The moon was still in the morning sky when the newest Owls arrived on campus Aug. 18. Just after 7 a.m., Rice’s first group of freshmen, 14 international students, arrived at Duncan College on a shuttle bus. O-Week had officially begun for the Class of 2023.

Wiess College students coordinated a massive move-in effort. (Photo by Tommy LaVergne)

Each incoming class of freshmen begins its Rice experience with a weeklong orientation, O-Week for short, that introduces the new students to the campus, culture, colleges and their classmates. Registering for classes and learning about policies is only part of the O-Week package; what makes an Owl orientation truly special is the Texas-sized greeting by fellow Rice students who wait at each residential college to greet arriving freshmen and their families with chants, cheers and a helping hand.

“I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time,” said Duncan College freshman Vivian Wong, who arrived a day earlier from Shanghai and spent the night in a nearby hotel eagerly anticipating O-Week.

Duncan College freshman Andrei Mitrofan, second off the shuttle, came to Rice from Romania to study bioengineering.

“I had a long trip but I’m here,” Mitrofan said. “I’m so sleepy but I’m so excited to see all the people.”

Baker College coordinator Veronica Bernal welcomed students dressed as Glinda the Good Witch to match Baker’s “Somewhere Over the Rainb-O-Week” theme. (Photo by Tommy LaVergne)

They were soon joined by twin brothers Abinav and Arnav Sankaranthi. Despite their matching navy Rice Owls shirts and shared plans to become doctors, the brothers aren’t identical in every way.

“I’m going to Duncan,” Abinav said. “He’s going to Brown.” That meant two trips to campus and two loads to unpack. “We’re about to go back to the hotel and pick up Arnav’s stuff,” Abinav said.

Together with their parents, Pradeep and Hema, the brothers made a nearly 2,000-mile drive from Fremont, California.

“Rice was their first choice,” Hema said. “They came here two years ago to visit and they loved the school, and now that they’re back it’s just amazing.”

The warm O-Week welcome assured the Sankaranthis that, although they’ll now be halfway across the country, their only children will be well cared for.

(Photos by Tommy LaVergne)

“It feels like home away from home,” Hema said. “We’re so glad our kids decided to come here and we’re so happy for them.”

Will Rice freshman Katerina Arroyos made the short drive from Sugar Land with her family. (Photo by Tommy LaVergne)

Across campus at Baker College, incoming freshmen were enjoying a welcome fit for a wizard. “Somewhere Over the RainbO-Week” was the college’s official O-Week theme, and no one took that more to heart than Baker College coordinator Veronica Bernal, resplendent in layers of pink taffeta as Glinda the Good Witch, handing out room keys and welcome packets.

Baker College freshman Liza Yusem Carstens arrived in Houston for the first time from Seattle the day before move-in for a sneak peek at her new home base.

“There are a lot of trees and that’s a good thing for this weather,” joked Yusem Carstens, who said she was attracted to Rice for its research opportunities and strong sense of community.

The humid August air was no surprise for Will Rice freshman Katerina Arroyos, who drove in from Sugar Land with her parents, Adrian and Maggie. Her mother and father had carefully placed colorful matching signs on each of their daughter’s boxes and bags so they wouldn’t get mixed up during the massive move-in effort.

Sid Richardson College students employed their traditional human chain method of moving in new freshmen. (Photo by Tommy LaVergne)

“I woke up at 4 and I couldn’t go back to sleep,” Katerina said. “I’m a little nervous but really excited. I just hope to learn about different career paths, meet new people and figure out where I belong here.”

As a bustling crew of Will Rice students quickly unpacked their car, Adrian said the emotional impact of dropping their daughter off at college was finally hitting her parents.

“The feels came in yesterday,” he said. “It’s been all excitement until now.”

Lovett College freshman Chanel Ericsson was already well-known across campus before arriving with her family all the way from Virginia. That’s thanks to a viral tweet in which Chanel shrieked in delight the moment she found out she’d been offered a full, four-year scholarship to Rice through QuestBridge — cries of pure, infectious joy alongside her mother, Elsie.

“I was honestly so surprised and excited,” Chanel said. “I couldn’t even describe how happy I was, how grateful I was.”

Elsie, who originally came to the U.S. from Ghana, wiped away tears as she talked about her daughter’s achievements.

Lovett College freshman Chanel Ericsson and her mother Elsie reflected on the viral video that showed Chanel’s excited reaction to receiving a full scholarship to Rice. (Photo by Tommy LaVergne)

“I’m so proud of her and so grateful to the school and to QuestBridge,” Elsie said. “Not everyone gets this amazing opportunity. It’s like we’re still dreaming.”

“It’s crazy that it’s actually reality now,” Chanel chimed in. “We’re here on campus moving in! It’s crazy!”

As the last of the cars and shuttles were unloaded, families prepared for their final lunches together in the college commons. The last opportunity to say goodbye to their children before the traditional 12:45 p.m. cutoff was looming.

“Although you don’t know where you’re headed to — this experience, we haven’t had it before, as she’s our first daughter — we know that we’re headed in a positive, right direction,” said Mariehelen Alilonu, who made a nine-hour drive from Alabama with husband Geoffrey and their own Wiess College freshman Chidimma “Chi Chi” Alilonu.

Invited to visit Rice as a high school student two years ago, Chi Chi stayed on campus for three days and fell in love.

“She’s still talking about that experience,” Mariehelen said. “That was one of the determining factors in her coming here.”

Lovett College students practiced their line dance for President Leebron’s welcome barbecue ahead of move-in Aug. 18. (Photo by Tommy LaVergne)

Today, she’s back to study political science and eventually practice law. Wanting to learn even more about her new home, Chi Chi signed up for the Center for Civic Leadership’s weeklong Urban Immersion camp that gives incoming freshmen a crash course in Houston through work with local nonprofits and community partners.

“I know the capacity is limited; it’s like the best-kept secret,” Mariehelen said. “I’m so glad she wanted to do it, because how else are you going to find out what’s happening, coming all the way from Alabama?”

The drive to Houston was long but it went fast, the Alilonus said, because they spent the entire time talking about what Chi Chi’s future at Rice would hold.

“I’m just so excited,” Mariehelen said. “I can’t say it enough. We know she is going to be in good hands here.”