Rice’s Glasscock School offers free, online learning sessions during pandemic

The doors are closed, but Rice University’s Glasscock School of Continuing Studies is open for all online. The school has launched OpenRICE, an initiative offering relevant and timely expertise and insight free to the Houston community.

Reflecting the wide-ranging nature of the Glasscock School’s educational programs, these single-session experiences on a broad cross section of subjects will help Houstonians gain a greater understanding of significant topics amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Initial OpenRICE offerings will center on COVID-19-related content in the Glasscock School’s specialty fields, such as professional practices, personal development and education. As the crisis transitions to the other side of “the curve,” content will be driven by other issues facing the community.

“Like so many other people and organizations in our city and across the nation during this unprecedented time, everyone is trying to do their part,” said Robert Bruce, dean of the Glasscock School. “We, likewise, want to serve our community. That was the impetus for launching OpenRICE. It has always been our mission to meet the educational needs of the Houston area and to transform challenges into opportunities. Though none of us anticipated this being the challenge at hand, our mission remains and we are more committed to it than ever.”

Examples of the first OpenRICE sessions (both live and on demand) include:

• “Pandemic’s Box: Now the Workforce is Remote, Where Do We Go from Here?” led by Jill Silman Chapman, a human resources professional with more than 20 years of employment management experience.
• “Transitioning to Online Learning for All Students,” a two-part series for both administrators and teachers led by a selection of local education experts including researchers, principals and teachers.
• “Meditation for Crisis and Uncertainty,” led by Alejandro Chaoul, founding director of the Mind, Body, Spirit Institute at the Jung Center and faculty member in the Integrative Medicine Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
• “Reframing Leadership in Times of Crisis,” led by Judy Le, president of TakeRoot LLC.
• “Nonprofit Budgeting and Crisis Management,” led by Justine Townsend of Your Part-Time Controller LLC.
• “Nonprofit Leadership During COVID-19,” led by David Weekley, chairman of David Weekley Homes.

OpenRICE sessions will encompass a range of formats including synchronous webinars, prerecorded presentations and more. For a complete schedule of sessions or to register, visit glasscock.rice.edu/openrice.