News Briefs

Rice Players seeking backstage volunteers
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The Rice Players is working on its second play of the semester, “Les Liaisons Dangereuses,” and is seeking faculty and staff members interested in volunteering on backstage preparations.

No experience is necessary to volunteer. Faculty and staff who are interested can contact Cherise Ard, the student production director, at <cherish@rice.edu>.
The play will open Nov. 9.

Flu shots will be available to employees
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Rice University will provide flu shots free of charge to all active benefits-eligible faculty and staff. The shots will be offered Oct. 30-31 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. both days. The shots will be available in the Allen Center lobby. Spouses and domestic partners also can receive the flu shot for $12.

Junior earns study-abroad scholarship
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Rice Lovett College junior Eve Bower was awarded one of 33 achievement scholarships from the International Education of Students (IES).

Bower, a political science and Asian studies major, currently is participating in the IES Beijing Program. The scholarship offers funding for her study abroad during the 2001-2002 school year.

The IES received more than 225 applications for achievement scholarships from students across the country. Students must have at least a 3.3 grade point average to apply; the average GPA for this round of recipients was 3.71.

A panel of faculty from U.S. universities reviewed each application and recommended students for the award. Students were required to write a personal statement about their cross-cultural interests and a comparative essay.

Bower, a native of Bogard, Ga., was the recipient of Rice scholarships through the Barbara Jordan and the Century Scholars programs.

CIC offers employees English lessons
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The Community Involvement Center’s (CIC) volunteer English as a Second Language tutoring program is looking for learners.

The program partners Rice staff, faculty and students with employees who need extra assistance with their English skills. The tutoring sessions are one-on-one and are free of charge. Pairs usually meet weekly for a one-hour session.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to spread the word about this valuable and beneficial program to their department’s employees. Those who are interested in improving their English skills should contact Stacy Rasmussen at the CIC at <stacyras@rice.edu>.

Volunteers needed for Halloween fair
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Volunteers are need for Project Pumpkin, an annual Halloween carnival held on campus for underprivileged children in Houston. The event this year is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 27, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Will Rice College Commons. Volunteers are needed to bring the youngsters around to the different booths and to be “bus buddies.” Faculty, staff and students interested in helping out at Project Pumpkin can visit the Rice Student Volunteer Program Web site at <www.ruf.rice.edu/~rsvp> to sign up to volunteer.

Rice Symphonic Band to perform Oct. 21
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The Rice Symphonic Band and the Houston Concert Band will present a free concert Sunday, Oct. 21, at 3 p.m. at the Grand Hall, Rice Memorial Center. Performances will include Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever” and Rice music professor Arthur Gottschalk’s “Overture Measure for Measure.” For information call (713) 348-2346.