MultiCultural Center

Rice University is convinced that it can most effectively carry out its “Enduring Vision” in a learning community drawn from the full range of ethnic and cultural traditions represented in Houston, our nation and throughout the world. Further, in the spirit of academic excellence, the University recognizes its educational responsibility to prepare its students to live, work, serve, and lead in our increasingly diverse society. The Rice commitment to cultural inclusiveness, therefore, is not represented merely in numerical terms. It is much more. It represents a way of thinking, seeing, and behaving that demonstrates a learned understanding and respect for all ethnic and cultural traditions. Cultural inclusiveness at Rice embodies the University’s commitment to an atmosphere of civility and rich dialogue where these various traditions can contribute to a sharing of perspectives in the pursuit of scholarship and truth. It includes the acknowledgment -- both individual and collective -- of those ethnic or racial groups whose contributions to the history of our nation and the University deserve far more recognition than they have been accorded in the past. It also includes the recognition and celebration of the cultural differences that bind together the Rice community. Learn more about how we actively seek out broad diversity across the Rice community online.

Funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship at Rice began in 1992. The fundamental objective of this fellowship program is to increase the number of minority students, and others with a demonstrated commitment to eradicating racial disparities, who will pursue the Ph.D. in core fields in the arts and sciences.

The program chooses students who are most likely to benefit from a close mentoring relationship with a faculty member. Selection is based on a number of attributes, including, but not limited to, academic standing and potential, life experiences and interests, commitment to building bridges in multicultural settings, and interest in pursuing graduate education.

The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) strives to coordinate and implement comprehensive educational, cultural and social programs designed to emphasize inclusiveness, while promoting intercultural dialogue, awareness and respect for diversity. OMA helps students understand and appreciate racial, ethnic, gender and other differences, while creating opportunities for students to challenge prejudice and expand their cultural knowledge and appreciation. OMA utilizes its programming and support systems to provide an optimum developmental environment where all members of the University community may reach their potential in an atmosphere free from harassment and bias, thereby ensuring Rice’s standing as an intellectually and culturally-vibrant community.