Clubs and Organizations

Office of Student Activities

The Office of Student Activities, located in the Rice Student Center, oversees the activities of various campus-wide student organizations, student requests for facilities usage, and coordination of various leadership development programs.

Student Activities also manages the registration process, finances, and general advising for over 350 registered clubs at Rice University.

Rice University clubs are divided into eleven genres: Academic/Honorary, Cultural/International, Environmental and Sustainability, Political, Recreational/Sport, Religious/Spiritual, Service, Social Justice, Social/Special Interest, STEM, and Visual/Performing Arts. The full list of registered clubs can be found on OwlNest, Rice's student engagement platform. The Graduate Student Association is especially important for graduate students.

The Graduate Student Association (GSA) is Rice's graduate student government organization.  It provides many opportunities for graduate student involvement, including a variety of social and professional development events and ways to volunteer.

Student Activities also provides leadership development opportunities in the form of Lunch and Lead sessions, Summit Leadership Symposium, club development programs, and partnership events through graduate clubs and the GSA.

A large number of student organizations address special student interests, such as the Black Graduate Student Association, the Queer Graduate Student Association, Indian Students at Rice, Chinese Students and Scholars Association, and the GSA. There are also numerous sport-related clubs such as sailing, rugby, volleyball, and soccer. Additionally, department level government organizations also provide involvement opportunities for graduate students.

Student Activities also recognizes a number of religious and spiritual organizations. These include, but are not limited to, Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship, the Baptist Student Ministry, Catholic Student Association, Hillel, and the Muslim Student Association. Many of these clubs are assisted by local clergy or staff and form the Joint Campus Ministries.

The Clubs Office is located on the second level of the Rice Student Center and provides a computer, workspace, and storage. 

For more information on the Office of Student Activities, please visit https://studentcenter.rice.edu/student-activities.

Rice Student Volunteer Program 

By heightening student awareness of community needs and generally raising social consciousness, the Rice Student Volunteer Program (RSVP) has organized volunteer projects for Rice students, faculty, and staff since 1985. Historically, the most popular event of each semester is Outreach Day, a Saturday when students volunteer with multiple nonprofit agencies throughout the Houston area, learning how to take thoughtful action to build a stronger, more just community. RSVP invites each student’s involvement as an officer, a committee member, a project organizer, or an interested participant in any RSVP event. 

For more information on the Rice Student Volunteer Program, please visit https://owlnest.rice.edu/organization/rsvp.

Intercollegiate Speech and Debate

Consistently ranked in the top 10 nationally, the George R. Brown Forensic Society sponsors competition in the categories of Individual Events, Lincoln–Douglas, and Parliamentary Debate. The society provides students with the chance to hone their public speaking skills and to qualify for competition both at the American Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament and at the National Parliamentary Debate Championships. Recognizing the importance of developing strong communication skills, the society has an open admission policy, inviting students with little or no previous experience as well as those with extensive high school backgrounds to become members of one of the most successful teams at Rice.

For more information on speech and debate, please visit: https://humanities.rice.edu/speech-and-debate.

The Multicultural Center 

The mission of the Multicultural Center (MCC) is to provide a dedicated space where members of the Rice community can find belonging and collaborate on programming designed to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion. The center’s programming is especially dedicated to enriching the experience and improving the retention of our diverse community, particularly those who come from backgrounds that have been historically underrepresented in higher education. 

Our team coordinates and implements educational, cultural, and social programs that empower student success and create a sense of belonging for students from historically underrepresented communities.  As we adapt to emerging issues, our hands-on approach empowers cultural student organizations through administrative and leadership support; educates individuals on expanding cultural knowledge and appreciation, confronting prejudice, and understanding systemic oppression; inspires the campus community to celebrate inclusion by understanding and appreciating differences; and cultivates unwavering student success allies.