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 300 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, the Muslim Student Association, and the Rice Interfaith Council . 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 computers, workspace, storage, and a color copier for club convenience. 

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.

Office of Multicultural Affairs 

The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) has, as its primary mission, coordinating and implementing comprehensive educational, cultural, and social programs designed to emphasize inclusiveness, while promoting intercultural dialogue, awareness, and respect for diversity. Through advocacy, cultural programs, and education, OMA also 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 develop to the highest level of their potential in an atmosphere free from harassment and bias, thereby ensuring Rice's standing as an intellectually and culturally vibrant community. Cultural student clubs, such as the Black Student Association, the Hispanic Association for Cultural Enrichment at Rice, and the Rice Native American Student Association, meet regularly with OMA to discuss programming logistics and other issues. 

For more information about the Office of Multicultural Affairs, please visit https://oma.rice.edu/.