RICE UNIVERSITY: Annual student club awards recognize efforts in diversity, creativity and inclusion

The third annual Club Awards were held via Zoom last week as the Rice Student Center recognized the outstanding contributions of student leaders, organizations and club sponsors who have helped keep the university community engaged during a difficult school year — much of it virtual, as was the awards reception.

The Student Center even acknowledged Rice’s yearlong hybrid format with two new awards for 2021: In-Person Program of the Year and Virtual Program of the Year.

One of Rice’s longest-lived clubs, the Hispanic Association for Cultural Enrichment at Rice (HACER), established in 1972, took home a trio of awards this year.

Other clubs committed to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives were also saluted for their work on campus, ranging from professional societies such as the Rice chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Minorities in Social Sciences (MSS) and the Rice chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE).

Creative organizations were also highlighted: Rice Design members created a line of clothing and other merchandise designed, modeled and managed by students. The Rice Apollos are the only all-male acapella group.

RAW Photography provides a space for photographers of all levels to connect and collaborate. And Happenings: The Social Puppet Club creates and performs poetry and theatrical performances to highlight global issues on campus.