The Architect: Shaan Patel ’14
The Teacher: Cynthia Alejandre ’14
Rice School of Architecture (RSA) students are notorious for pulling long hours in the studio. Many of them practically move into Anderson Hall, sleeping on couches and leaving only in search of caffeine. Not Shaan Patel. “I chose Rice for the quality of life,” he said, “so I make a conscious effort to get out and work on a campuswide level.” This Miami native and McMurtry College prime minister has left a lasting mark on the campus — in the most literal sense. Patel, Adam Bloom ’15 and a student committee designed a new patio space for his college, a cheerful spot where McMurts can now gather to relax. The project lasted a year and a half from conception to grand opening, and Patel, now a senior, was an enthusiastic participant. In addition to drawing up the patio’s blueprint, he also sold the idea to McMurtry’s student government, secured funding and worked closely with Rice’s Housing and Dining and Facilities Engineering and Planning departments. Patel has a knack for leaving things better than he found them. As a Campanile editor, he led a redesign that has taken the yearbook from stale to stylish. But Patel stresses that good design is not just about aesthetics. “A lot of people think that architecture and design are all about making things pretty,” Patel said. “It’s a lot more than that. Now the yearbook really tells a story.” During a week in Chile last spring, Patel and his architecture classmates toured world-renowned buildings, met elite architects and pondered the future of global design. Another vital architecture skill, Patel said, is thinking globally. “So the Santiago trip was really important.” Patel’s trip was made possible through the John J. Casbarian Travel Fund, a scholarship that sends whole studios and classes around the world to experience architecture as art and profession. The fund, which honors the first dean to create a regular traveling studio and the founder of RSA Paris, was established through a matching gift by former trustee Ralph S. O’Connor and many generous donations. “When you travel with others, you profit from everyone else’s impressions,” said RSA Dean Sarah Whiting. “It’s incredibly important to enrich what students are learning in the classroom and to augment it.” Patel is planning a career at the intersection of architecture and public policy, with aspirations of opening his own firm someday.
Applying to college, Cynthia Alejandre remembers, was like learning a new language. As a first-generation college student, she didn’t have family or friends with experience deciphering scholarship applications and test scores. Jargon like “FAFSA” and “deferred loans” felt overwhelming. And her struggling high school wasn’t much help, either. “My school was so big that the counselors weren’t able to give us much one-on-one time,” Alejandre said. “Starting out, I had no idea how to even approach applying to Rice. I was pretty much on my own.” She didn’t let it faze her. Alejandre — a soft-spoken Houston native who radiates a quiet confidence — did research online, polished her application and was admitted to Rice through early decision. Scholarships made it possible for her to enroll, but that was just the first hurdle. For the first time in her educational career, Alejandre struggled in her freshman classes at Rice. “High school was easy,” she said, “but at Rice, I realized how underprepared I was. I had to catch up fast.” It all came together when Alejandre signed up for a class on urban education. As education certification lecturer Judy Radigan led discussions on topics like gang violence at school and intergenerational poverty, Alejandre found herself perched on the edge of her seat. “It really hit home,” she said. Having lived the very educational disparities she was now studying, Alejandre connected with the material in a powerful way. “I decided I should do something about it,” she said, “and that’s when I got serious about going into education.” Majoring in biochemistry and cell biology, she wants to teach high school science in an underserved community. In addition to serving as a teaching assistant for organic chemistry, she tutors peers at Lovett College as an Academic Fellow. And this summer, she helped give entering freshmen — many of them first-generation students like herself — a boost in STEM fields as a coach with the Rice Emerging Scholars Program. Rice’s Centennial Scholarship Initiative raised $106 million to bring talented students (and future accomplished alumni), like Alejandre, to Rice. “Without the generous support of those who donate to Rice, I never could have hoped to step foot in this university,” Alejandre said. “As a first-generation college student, I’ve set a precedent for my family to continue the tradition of higher education. As a Rice graduate, I plan to become a donor myself and give to those who deserve an opportunity for success.”—RC
—RC
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