Category Archives: Student Media

Schumann Brothers Fund, Student Media

2025 Schumann Brothers Grants: Now Accepting Applications!

Rice University and Rice Student Media Announce the 2025 Schumann Brothers Grants

Rice University and Rice Student Media are pleased to announce two student competitions for the 2025 Schumann Brothers Grants: one for Written Expression and one for Travel Journalism.

  • The Written Expression grant winner will receive $1,500.
  • The Travel Journalism Grant winner will receive up to $5,000, based on the strength and scope of their proposed budget.

Eligibility

Applicants must be current undergraduate students anticipated to graduate during or after the spring 2026 semester who have been published in the Rice Thresher, Rice Campanile or other publications directly affiliated with the Rice University Department of Student Media. Students from all disciplines are encouraged to apply.

Application Guidelines

Written Expression

  • Submit a writing sample, preferably related to your proposed project. Any style is acceptable; publication is not required.
  • Include a one-page proposal outlining your intended project.
  • Provide a projected completion date of no later than March 15, 2026. Grant recipients must adhere to this timeline or risk returning funds.
  • A final written piece must be submitted to the selection committee and may be published through Rice Student Media.
  • Grantees must provide a brief post-project report (1–2 pages) confirming how the funds were used and reflecting on the impact of the grant.

Submit your Written Expression proposal here.

Travel Journalism

  • Submit a nonfiction writing sample related to your proposed travel topic.
  • Include a one-page proposal describing the trip and its journalistic significance.
  • Provide a realistic travel budget. (It is understood that the trip may cost more than the grant covers.)
  • The trip must be taken within one calendar year of the award.
  • Include a projected completion date for the story or stories. Grant recipients must meet this timeline or return the funds.
  • A final journalistic piece or series must be submitted to the committee no later than March 15, 2026, and may be published through Rice Student Media.
  • Grantees must also submit a brief post-project summary detailing how the funds were spent and how the project aligned with the original proposal.

Submit your Travel Journalism proposal here.

Deadline

All submissions must be received by Wednesday, May 15, 2025, at 5 p.m.

Selection Process

A selection committee will review all applications. Finalists may be asked to participate in an interview. Grant recipients will be notified via email by June 15, 2025, with a formal announcement to follow.

Questions?

Please contact Tessa Ehrman in the Department of Student Media at te16@rice.edu for more information or clarification.

Student Media, The Rice Thresher

The Rice Thresher Sweeps TIPA

from left: Thresher News Editor James Cancelarich, Thresher Editor-in-Chief Kathleen Ortiz, Rice Director of Student Media Chris Evans, and Rice Opinions Editor Jenna Perrone.

Saturday April 12, 2025—The Rice Thresher cleaned up at the state journalism awards at the Texas Intercollegiate Publications Association (TIPA). The event brought together hundreds of collegiate journalists from across the state. The Thresher took home nearly two dozen awards.

1st place – Andersen Pickard (sports column), Andersen Pickard (sports game story), Alice Sun (special edition design), Alice Sun (overall newspaper design), James Cancelarich (general news), Kathleen Ortiz (sports news story)
2nd place – Andersen Pickard & Jay Collura & Sam Balakrishnan & Riya Misra (headline), Ed. Board (editorial), Andersen Pickard (feature story), Kathleen Ortiz (sports game story)
3rd place – Guillian Paguila (photo illustration), Alice Sun & Riya Misra (static infographic), Alice Sun (cover design), Hong Lin Tsai (cartoon), Pavithr Goli (sports column), Juliana Lightsey (live feature writing), Kathleen Ortiz (sports feature photo)
Honorable mention – Max Scholl (critical review), Bryan Mendoza (illustration)
A big congratulations to the Rice Thresher staff! The most recent issue of the Rice Thresher can be found here.
Student Media, The Campanile, The Rice Thresher

ACP Best of Show Awards 2025

Congrats to Campanile yearbook editors Eugenia Sung and Ananya Lertpradist for placing in the Best of Show awards for their designs—as well as Rice Thresher journalists Riya Misra and Chi Pham for their reporting and Cali Liu for their photojournalism—at the recent Associated Collegiate Press national convention in Long Beach!

Annnnd congratulations to everyone for both Thresher and Campanile’s overall award in Best of Show. They put in the work, that work is being recognized, and that’s a beautiful thing.

Student Media

Introducing: Chris Evans

 

With more than 20 years of experience in journalism education and student media advising, Chris serves as director of Rice University Student Media, home of The Rice Thresher newspaper, the low-power (and intentionally lowercased) ktru-FM and The Campanile yearbook.

Before coming to Rice, Chris taught journalism and all its related things as a tenure-track assistant professor of journalism at Howard University, the nation’s premier Historically Black University, in Washington, D.C.

Chris’ courses have included multimedia storytelling, audio production, journalism research methods, and news writing. He also served as editorial director of the student-powered Howard University News Service, an award-winning online outlet that covers news for and about the African-American community, and created the Illinois Student Newsroom, which successfully trained student audio journalists to produce work for the local NPR affiliate, Illinois Public Media.

He earned his Ph.D. in English in 2023. It was a creative dissertation, which means a novel, which means he’s at the moment you read this supposed to be revising his chapters so he can send it out to agents. He’s not actually doing that, but he knows he should be.

KTRU, Student Media, The Campanile, The Rice Thresher

Student Media & Arts Fair 2024

Do you enjoy writing, taking pictures, playing music, watching films, illustrating, attending concerts, going to art gallery exhibitions or otherwise getting creative in your free time?

Want to see a live ktru DJ set?

Do you just like free food and cool art?

Come to the Student Media & Arts Fair at the Moody Center for the Arts on September 7 from 6-8 p.m. and explore the many creative-minded clubs, organizations, and resources at Rice. Happening alongside the Moody Student Collaborative’s Student Reception, you can discover more about the creative side of campus at the Student Media & Arts Fair! Meet all the clubs, organizations, and resources making art happen. Don’t miss out on a chance to connect and get inspired. Participating groups include:

Whether you’re looking for a creative outlet, a public platform or like-minded Owls, the Student Media & Arts Fair is your one-stop shop for making connections and meeting new friends. This event is in conjunction with Do Ho Suh: In Process Student Opening Reception. Food will be provided.

At the students-only reception you will enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at artist Do Ho Suh’s research and collaborations including the series The Bridge Project which features the work of Rice Engineering students. You will also be able to contribute to Suh’s Artland, a sculptural landscape where you can shape your own characters from clay.

Student Media

Job Opening: Part-time Student Worker

Are you a student looking for a summer job? Well look no further! Student media is hiring a part-time student worker over the summer.

We are looking for someone who possess excellent organizational skills, a strong attention to detail, and the ability to work independently. Most of the responsibilities will be ktru-related, such as digitizing the physical library, but the chosen employee will be helping the Student Media department overall. Pay is $12/hr, 20 hrs a week. The student worker will work under general supervision and will report to the Assistant Director of Student Media.

If you are interested, please send your resume and a cover letter to our Assistant Director, Conner Clifton (conner@rice.edu), by May 3rd.

Please note this is NOT a remote position, so please apply only if you plan to be in Houston for the majority of the summer. 

Schumann Brothers Fund, Student Media

2024 Schumann Brothers Grants are Open!

Rice University and Rice Student Media announces two competitions for the 2024 Schumann Brothers Grants: one for Written Expression and one for Travel Journalism. The winner for the Written Expression award will receive a $2500 grant, and the winner for the Travel Journalism award will receive a $5000 grant to support their proposed endeavors.

For examples of previous grant winners’ works, go here.

Eligibility

Applicants must be undergraduate students who have been published in a Rice University student media outlet. Students from all disciplines are encouraged to apply.

Application

Written expression:

  • Submissions should include a writing sample, preferably one that is related to the project you are proposing. Any style of writing is acceptable, and the sample does not need to have been published.
  • Submissions should include a proposal no longer than one page explaining the desired project.
  • Submissions must include a projected completion date for the piece(s). The committee will approve and enforce a completion date, or the grantee may be required to return the grant money.
  • The piece resulting from the project must be submitted to the committee for possible publication online or in print through the Office of  Student Media.
  • The committee will submit the resulting written piece and the grant request to the Dean’s office, so it can be communicated to the donors.

Travel Journalism:

  • Submissions should include a non-fiction writing sample that is related to the project you are proposing. Any style of writing is acceptable, and the sample does not need to have been published.
  • Submissions must also include a travel budget and a proposal no longer than one page explaining the desired trip and its journalistic value. It is understood that the budget may exceed the grant amount.
  • The trip should be taken within a calendar year from the award being given.
  • Submissions will include a projected completion date for the piece(s). The committee will approve and enforce a completion date, or the grantee may be required to return the grant money.
  • The piece resulting from the project must be submitted to the committee for publication online or in print through Rice Student Media
  • The committee will submit the resulting written piece(s) and the grant request to the Dean’s office, so it can be communicated to the donors.

Deadline

All submissions must be received no later than April 28th, 2024 by 5 p.m. Submissions for Written Expression can be submitted here. Submissions for Travel Journalism can be submitted here.

Selection

A Selection Committee composed of student publication editors and sponsors will select finalists. If needed, finalists may be asked to appear for an interview. Grant winners will be notified by email by May 1st with a formal announcement to follow.

If you have any questions or need clarification, email conner@rice.edu

KTRU, Student Media

ktru presents: the 32nd Annual Outdoor Show

Rice U.’s ktru presents Outdoor Show on March 30th Bringing the State Fair to You!

Rice University’s 32nd annual free and open musical festival hosted by its student-run radio station

HOUSTON – (March 21, 2024) – For the last 30 years, KTRU-LP 96.1 FM, Rice University’s student-run radio station, has hosted a springtime music festival on the tree-lined campus that’s always free and open to the public. Its 32nd annual Outdoor Show on March 30th will once again take place all afternoon and into the evening on the grassy Central Quad off Alumni Dr., and features a diverse and talented array of acts from around the country.

From 2-10 p.m., rain or shine, local acts including Blossom Aloe, April Company, and HYPERFEMME will take the stage at Outdoor Show. The festival opens with Rice University student band Sunset Boulevard and will be headlined by rap R&B artist binki. In between, look for shoegaze by good girl and R&B by Houston’s ArmstrongWW.

Outdoor Show will also feature a student vendor market, local vendors, lawn games and other free activities throughout the day, as well as food trucks and limited edition ktru merchandise for sale. Free visitor parking is available in the Greenbriar lot at the corner of University Blvd. and Greenbriar Dr.; visitors may also park in the West and North lots and Central Garage for $12.

Since ktru first began broadcasting from the basement of Rice’s Hanszen College in 1967, the student-run radio station has championed local, underground and indie music. Its annual Outdoor Show aims to bring the Houston community together to experience and enjoy that music in a live setting. Bring a blanket and stay a while!

WHAT: ktru’s 32nd annual Outdoor Show; free and open to the public

WHEN: Saturday, March 30th, 2-10 p.m.

WHERE: Rice University, Central Quad off Alumni Dr.

For more information, visit ktru.org or follow ktru on Instagram at @ktruriceradio. 

KTRU, Student Media, The Campanile, The Rice Thresher

Student Media & Arts Fair 2023

Do you enjoy writing, taking pictures, playing music, watching films, illustrating, attending concerts, going to art gallery exhibitions or otherwise getting creative in your free time? Want to see a live KTRU DJ set? Do you just like free food and cool art? Come to the Student Media & Arts Fair at the Moody Center for the Arts on August 24 from 4-6 p.m. and explore the many creative-minded clubs, organizations, and resources at Rice. Participating groups include:

Whether you’re looking for a creative outlet, a public platform or like-minded Owls, the Student Media & Arts Fair on August 24 is your one-stop shop for making connections and meeting new friends. In addition to free food and cold drinks, the open house will also provide tours of the Moody Center’s makerspace — a 3D-printing lab, woodshop, metalworking studio and more, all free for Rice students to use year-round ­— alongside special access to JooYoung Choi’s exhibition at the Moody, Love and Wondervision, which closes August 26.

To RSVP scan the QR code above or click here.

Student Media

Introducing Tessa Ehrman

Tessa Ehrman has joined the department as the new part-time Office Assistant following an extensive time in retail management, where she also modeled products, managed social media, and designed graphics for small businesses all over the Greater Houston area.

Outside of Rice, Tessa has directed and wrote 12+ short films and is always looking for new hobbies to explore. Her current obsessions are: watching horror movies and rewatching Twin Peaks for the 100th time, cooking new recipes, her latest being mille-feuille nabe, teaching herself digital art, and thrifting for wacky and colorful goodies.