Rice to break ground on Moody Center Complex for Student Life

Gifts from Moody Foundation and Brown Foundation create new facility to empower student success

HOUSTON, March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Rice University will break ground on the new Moody Center Complex for Student Life (MCCSL) later this spring, marking a transformative moment for the university's commitment to student engagement, development and success. The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for May 8 and will signal the start of an exciting chapter in the university's student-focused growth, university leaders said.

Made possible by generous gifts from the Moody Foundation and the Brown Foundation, a new 75,000-square-foot facility will be constructed to serve as a dynamic hub for student activities, supporting connection and interaction among Rice students and the broader community. To be located on the south side of the Central Quadrangle, the new facility will complement the Rice Memorial Center (RMC) and Ley Student Center, which will undergo renovations after the completion of the new building, creating a cohesive student center complex called the Moody Center Complex for Student Life. Rice students will have the opportunity to provide input on the redesign of the existing student center, ensuring their voices are integral to shaping their campus experience.

"Rice University is dedicated to empowering our students to become leaders who make meaningful impacts around the world," President Reginald DesRoches said. "The Moody Center Complex for Student Life will be a centerpiece for community, creativity and collaboration, providing our students with the resources and spaces they need to thrive. We are sincerely grateful to the Moody Foundation and Brown Foundation for their incredible vision and support."

The new facility will feature a large programming pavilion that opens to the Central Quad, offering opportunities for both indoor and outdoor events, including performances, lectures and multicultural celebrations. The building will also house a variety of spaces, such as a café, coffeehouse, meeting rooms, study areas and student services offices, designed to meet the needs of Rice's diverse and growing student body. Over the past decade, the university's enrollment has expanded by 34%, with nearly 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students now calling Rice home.

The project is supported by the historic $100 million commitment from the Moody Foundation, announced in 2021, which remains the largest single donation in Rice's history. The gift not only supports the construction of the MCCSL but also funds 12 endowments focused on advancing student opportunity and success – collectively called The Moody Experience. The Brown Foundation provided an additional $15 million to support the project.

Designed by award-winning architecture firm Olson Kundig with Page as the executive architect, the new building is scheduled for completion in fall 2027.

"This new state-of-the-art facility will be much more than just a building; it is an investment in the future of every student, supporting them in pursuit of their passions," said Elle Moody '14, a trustee of both the Moody Foundation and Rice. "My hope is that it will provide opportunities for our students to form meaningful connections, not only with one another, but also with a vast network of scholars and leaders from local to global communities."

Established in 1942, the Moody Foundation has awarded more than $2 billion in the areas of the humanities, arts, religion, education, health, science, community and social events in the state of Texas. Since 1964, the foundation has contributed over $125 million to Rice.

"The Moody Center Complex for Student Life is set to become a vibrant cornerstone of student activity at Rice — an open, inclusive and outward-looking space that amplifies the university's mission to support students in their academic, personal and professional journeys," said Kelly Fox, executive vice president for operations, finance and support.

The Brown Foundation has given over $112 million to Rice throughout its rich history. The foundation's namesake, George R. Brown, served on Rice's Board of Trustees from 1943 and as chairman from 1950-1965, the first alumnus to receive this honor. Known for his personal interest in students, he often met with them directly. The Brown family's legacy at Rice is evident throughout the campus, with several buildings and programs bearing their name, including the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing, Brown College, Alice Pratt Brown Hall and Herman Brown Hall.

About Rice University
Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of architecture, business, continuing studies, engineering and computing, humanities, music, natural sciences and social sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. Internationally, the university maintains the Rice Global Paris Center, a hub for innovative collaboration, research and inspired teaching located in the heart of Paris. With 4,776 undergraduates and 4,104 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 7 for best-run colleges by the Princeton Review.

SOURCE Rice University