Dear Rice community,
It is with deep sadness and shock that I write to you on what should have been a day filled with promise and new beginnings. Instead, we find ourselves mourning the loss of one of our own in a tragic event that has shaken our campus to its core.
As Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman shared earlier, Rice University Police responded to a welfare check this afternoon and found junior Andrea Rodriguez Avila deceased in her Jones College room, along with an unidentified male with a self-inflicted gunshot wound who was not a member of the Rice community. This is a heartbreaking, devastating incident, and it is important to recognize that this loss will affect our close-knit community in the days and weeks ahead.
Tonight, I want our students, parents and Rice community to know that our campus is safe, that there is no further threat and that we are wrapping our arms around you with care and concern. As a parent of a past Rice student, I can only imagine how devastating this must be – to Andrea’s family and our community.
The pain we feel on campus tonight is immeasurable, and I know that words cannot fully capture the sorrow and grief that many of you may be experiencing. I urge you to lean on each other, to offer support and compassion, and to remember that we are all joined in our grief and care.
All classes will be canceled tomorrow, Aug. 27, but our campus will be very much open. We encourage you to come together as a community, spend time with each other to mourn and use the campus resources available for counseling.
Rice’s culture of care is particularly strong during times of tragedy, and there are a number of resources available to help you cope with the emotions that may arise in the wake of this horrific event. If you need someone to talk to, please reach out to your college magisters, RAs, coordinator, or any of the staff from the Rice Counseling Center and Wellbeing Office. Students in need of support, please contact Wellbeing at 713-348-3311 — this number is available 24/7. Faculty and staff in need of support can meet in person with representatives from the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tuesday in the Rice Memorial Center Chapel. Faculty and staff can also speak with EAP representatives 24/7 at 888-881-5462. We are here to support you, and no one should feel alone during this time.
In moments like these, our strength, care and resilience as a community are more important than ever. Please take care of yourselves and each other. Let us honor Andrea’s memory by coming together in unity and compassion.
With deepest sympathy,
President Reginald DesRoches