Meet The Rice Business MBA Class Of 2027Plus: A final interview with outgoing Dean Peter Rodriguez by: Jeff Schmitt on July 13, 2026 | 25 minute read July 13, 2026 Copy Link Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email Share on LinkedIn Share on WhatsApp Share on Reddit Rice MBA student at graduation. P&Q: What kinds of educational and career support do alumni receive after graduation? Rodriguez: “One thing that really stands out is that alumni are welcome to audit many of our courses. They often return to explore new electives or revisit subjects that have evolved since they graduated. It’s common to see alumni back in the classroom, reconnecting with faculty and staying current. From the start of the program, our students receive individualized career support through one-on-one advising with experienced professionals who take time to understand their backgrounds, goals, and aspirations. That personalized approach reflects the broader Rice Business experience and ensures career guidance is thoughtful and aligned with each student’s path. We also equip students with modern tools that reflect today’s employment landscape. Access to AI-powered career resources helps students refine resumes, prepare for interviews and explore career options more efficiently — enhancing the personalized advising they receive and positioning them to be competitive in a rapidly evolving market. But what truly differentiates Rice Business is the continuity of this support beyond graduation. We also host frequent networking events that bring together alumni, students, and hiring professionals. Those connections help our students and our alumni stay engaged and visible in the job market throughout their careers. The Career Development Office maintains an ongoing relationship with graduates that evolves as their careers evolve. Alumni can return for one-on-one advising, engage in programming designed for more experienced professionals and access career resources whenever they reach a transition point — whether early in their careers or many years later. Equally important, our alumni play an active role in preparing the next generation of Rice Business graduates. Through mentoring, guest speaking, recruiting and hiring, alumni remain connected to our students and to one another.” Click on the links below for in-depth profiles of class members. MBA Student Hometown Undergraduate Alma Mater Last Employer Parikshit Ambhore Pune, India Pune University Fidelity Information Services Alexis Allen Forest City, NC Prairie View A&M University Accenture Alex Brown Red Bank, SC U.S. Naval Academy U.S. Marine Corps Kathryn Caudell Houston, TX Southwestern University Houston Food Bank Chase Holland Austin, TX University of Houston U.S. Government Miles Moscariello Houston, TX University of Houston ITEX Group Aya Rawashdeh Amman, Jordan University of Texas at Tyler NA Michael Sides Houston, TX Texas A&M University Deloitte Emily Smith Cincinnati, OH University of Maryland ExxonMobil Ivan Tapia Ciudad Juarez, Mexico Rice University Chevron Dyan Utami Jakarta, Indonesia YKPN Yogyakarta Aquabloom Kirsi Zhou Beijing, China New York University Amazon Web Services Previous PagePage 3 of 3 1 2 3 © Copyright 2026 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poets & Quants, please submit your request HERE.