Hoth Girl Summer
​Sophia Burgueno
Bioengineering 2028
Cypress, Texas
Who's that over there with her arms full of spicy chips you ask? It's just your soon-to-be favorite bioengineering O-Week mom Sophia! She loves all things spicy food and is down to try any spice challenge you throw at her (she eats 2X spicy Buldak for fun, and has voluntarily done the One Chip Challenge… twice). Lover of all things caffeine you can count on the fact she'll start every day with an orange flavored celsius. Hailing from Cypress, TX, she's a Houston native but loves traveling to Mexico any chance she gets. She's a triplet, but it's no secret that her favorite sibling is actually her dog, Lucas. She's a super consistent person- whether that's describing her steady support she always shows those around her, or the fact that she sneezes precisely three times… every time. She's always easy to talk to, whether you need a laugh or someone to lean on—and she gives the kind of thoughtful, genuine advice that makes her feel like a built-in big sister. With her natural leadership, serious determination, and positive energy, she's someone you'll always want to work with and be around.
Bailey Ellsworth (Will Rice '28)Caroline Graham (Will Rice '28), Bella Hendricks (Will Rice '28)
Grant Xu
Biosciences with Major Concentration in Cell Bio and Genetics 2028
Carmel-by-the-sea, California
Ladies and germs, behold Grant—a man who operates on a sleep schedule so chaotic, scientists are considering studying him as a new form of dark matter. He's from California, but he's not ""that kind"" of So-Cal Asian. Standing at a generous 5'7” but radiating 6'2” energy, this king struts through life like he owns the place, probably because he's too sleep-deprived to notice he doesn't.
When he's not hibernating like a bear with a melatonin addiction, Grant can be found making questionable financial decisions (Magic: The Gathering is not an investment, sir), losing at board games with the intensity of a pre-med student who definitely should be studying. Speaking of which—yes, he's pre-med. No, he doesn't know how he got here. His diet consists solely of spicy ramen, which he eats like it's a personal challenge (RIP his taste buds).
Despite his feminist literature collection (he swears he's an ally), children flee from him like he's a Disney villain. Maybe it's the dark circles, maybe it's the aura of a man who's one missed nap away from chaos—we may never know.
This is a sleep-goblin, a snack fiend, and a brilliant walking contradiction that you can count on to make Will Rice fun!
Steven Zhang (McMurtry '28)
James Puckett
Mechanical Engineering 2026
Brownsville, Texas
​The fastest runner you have ever met, basically an astronaut, and a stage icon with the voice of an angel walk into a bar. Ladies and gentlemen, you just met James Puckett. When James isn't running flight ops for ACTUAL SPACE SHIPS?!?!? at NASA?!?!? he's dominating (his own tendons) with the rice cross country team. Hailing from Brownsville, James makes every pair of sunglasses look like a top gun costume and every day in Will Rice Commons look like another day at the beach. What can I say, he's just a chill guy, I guess. Particularly when he pulled out his musical flare and sang his way to becoming last year's Rice's FINEST?!?!? Whether you need a good vibe or a rocket scientist, James is your guy.
Collin Dwyer (Will Rice '26)
Othniel Amahyi
Neuroscience 2027
Lawrenceville, GA
Hailing from a town in Georgia that no one's ever heard of, Othniel is the perfect o-week father. Although a pre-med study monger, he is always willing to emerge from the shadows to be your personal therapist (I can attest to this quite confidently). He's the brainiest neuroscience major, always nerding out about how the brain works. Othniel is an Atlanta Hawks super-fan and will never hesitate to tell you how Trae Young is better than Luka Don?i? (even when I have no idea what he's talking about). Fun fact: He such a bird fan, he even owned a pet chicken as a kid! If this guy's your o-week dad, you can be sure that he's got the heart and humor to get you through the week.
Destinie Sharp (Baker '26)
Amaya johnson
Chemistry 2027
Dallas Texas
Shooooooong! Is that a bird? Is that a plane? Nope– not even close! It’s Amaya Johnson AKA the coolest Chemistry major from Columbia, South Carolina you’ll ever meet. As a proud advocate of the “we ball” mindset, she’s always on the hunt for her newest side quest. Whether that means starring as the lead in a musical or taking LING300 for “the funsies”, you’ll never know what Amaya’s going to do next…. but that’s what makes her so fun to be around! As your local KTRU DJ and NYT word game enthusiast, she’s got hobbies for days. Want to go thrifting? Bet. Want to check out a new cafe? Sure! Need a song recommendation? Don’t get her started. But beyond her eclectic personality, Amaya is extremely down to earth and has emotional intelligence for days. If you have her as an O-Week Advisor, rest assured, you’ll be in good hands.
Lana Nguyen (Wiess ‘27)