The Empire Strikes Backstreet
Alisha Sankhe
Neuroscience 2027
Cupertino, California, USA
When is the next greatest Letterboxd review dropping? You'll have to ask THE Alisha Sankhe herself. Straight outta Cupertino, California, home of Apple Headquarters, this movie nerd may be smarter than Steve Jobs himself. The way she was able to break down the Haunting of Hill House and Jigsaw would make even Casper the Ghost blush. Majoring in neuroscience, she loves using her big brain to not only analyze horror movies, but also to serve as a NEUR 362 warrior. When she isn't watching a movie with her friends in Will Rice PDR, she can be found studying in Commons, waiting in line at Chaus, or going on one of her iconic evening walks with her friends. In all seriousness though, Alisha is one of the most loyal people I know and will be one of the most caring O-Week parents you could ask for. She is sweet to every person she comes across and will be by your side throughout your whole journey at Rice, and beyond! No matter what your interests are, she will ALWAYS hear you out and can talk about anything. So, I can ensure your O-Week will be incredibly amazing alongside THE Alisha Sankhe.
Cole Verdirame (Hanszen '28), Mert Esat Yercel (Hanszen '28)
Tyton Ballew
Chemistry BS 2027
Houston, TX
If you ever need someone to make you laugh, help you survive orgo lab, or explain a wildly convoluted Magic: The Gathering combo (yes, the goat token is necessary), meet your new favorite Will Ricer: Tyton! Born in a cornfield in Kansas but raised right here in Houston, he's got true home field advantage at Rice. A Chemistry major and pre-med pro, he basically lives in the lab, his happy place, full of beakers, reactions, and the occasional super-dangerous nerve gas. Just a fair warning: he is NOT a morning person. Seriously, approach with caution before noon. But once he's awake, he's one of the funniest, most easygoing people you'll meet. Whether he's serving aces on the tennis court, holding his own in a high-stakes pickleball match, or convincing you Taco Bell is the pinnacle of fine dining (he's not wrong), Tyton is always a blast to be around. If you're lucky enough to have him in your corner, you've got a true friend and probably a Magic deck or two headed your way.
ChatGPT (Internet '22)
Thomas Pickell
Electrical and Computer Engineering 2026
Rockwall, TX
Thomas Pickle? No, it's Thomas Pickell (Pronounced Pick L). Coming all the way from Rockwall, Thomas is a big man majoring in Electrical Engineering and is a rising senior at Will Rice. If you can catch Thomas before he aggressively bikes past you at 30 mph (~48 kmh), you will quickly fall in love with his great sense of humor. Whether it's random documentaries about disgraced celebrities, interning at NASA, or planning a skydiving trip, you can talk to Thomas about anything. If you need help with your classes, no academic obstacle is big enough to stop him. In his free time, Thomas likes to hit his favorite muscle group (quads) at the gym, play Tetris competitively (T100 high score), or whip up new dishes (loves paninis) at his apartment. If he's somehow not doing any of these, find Thomas on stage or in the stands at a basketball game, as he plays double bass for both the theater and the pep band. All in all, he is a caring, thoughtful advisor who is devoted to giving you an amazing O-Week. You lucked out with Thomas!
JC Tierce (Will Rice '28), Will Patel (Will Rice '28)
Abbie Wang
Biosciences Premed 2028
Mckinney, Texas
If caffeine could be measured in blood type, Abbie's would be 90% vanilla-iced-caramel-white as the devil's ice cold brew and 10% pure determination. Short in stature but large in heart, she's spent her days fueling McKinney, Texas's fledgling coffee addiction and her nights dreaming of fixing hearts as a Biosciences and Pre Med major. She also goes by Wang Yori, King Cook in Korean, though the only thing anyone's seen her make is ramen, she just really loves eating other people's food. If you're over 5 foot 4, you might need to tilt your head down to spot her, and you'll probably hear her before you see her.
Some say Abbie cares too much about the people around her, they ask how she has the bandwidth to check in on all her friends and volunteer at a hospital, but that's what makes Abbie, Abbie. If you're lucky enough to be advised by her, she'll remember your birthday, your brother's, and your dad's too. She'll always try to help, though she might flex her gym arms if you question her answers.
Know that if you're her mentee, you're in good hands. Heavily caffeinated, slightly chaotic hands, but good hands.
Isaiah Williams (UT '28) Hannah Watkins (Jones '26)
