Peer Academic Advisors (PAAs)

Serving as liaisons for the Office of Academic Advising, PAAs are students at each college that have been broadly trained in numerous areas of academics here at Rice.  Generally speaking, your college PAA team coordinates numerous group and individual activities that attempt to strengthen the academic vitality of your residential college. You may find yourself seeking the advice of a PAA about:

  • General graduation requirements

  • Specific classes

  • Research opportunities

  • Studying abroad

  • Professional school requirements

  • Or any topic as it relates to academics

Remember, even if a particular PAA cannot answer each and every one of your detailed questions, they can at least serve as a helpful resource to point you in the right direction of someone else that can.  As you become more familiar with academics here at Rice, we hope you begin to understand that academics, learning, and especially advising are all ongoing dynamic conversations that involve multiple perspectives and not just a prescription for registrations.

For more information, visit http://oaa.rice.edu/.

Head PAAs

Afton Fults | Class of 2026 | aof3​​​​​​​@rice.edu
Chemistry, Biosciences; Medical Humanities minor; Certificate in Language and Intercultural Communication - Spanish; Pre-Med

Mariella Gonzalez Molina | Class of 2026 | msg11​​​​​​​@rice.edu
History, Art History; Museums & Cultural Heritage minor; Pre-Grad

Anastasia Loiko | Class of 2027 | akl7​​​​​​​@rice.edu
Neuroscience, Mathematics; Pre-Med

O-Week PAAs

Anastasia Loiko | Class of 2027 | akl7​​​​​​​@rice.edu
Neuroscience, Mathematics; Pre-Med

Miroslav Minchev | Class of 2027 | mdm25​​​​​​​@rice.edu
Chemistry, Biosciences; Data Science minor; Pre-Grad

Charlotte Tompkins | Class of 2028 | ct85​​​@rice.edu
Chemical Engineering; Classical Studies minor

Phoebe Yoon | Class of 2027 | psy3​​​​​​​@rice.edu
Biosciences; Medical Humanities minor; Certificate in Language and Intercultural Communication - Spanish; Pre-Med

Year-Long PAAs (Includes O-Week PAAs)

Find all of Sid’s Academic Fellows below! Please note that many Academic Fellows pursue interdisciplinary studies across multiple majors, minors, and/or certificates. PAAs have only been put under the school of study corresponding to their first listed major, but feel free to look across schools for minors, certificates, and PAAs with cross-disciplinary pursuits!

  • Prasi Desai | Class of 2027 | pd58@rice.edu

    Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Pre-Grad

    Van Do | Class of 2028 | vd35@rice.edu

    Electrical and Computer Engineering; Engineering Design minor

    Rohan Gupta | Class of 2027 | rg103@rice.edu

    Civil and Environmental Engineering

    Indrani Maitra | Class of 2026 | ism3@rice.edu

    Civil and Environmental Engineering

    Pankti Mehta | Class of 2026 | pnm1​​​​​​​@rice.edu

    Computer Science; Biochemistry & Cellular Biology minor; Pre-Med

    Elena Ruiz | Class of 2028 | er87@rice.edu

    Engineering (Undecided); Art History minor

  • Laura Cox | Class of 2026 | lmc15@rice.edu

    Biosciences; Neuroscience minor; Pre-Grad

    Alissa Ferguson | Class of 2027 | adf5@rice.edu

    Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Science; Pre-Grad

    Anish Jonalagadda | Class of 2028 | aj118@rice.edu

    Biosciences, Art; Pre-Med

    Ananya Lertpradist | Class of 2026 | al128@rice.edu

    Sports Medicine and Exercise Physiology, Cognitive Science; Pre-Med

    Abby McKellop | Class of 2026 | am238​​​​​​​@rice.edu

    Biosciences; Certificate in Language and Intercultural Communication - Spanish; Pre-Grad

    Julia Nichols | Class of 2028 | jn72@rice.edu

    Biosciences; Pre-Med

    Lynette Ochoa | Class of 2027 | lo18@rice.edu

    Biosciences; Art History minor; Certificate in Language and Intercultural Communication - Spanish; Pre-Med, Pre-Grad

    Eva Qiao | Class of 2028 | eq5@rice.edu

    Chemistry, Biology; Pre-Med

    Alyssa Tate | Class of 2026 | art10@rice.edu

    Chemistry; Art History minor; Pre-Health, Pre-Grad

  • Beck Nakhleh | Class of 2028 | bn32​​​​​​​@rice.edu

    Anthropology, Sports Medicine and Exercise Physiology; Engineering Design minor; Certificate in Language and Intercultural Communication - Japanese; Pre-Grad

    Meera Priyan | Class of 2028 | mp160@rice.edu

    Mathematical Economic Analysis; Entrepreneurship minor; Pre-Grad

    Devan Sanka | Class of 2028 | ds181@rice.edu

    Managerial Economics and Organizational Sciences; Energy and Water Sustainability minor; Pre-Law, Pre-Grad

Peer Career Advisors (PCAs)

Peer Career Advisors (PCAs) are a group of student volunteers who are selected through an application and interview process. They serve as ambassadors to undergraduates and play a valuable role in supporting the Center for Career Development. PCAs reinforce the knowledge, skills, and resources offered through the CCD. PCAs are specially trained to assist you with the following topics:

  • Resume and cover letter reviews

  • Job and internship search basics

  • Interview Prep, Elevator Pitches, LinkedIn Profiles

  • Using our online resources (12twenty, Optimal Resume, Vault, etc.)

  • Understanding CCD services

Each residential college is represented, so PCAs are easily accessible and available to answer your questions in person or through email. 

  • Zoé Gupton (zg30)

    Neel Mallipeddi (nam12)

    Devan Sanka (ds181)

    Chloé Serna (cms33)

2024-2025 Academic Fellows

The Sid Academic Fellows are a group of upperclassmen dedicated to fostering academic excellence and an intellectual environment within our college. We provide free academic assistance on a regular basis through review sessions, "office hours" in the Sid commons, and individual tutoring by request. We aim to be accessible, knowledgeable, and approachable to enhance the academic life here at Sid. 

Unlike the PAAs, Fellows do not specialize in academic advising, meaning they are not generally experts on class selection or scheduling. Rather, the Academic Fellows are people who have taken and aced that difficult introductory course which keeps you up late on a Saturday night, and they want to help you succeed in it as well. Feel free to contact any of your Fellows whenever you may need them!

Find all of Sid’s Academic Fellows below! Please note that many Academic Fellows pursue interdisciplinary studies across multiple majors, minors, and/or certificates. Fellows have only been put under the school of study corresponding to their first listed major, but feel free to look across schools for minors, certificates, and Fellows with cross-disciplinary pursuits!