About Aphrodite
The Greek goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite represents grace, charm, and the power of attraction. Campers aligned with Aphrodite have an innate ability to bring people together, exude a captivating aura, and possess a deep appreciation for art, romance, and the pursuit of beauty.
The enchanting allure of Team Aphrodite fills Sid with love, beauty, and harmony. They foster an inclusive and accepting environment, celebrating the uniqueness of each individual. Through acts of kindness, empathy, and support, they create a safe space where all Sidizens can express themselves and cultivate meaningful relationships.
The Team
Read their bios below!
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Every Friday afternoon around 6:30 pm, if you walk up the stairs at the rec, you will find Ananya in power yoga, probably doing a headstand. Standing at a *towering* 5 ft 1 and ¾ inches (she struggles to jump onto her bed sometimes), Ananya is a rising sophomore from San Antonio double majoring in Neuroscience and Sports Medicine on a pre-med track. Although you may struggle to see her, you’ll definitely hear her infectious laugh from a mile away. Watch out or you might become the next test subject for her EMS skills (she might struggle to find your pulse right away, but she’ll get there eventually). If you’re looking for a breakfast buddy, Ananya will wake up at 7am and try any servery breakfast with you even if she went to bed at 4am the night before (ask her about how to make the best chocolate chip waffles). And if you’re wondering where to find the best boba (she has a weird obsession with matcha) or looking for a workout buddy (she can bench more than the gym bros), look no further! But in all seriousness, you can always count on her to be there for you, whether it be late night rants, study sessions at Kraft (watch out though, she might fall asleep in the middle of it) or a midnight trip to Denny’s. Get ready for an amazing o-week because you just lucked out with the best advisor!
(Maya Harpavat, Sid Richardson ‘26; Kiana Komeiji, Hanszen ‘26; Masha Osovskaya, Sid Richardson ‘26)
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Sidizens! Hear ye! Hear ye! Whether he’s passionately singing to Ariana Grande while showering in the morning, aggressively tackling a 250 pound man during his Rice Rugby practice in the evening, or tirelessly serving Boba at East West Tea at night, Gulio Valfre Zaydenman – dubbed “Coolio” by his friends – makes sure to give it his all no matter what he’s doing. You might find this Bostonian saucing up his competition in IM Basketball, Soccer, and Flag Football, or playing tennis and pickleball, or swimming, or lifting weights, or biking, or going on a run, or rock climbing, or… you get the idea. However, this athletic specimen isn’t a dummy, although he does tend to forget his keys in his room. Outside of sports, you’ll see him speaking one the four languages he’s mastered or studying for his Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering classes. Genuinely, Giulio is one of the kindest people you’ll meet at Rice, and what he may lack in Chess abilities, he makes up for with his humorous outgoing nature.
(Dylan Council, Sid Richardson '26)
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Hopping off the METRO-bus (she is OBSESSED with Houston public transportation) with her hands filled with silly string, gingerbread houses and MOST importantly a Starbucks iced white mocha with oatmilk, she is ready to create a new Sid tradition ! Shes studying education and kinesiology, so she will always be down to teach you TikTok moves so y’all can body-ody ah (we dunno what kinese majors do). Speaking of TikTok, she makes really cute recap videos, and you’ll definitely be featured in it if you tag along her frequent boba study breaks. Just make sure to wait to pop your boba or else she’ll yell at you. JK, Mirely’s super sweet, and her infectious laugh and smile are almost as contagious as her iconic phrases— by the end of O-Week, you'll catch yourself slipping into Mirelynese. O-Week kids, consider yourself lucky: Mirely is a force to be reckoned with - a talented videographer, 2x traditions committee head, dedicated tutor, and most importantly, an amazing O-Week mom.
(Austin Tran, Sid Richardson ‘25; Scott Koh, Sid Richardson ‘25; Krish Kumar, Sid Richardson ‘26; Lily Remington, Hanszen ‘25)
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Keerthi may be a Wiessman, but her Sid spirit shines through (no seriously, she is very often mistaken for being a Sidizen). Coming from the Woodlands, Texas, Keerthi is a senior majoring in Biosciences and Health Sciences. When she’s not studying genes in the lab, you can find her browsing for cute jeans online – and for real, she has some of the best style on campus. Despite having a packed schedule, being involved with cool campus organizations such as PERIOD at Rice, and dancing her heart out on Rice Bhangra, her Pinterest and Spotify stay updated, an ode to her love for outfits, photos, and endless playlists. While I’m on a roll, I might as well mention her endless love for sushi – honestly, she could probably tell you about every sushi place within 10 miles of Rice. Outside of her many commitments, you may find her grabbing a coffee or hitting up the thrift store, some of her favorite pastimes. When she’s at home, she can be found playing with her two cute pups or being an excellent older sister (mostly). You can look no further for someone to go on long walks or 1 AM night drives with when life gets stressful; all in all, Keerthi is undoubtedly one of the most dependable and caring people you will meet!
(Vanuli Arya, Sid Richardson ‘24)