Welcome to McMurtry!

In the exhibition of 2025, New Students will enter Rice with a clean slate and the newfound freedom to decide how they wish to paint their future. Our mission for McMurtry's PicassO-Week is to equip our incoming painters with the palette to transform their blank canvas into an eventual masterpiece - a collage of academic and personal successes that they can treasure for years to come.

To create an artwork from scratch, an artist needs to have a plethora of tools at their disposal: a vibrant palette, a diverse array of brushes and pens, and most importantly, an open imagination. These instruments of success are analogous to the values we hope to instill in our new Murts during PicassO-Week: spirit, inclusion, and creativity. Just as we marvel at artworks from across continents, movements, and time periods, we are so excited to admire the variety of beautiful students from all backgrounds curated together in our McMurtry museum.

Here at McMurtry, we can't wait to see the first brush strokes on your canvas of memories, and we hope that the connections and celebrations of O-Week provide inspiration for your artistry. As PicassO-Week begins, don't forget that your studio is filled with hands-on helpers. A diverse and enthusiastic team of advisors, affiliates, and A-Team members are waiting to model McMurtry's characteristic spirit and inclusivity.

Although only you can decide how to make your mark at Rice University, remember that you will now always have a place in the gallery we call home: McMurtry.

What is an O-Week Group?

Your O-Week group consists of 10-14 New Students and 4-5 upperclassmen Advisors (one will be a Co-Advisor and one may be an Affiliate) who are beyond excited to welcome you to the best residential college on campus! All throughout O-Week, you will be preparing for registration and academic life at Rice and interacting with the rest of your incoming class at McMurtry, but your O-Week group is designed primarily to give you more of a personal support system during the week and throughout the year.

What is an Advisor?

Advisors are a diverse group of students from McMurtry who are so enthusiastic about welcoming you to Rice that they don't mind returning here almost two full weeks before classes start to help you move in and start your time at Rice! These fantastic people have been hand-selected to act as your guides throughout O-Week; they'll make sure you get to all activities and meetings, answer any questions you might have, and serve as all-around resources.

What is a Co-Advisor?

Co-Advisors make up about a fourth of our team and are students who are equally friendly and enthusiastic about welcoming you to Rice, but they hail from other residential colleges! Co-Advisors love McMurtry so much that they choose to join McMurtry's O-Week as an ambassador of their home college.

What is an Affiliate?

Affiliates are O-Week personnel who serve specific roles designed to help you with your transition to Rice. Most O-Week groups will have at least one Affiliate. These Affiliate positions include: Peer Academic Advisors, Diversity Facilitators, Photographer, Videographer, Gopher, Rice Health Advisor, Associates Liaison, Athletic Liaison, Student Maintenance Representative, Chief Justice, and President.

McMurtry Double and Facilities Tour

If you were assigned a single, please email mcmurtryoweek@gmail.com for your room video.

McMurtry Doubles

Coming in as new students to McMurtry, you will most likely be placed in doubles (a room for two people) with your roommate. We have attached a floor plan of your 18x18 to give you an idea of what your room will look like. When you get to your room on the first day, there will be a bed, desk, dresser, nightstand, and chair. Feel free to move these around as desired!

Included Furniture

Per Person:

• 1 Twin XL Sized Bed Frame
• 1 Twin XL Sized Mattress
• 1 Large Dresser
• 1 Small Dresser / Nightstand
• 1 Desk
• 1 Chair