Donor Profile:
Michael '83, '84 and Cindy Kane

Even though Michael Kane graduated from Rice more than 20 years ago, he can still recite the honor code. He still remembers Dr. Bill at Wiess, the great times he had playing intramurals, and one particular human anatomy jack at a 1982 Rice football game that he helped execute.

You’ll find Michael on page 339 of the 1983 Campanile wearing a fishing cap and reading a newspaper. Today, you’ll find him wearing button–down shirts and conducting market research in his managing director role for L.A.–based Caltius Capital Management.

Michael has ensured that students of today and tomorrow have a chance to make their own Rice memories by recently endowing a scholarship with his wife, Cindy.

The Michael and Cindy Kane Scholarship is for undergraduates who have financial needs and, when appropriate, will be given to freshmen who plan to major in economics. Students will start receiving their scholarship in fall 2006.

"Cindy and I both came from hard–working families, so we know what uphill looks like," Michael says. "This scholarship is a way for us to give some young students opportunities that we didn’t have."

Michael, who earned his economics degree in 1983 and his MBA in 1984 from Rice, says he chose Rice because it was affordable and it was a real campus located in a major metropolitan city, where he had the chance to work part–time for a major financial firm. He also thought the residential colleges were great alternatives to fraternities.

Michael believes that one of the perks of establishing a scholarship is meeting the students who receive the scholarship.

"My advice to them will be to take advantage of all that Rice offers and to go for a well–rounded experience. Actually, that advice is pretty useful once you hit the real world, too."