An aspiring pediatric surgeon, Zoe Wang (McMurtry) chose Rice University for its exceptional pre-medical opportunities and its close ties to the Texas Medical Center, along with its strong financial aid package.

“My scholarship through The Rice Fund provided a lot of relief when thinking about the long-term effects my college education expenses would have on my family,” she said. “To me, this scholarship allowed me to pursue unique opportunities at Rice and not be constrained by my financial circumstances.”

Zoe entered Rice as a cell biology and genetics major, but with encouragement from her mother to expand her horizons, she took an introductory global health class her sophomore year. It changed the trajectory of her path.

Discovering the Global Health Technologies minor and associated engineering opportunities “was like a spark,” Zoe said. “I thought, ‘this is my future.’ It helped me see how I can pursue my career, but also contribute not just to the Rice community, but globally. That was extremely impactful.”

In “Global Health 360,” an introductory design course, she spent a semester leading a team of four students to design a new wafer-bag interface for a colostomy bag. The goal was to prevent leaks, reduce waste odor and increase wearer comfort, while being easy to use, reusable and cost-effective. The first challenge? None of the students were engineering majors. She was alarmed at first, but she quickly learned that their varied backgrounds and interests were a strength: everyone was able to approach the project from a unique perspective.

“The course instructors were very helpful; they knew a lot of students did not have engineering backgrounds. Each team was assigned a mentor within the Rice360 Institute for Global Health who walked us through every step of the design process, helping us improve the device. There was never a moment where we felt thrown into the deep end.” Their prototype went on to win the Best Technology for Low-Resource Settings Award at the 2023 Huff OEDK Engineering Design Showcase.

Zoe’s path showcases what sets Rice apart: providing students with the financial support and encouragement to explore their interests, meeting those interests with unparalleled resources, and matching them with excellent faculty and mentors to guide them through the discovery process.

“This applied, hands-on learning and interdisciplinary collaboration — that’s an opportunity I could only get at Rice.”

Zoe is now much more attuned to post-surgical applications of new technologies because of her time in bioengineering. “I’d love to bridge the gap between the medical and engineering world. I want to be on the physician end, identifying the needs of my patients and communicating that with academia and bioengineering companies who are developing new products.” She is already practicing this skill through a needs-finding course in the Global Medical Innovation program, where she shadows medical practitioners and identifies problem areas, passing those leads to other student teams as future projects.

Apart from her academic pursuits, Zoe has found community within the residential college system and the vibrant array of student organizations offered by Rice. Since her freshman year, she has been very involved in the Rice chapter of Camp Kesem, a national organization that provides year-round support for children who are impacted by a parent’s cancer, which culminates in a free, week-long summer camp each year. One year she volunteered as the development coordinator, raising $80,000 for the organization. She also flexes her creative muscles with Rice Riyaaz, Rice’s Bollywood Fusion Team, traveling around the country to compete in dance competitions.

Receiving a scholarship from The Rice Fund made Zoe feel supported even before stepping foot on campus.

“Knowing that someone believes in me — someone I haven’t even met — gives me a lot of motivation to give back to the community,” she explained. “I’m granted the opportunity to delve into my interests and contribute to projects that will have a broader impact. To Rice donors: thank you for your generosity and for supporting students through their educational journeys. College can be very challenging and lonely at times, but donors remind me that there are people who will support you every step, big or small, along the way. It makes me feel empowered.”