A New Chapter in Campus Life

Chao College Joins Rice’s Beloved Residential College System

In fall 2026, new students arriving at the corner of Entrance 4 and Main Street will be met with cheers, hand-painted signs and a warm chorus of "Welcome to Chao College." More than just move-in day, this moment will mark the start of a new chapter in Rice University’s story. With its own traditions, culture and close-knit community of students, Chao College will soon take its place among Rice’s celebrated residential college system.

This historic addition, the university’s 12th residential college, is made possible by an extraordinary gift from the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation. Led by siblings Dorothy Chao Jenkins, James Chao and Rice Trustee Emeritus Albert Chao, the foundation’s generous support reflects their deep and enduring commitment to enhancing the undergraduate experience. Construction is already well underway on a striking new complex that will provide 300 on-campus beds and serve a community of more than 400 undergraduates, both on and off campus.

Since 1957, Rice’s residential college system has been the heartbeat of student life. This distinctive model, where students are randomly assigned to a Rice college and remain affiliated throughout their undergraduate and alumni journeys, has influenced the university’s culture in profound ways. With no fraternities, sororities or separate housing for honors students or athletes, each college serves as an inclusive microcosm of the university, guided by faculty magisters and student leaders who cultivate tradition, mentorship and community.

The addition of Chao College builds on Rice’s proud legacy of residential college life. Launching a new college means creating an entirely new tradition of student engagement, energy and identity. Starting next year, Chao College students will kick off their journey with their own spirited O-Week welcome, waving their own flag, wearing their own colors and rallying behind a crest that is uniquely theirs. They will field their own Beer Bike team, shout their own chants and pass down a founding story that will grow richer with each generation.

From quirky shirts to college theater productions, peer mentors to college government, Chao College will be a place where students lead, learn and leave their mark. As Dean of Undergraduates Bridget Gorman says, "You'll cheer for it, lead within it, and shape its traditions. It's where you experience O-Week, share countless meals, stay up too late in deep conversations and form lifelong friendships"

The work of bringing Chao College to life is already underway. A Founding Committee, made up of 16 students, two magisters and a resident associate, is laying the groundwork for governance, housing and support structures. But the heart of Chao College will be shaped by its students. This fall, the Office of the Dean of Undergraduates invited continuing students to apply to become founding members of the college. “To be part of Chao’s founding cohort is to leave a legacy,” Gorman explains, “to shape a culture, to create traditions and to lay the foundation for a community that will welcome generations of Rice students.”

Bright Blue (#9FDDF9)

Rice Blue (#00205B)

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“This extraordinary gift will weave the family’s legacy into the very fabric of our university and inspire future students to lead with purpose.”

— Stephen Bayer
Vice President, Development and Alumni Relations

From Global Enterprise to Local Impact

Based in Houston, the Chao family has long been a pillar of the city’s business and philanthropic communities. The late Ting Tsung (T.T.) Chao built a global enterprise in Asia before relocating to Houston in the 1980s with his wife, Wei Fong. Together with their sons James and Albert, they founded Westlake Corp., now a Fortune 500 company. Today, James serves as senior chairman and Albert as executive chairman, while Dorothy Chao Jenkins retired from the company’s board in 2023. Two of the three siblings reside in Houston, and four of their children — along with Albert’s wife and James’ daughter-in-law — are proud Rice alumni.

The Chao family’s relationship with Rice is long-standing and deeply rooted, reflecting the same visionary leadership that built their business success. In 2008, the family’s foundation awarded a grant to establish the Chao Center for Asian Studies in the School of Humanities and Arts, now a premier hub for scholarship and outreach. Soon after, Anne Chao’05, Albert’s wife and a Rice alumna with both master’s and doctoral degrees in history, co-founded the Houston Asian American Archive, housed within the Chao Center and Fondren Library. The family has also supported Chao chair professorships, student scholarships and the Asian American Community Study in the Kinder Institute for Urban Research.

Their philanthropy extends across disciplines, with grant awards supporting the Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies, the Rice Emerging Scholars Program, Brockman Hall for Opera and William T. Cannady Hall for Architecture. Through these initiatives, the Chao family has enriched the university’s academic landscape while deepening its connection to the broader Houston community.

College 12 Level 2 Commons — Interior rendering of Chao College

Building for the Future

Chao College will feature two residential towers — one five stories and the other 10 — connected by a central quad and a rooftop terrace. Designed by renowned Danish firm Henning Larsen, with Houston-based Kirksey as executive architect and Harvey Cleary Construction as general contractor, the sustainably designed complex will span 269,000 square feet and target LEED Gold certification.

Gorman emphasized the importance of Chao College in supporting Rice’s growing student body, which is expected to reach 5,200 undergraduates by 2028, a 30% increase since 2020. “Rice’s residential colleges are where students find their home and learn how to lead and serve others,” she says. “The Chao family’s gift ensures that as Rice grows, we continue to provide this transformational experience for every undergraduate student in our community.”

Albert echoes that sentiment: “The Chao family is immensely honored to be part of Rice students’ college experience with the establishment of the new Chao College. We hope it will be an enriching and rewarding experience for Rice students for generations to come.”

“The Chao name embodies the very finest qualities of Rice’s residential college system — leadership, generosity and a profound commitment to building meaningful connections,” says Rice President Reginald DesRoches. “Chao College will stand as a lasting tribute to the entire Chao family, ensuring their legacy continues to inspire and shape generations of Rice students. We are deeply grateful for their extraordinary generosity.”

As Rice celebrated the topping out of Chao College on Sept. 4, a milestone marking the completion of the building’s highest structural points, the university also celebrated the enduring legacy of a family whose generosity and vision continue to shape its future.

“We are truly honored to add the Chao name to the distinguished families who have shaped and strengthened this vital aspect of Rice’s community,” says Stephen Bayer, vice president for development and alumni relations. “This extraordinary gift will weave the family’s legacy into the very fabric of our university and inspire future students to lead with purpose.”