Even before Jennifer and Stuart Litwin visited campus with their daughter, current freshman Bailey Litwin ’22, they were no strangers to Rice’s reputation of excellence. A close relative of the Litwins received a graduate degree here at Rice, and convinced Bailey that she and her parents should visit Houston on a college tour. “We walked up to students and asked them how they liked their experiences at Rice,” Stuart says. “They would go on for a really long time about their enthusiasm for the school, the advisory services and the friendships they had made. I think that was the deciding factor for Bailey.”
Less than two months after Bailey matriculated, the university announced The Rice Investment, a bold financial aid initiative that seeks to expand support for low- and middle- income families. “We were so impressed with all that Bailey has told us about the opportunities Rice creates for students of every background,” Jennifer says. “We felt a calling to be a source of support for this new policy.”
Money should never be an obstacle for a young person to receive a quality education.
The announcement holds a personal significance for the Litwin family. “I relied on scholarships all throughout my undergraduate education and while I was earning my JD/MBA,” Stuart notes. “I then had significant loans to pay back as I started my career, so I truly understand the substantial impact these financial aid endowments will have on the lives of Rice students.”
When deciding exactly how they wanted to contribute to The Rice Investment, the Litwins chose to make a generous commitment to support the Rice Annual Fund over the next four years. While the university must raise $150 million in need-based financial aid endowments to make The Rice Investment a permanent reality, it will take a number of years for these gifts to take effect. Current-use scholarships from the Annual Fund play a vital role in ensuring that this important commitment to affordability can take effect in the immediate future.
“The Annual Fund appealed to us particularly because we know that our donation will be put to use immediately,” Jennifer remarks. “We wanted to help students overcome any obstacles they may have right now.”
Jennifer and Stuart are also excited to see how Bailey’s student experience evolves over her time at the university. “The Rice Investment is going to make Rice stronger,” Stuart says. “Diversity is critical to making the world a better place, and we have no doubt that opening up the university to the entire community will make our daughter’s four years at Rice even more incredible.”
