Chris Hensley

College: Hanzen
Major: Biochemistry
Tagline:  Leadership Rice changed Chris Hensley’s mindset from "I should really...sometime..." to "I’m going to do this right now."

I became involved in the Leadership Rice Program through the Summer Mentorship Experience, which has inspired me to turn my interest in science policy into a tangible plan of action. Throughout my internship at the National Science Foundation's Office of Legislative and Public Affairs in Washington D.C., I was able to observe the crucial interplay between the U.S. science research and development enterprise and public and legislative opinion. 

The ability to witness how such interactions occur at the national level has been an essential ingredient in my vision for and creation of a Rice club focused on science policy issues at the grassroots level.  I am certain that the club I have founded, Rice Scientists and Engineers for America, would have a much less diverse and deliverable set of goals and ideas had it not been for my Summer Mentorship Experience.  Indeed, without the clear goals and "how’s" gleaned from D.C., I probably would have not founded the club.

I have quickly learned that a significant component of leadership is the ability to implement ideas. It’s one thing to have a vision and another thing to work through the steps necessary to make it reality.   Like becoming active in science policy, I have also wanted to start a biotech company.  However, it had been going nowhere due to the inability to connect “what” with “how.”  Once again, Leadership Rice has been able to assist me in turning ideas to action, in this instance through one of the leadership classes it offers.

I am currently enrolled in LEAD 313: Entrepreneurial Leadership, in which a local Houston entrepreneur has structured the class to help students implement their business and social entrepreneurship ideas. Many of the lessons of entrepreneurship and leadership have proven transferable to answering the "how's" of the science policy club as well the biotech startup, and no doubt various leadership issues I will face in my career. 

Leadership Rice has essentially transformed the big picture paradigm of my life. I used to think "I should really...sometime..." to "I am going to get this started right now."