Ted Wieber

College: Hanzen
Major: History
Tagline: Ted Wieber got more than he bargained for during a Summer Mentorship at FOX News in New York City.

In my first semester at Rice, I registered for LEAD 309 on a whim. I liked the idea of balancing my humanities degree with a touch of pre-professionalism. I had absolutely no idea that this simple decision would unlock such a variety of exciting and rewarding college opportunities.

One of Leadership Rice’s most valuable components is the Summer Mentorship Experience, which helps talented Rice students secure prestigious summer internships that would have been difficult or impossible for them to otherwise obtain on their own, and then helps them maximize the value of their opportunity through a concentrated network of support.

Through the SME, I was given the opportunity to intern with FOX News Channel in Manhattan. I gained a hands-on understanding of news production, had a front row seat to Campaign 2008, and learned how to survive on my own in the heart of New York City. And, unlike the other interns there who worked under aloof bosses, Leadership Rice’s careful screening for a committed “mentor” within the organization yielded a fruitful and supportive mentor-intern relationship that helped me maximize the value of my time there and that has continued long after I left New York. Considering all that I gained in my whirlwind two months at FOX, my time at Rice and my broader perspective on the world has been immeasurably impacted by my decision to pursue the Summer Mentorship Experience.

After the Summer Mentorship Experience and a revolving slate of worthwhile classes, I would heartily recommend Leadership Rice to any student committed to discovering challenging opportunities for personal growth at Rice.