Library Ambassadors
Fill out the Fondren Library Student Ambassador application to apply for the 2024-25 academic year.
Fondren Ambassadors are undergraduate students who primarily promote library resources and services to the campus community and provide feedback and ideas to help make Fondren the very best it can be for students.
Graduate students are encouraged to apply to our Graduate Student Library Advisory Board.
Zeisha Bennett
Major: VADA (Film and Photography Concentration)
College: Baker '25
Bio: Hi, my name is Zeisha! I’m from Tempe, Arizona. I love all things Fashion, Formula One, and Music. My favorite composer is Sergei Prokofiev and I have a twin! I really enjoy baking, so I can sometimes be found passing out cookies I baked around Fondy!
Favorite Book: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. The narrator is so unique and quirky! I adore an unreliable and uniquely detached narrator.
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? I wish everyone knew of all the various resources the library has like the free visual art workshops frequently held in the Basement and Digital Media Commons.
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I look forward to changing the Rice community’s experience at Fondren as well as promoting all the really cool resources it offers.
Charlie Cruz
Major: Mathematics and Linguistics
College: Duncan '26
Bio: Hey, everyone! My name is Charlie and I LOVE semicolons and em dashes --- you will always see me using them! I am a junior at Duncan studying Mathematics and Linguistics; I'm a self-proclaimed "Sixth-Floor Fondy Dweller".
Favorite Book: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey, although I think his next novel is better :)
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? One thing I wish everyone knew about Fondy is that grad students live at fifth floor, and they are incredibly interesting individuals --- make sure to talk to them!
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I'm excited to show the limits of the resources you can get at Fondy!
Liz Cox
Major: History
College: Brown '28
Bio: Konnichiwa, my name is Liz Cox and I'm from Tomball, Texas. I am for sure majoring in History, and possibly in Mathematics or Economics. I love reading, listening to music, and learning about Japanese culture and language. However, my one true love is coffee.
Favorite Book: Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper.
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? I wish everyone knew about the Digital Media Commons and everything that you can use from there. I know for a lot of my classes, I'll have a lot of video projects that the Digital Media Commons can help with.
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I am looking forward to seeing the progress that I helped create. I want my fellow Brownies, and everyone else at Rice, to see Fondren in all of its glory. I want the students at Rice to fully understand what they can do in Fondren.
Nomin Ganzorig
Major: Computer Science and Statistics
College: Sid Richardson '26
Bio: Hi, my name is Nomin. I'm from Selenge, Mongolia. I'm a junior from Sid Rich, studying Computer Science and Statistics. I love biking, cafe hunting, drinking coffee/matcha/tea, doing nails, and reading a book.
Favorite Book: My most recently read favorite book is Lessons In Chemistry. But from all time favorites, The Count of Monte Cristo series.
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? I wish I knew about the workshops offered at Fondren, all the resources in DMC and online, as well as the circulation loan items!
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I'm excited to learn more about Fondren library resources/events, share that with others, and also help improve the library experience for students!
Amber Hu
Major: Statistics
College: Martel '25
Bio: Hi! I was born in China and used to live in Australia. I love coffee, dancing, and movies!
Favorite Book: I love the genres of Sci-Fi and Fantasy.
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I look forward to working with the team and contributing to improving student experience at Fondren.
Hazel Landers
Major: Musicology
College: Wiess '26
Bio: Hi! I'm Hazel (They/Them), I'm from Sarasota, Florida, I'm majoring in Musicology at the Shepherd School, where I have been approaching research on the intersection of contemporary music in the classical sphere and ecology/nature. When I'm not doing schoolwork or working a shift as a barista at Brochstein, I'm likely either antiquing, rabbithole-ing into random new music genres, or trying to find the best cup of coffee in the area.
Favorite Book: Andre Breton's Nadja has to be an all-time favorite, but I've also recently started (and so far loved) László Krasznahorkai's Satantango after watching the eight-hour movie in one sitting this past spring.
Something I wish everyone knew about Fondren: I wish everyone knew more about the multimedia resources Fondren offers. Considering everything from full movies to musical recordings to interviews and lectures, Fondren has so much more to offer than shelved books and databases. All of these resources combined can do so much for research at Rice, or just for browsing, and I would love for more of us in the Rice community to take full advantage of them.
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I'm a firm believer in the value of spaces like libraries as hubs for inclusion, support, diversity, and fostering a sense of community. With that in mind, I look forward to facilitating the realization of student input on the state/future of Fondren, and helping empower students to take advantage of the library's many resources while having the chance to be a part of something really special, both within and beyond the scope of academia at Rice.
Charlotte Lawrence
College: Hanszen '27
Bio: Hi Everyone, my name is Charlotte Lawrence. I’m from a small town outside of Boston and I’m studying chemistry at rice. I love all things cooking and baking, bike rides, walks, and spending time with friends.
Favorite Book: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro is definitely a favorite of mine.
What is your favorite thing about libraries? I love the atmosphere of everyone working and all the resources they have to offer!
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I look forward to working with my fellow ambassadors to connect students with all that Fondy has to offer and to gather their feedback on how to make it better.
Jenna Perrone
Major: Physics and History
College: Baker '27
Bio: Hi! My name is Jenna and I am a freshman at Baker College planning to major in biological physics and history. I am originally from a small town in New Jersey called Columbus. In my free time, I love reading (probably to an unhealthy degree), baking, and crocheting.
Favourite Book: It’s impossible to choose just one, but if I had to pick, it would probably be Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut.
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? I wish everyone knew how many people there are at Fondren who are eager to help them with all manner of questions.
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? As a Fondren Ambassador, I am most looking forward to spending even more time in the library than I was already planning to!
Aditya Pradhan
Major: Bioengineering
College: Baker '25
Bio: Hi! I'm Aditya, your Fondren Ambassador. I am a freshman from Baker majoring in Bioengineering and I love food, meeting new people, and ping pong:)
Favorite Book: Archipelago by Monique Roffey
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? I wish everyone knew that Fondren has everything from power banks and charging cords to umbrellas and even whiteboard markers.
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I look forward to working with all the other ambassadors to help my peers better access Fondren's resources and excel in their classes.
Elizabeth Quach
Major: Psychology and Business
College: Duncan '25
Bio: Hi, I'm Elizabeth Quach! I'm a senior studying Psych and Business at Duncan and I love exploring different dance styles, cooking cozy soups, and going on bike rides.
Favourite Book: Mother of Learning by Domagoj Kurmaic
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? I wish people knew about the workshops offered by Fondren!
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I'm looking forward to connecting with other students and hearing their thoughts about how to spread the word on Fondren's resources.
Reagan Reynolds
Major: English and Psychology
College: Baker '25
Bio: Nice to meet you!! My name is Reagan Reynolds, I am in Baker college and from a small town outside Austin, TX. I love to write, ride my bike, and pick up new hobbies and interests every so often. My latest attempt at a longboarding phase wasn't very successful, so I'd appreciate any suggestions for other things I should do to occupy my mind!
Favorite Book: The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? I wish more people knew how to navigate the databases and almost endless scholastic articles and resources Fondren provides! Definitely something to take advantage of; I've used it frequently myself for academic research and several papers.
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I'm extremely excited to be an ambassador this semester, and I look forward to increasing campus knowledge about Fondren and student connection to it because our library has so much to offer!
Nimah Shukkoor
Major: Chemistry, Philosophy
College: Hanszen
Bio: Hi! I grew up in Dubai, UAE. Some quirky things I spend my time doing include travelling, hiking, making coffee as a barista at Brochstein, playing the violin for The MOB, designing & operating show lighting, café hopping, cooking, organizing events for RPC, and watching new absurd movies with friends!
Favorite Book: Parable of The Sower by Octavia Butler
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? You can borrow pretty much any equipment from the Digital Media Commons for classes or personal use! I've used it in the past to make vlogs and take professional photos. Fondren is also more than a library! We have active research in various academic fields, a User Experience Office, the Woodson Center, and so much more!
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? Interacting with Fondren users personally to make Fondren a safe & functional space for everyone <3
Ashley Wang
Major: English (Creative Writing) and Psychology
College: Duncan '25
Bio: Hi everyone! I'm Ashley and I'm from Short Hills, New Jersey. My favorite instrument is the piano, and my favorite composer is Maurice Ravel. In my free time, I enjoy reading and writing poetry and listening to calming music.
Favorite Book: Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? I wish more people knew about the free workshops that the DMC offers! You can learn about anything from Garageband to photography.
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I look forward to getting to know my fellow ambassadors and library staff, as well as receiving valuable student input about the library.
Thank you to our previous Ambassadors for your hard work and dedication!
Alex Manchester
Bio: I am a PhD student in the math department studying knots and their relationships to 4-dimensional spaces. I often go contra dancing and biking along the bayous.
Favorite Book: Hard to pick, but I am currently finishing up the Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante, which I've quite enjoyed.
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? I wish more people knew about all the classes Fondren offers, from intellectual property to coding to citation management.
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I'm looking forward to contributing to the many resources that Fondren offers to support people in their learning and research!
Shreyas Minocha
Major: Computer Science
College: Will Rice '24
Bio: Hi! I'm from Hyderabad, India and I'm majoring in Computer Science. In addition to CS, I like math, biographies, and dystopian fiction.
Favorite Book: Factfulness by Hans Rosling
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? I wish more people knew about Interlibrary Loan! Should you ever need a particular book that isn't in Fondren's collection you can file a request to borrow it from another library.
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I look forward to learning more about the library's resources and to helping the library in making them more accessible to the Will Rice and broader Rice communities.
Raiya Myren
Major: Mechanical Engineering
College: Jones '23
Bio: I was born and raised in Austin, Texas, with my two brothers and parents. I am planning on majoring in mechanical engineering, but I also love art history, classics, and studio art.
Favorite Book: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? I wish everyone knew about the courses and events put on by the different departments throughout the week.
How many years have you been an Ambassador? This is my third year working for the library. I have worked at the Kelley Center at the Government Information desk, and for the UX Office as well.
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I hope to spread awareness about all the resources available at Fondren so that my fellow Jonesians have more confidence navigating the library, both in-person and online. I also look forward to sharing student feedback with the library staff so that we can make the library more accessible.
Sini Koviu
Major: Kinesiology - Sports Medicine and Physiology
College: Hanszen '23
Bio: Hi everyone! I’m Sini and I’m an international student from Finland. I swim for the Women’s Swim Team and spend most of my free-time exploring new restaurants in Houston or spending quality time with my friends. Restaurant recommendations are always welcome!
Favorite Book: This summer my friend recommended Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo to me and I absolutely loved it!
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? I wish people knew about all the awesome stuff Fondren will be offering this academic year! (We’ll make sure you do (; )
How many years have you been an Ambassador? This is my second year as a library Ambassador.
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I look forward to working with the amazing people in our team and to be able to inform more students about all the opportunities Fondren has to offer.
Sophia DeLeon-Wilson
Major: Cognitive Science and VADA(studio art)
College: Baker '23
Bio: Hello! I'm Sophia and I was born and raised in Austin, Texas. I enjoy cooking, listening to music, and watching insanely long video essays on youtube.
Favorite Book: Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang is a collection of sci-fi short stories, one of which inspired the movie Arrival.
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? I wish more people knew about the Digital Media Commons and the resources they provide such as workshops and equipment.
How many years have you been an Ambassador? This is my second year as an Ambassador.
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I look forward to working with the Fondren librarians, especially those who work in UX and web design, and learning about opportunities Fondren that I and my fellow Bakerites can take advantage of.
Melissa Carmona
Major: History and Sociology
College: Lovett '22
Bio: Hello! I'm from a small town called The Colony, TX. I love taking walks and doodling to clear my mind. I'm super excited to be a Library Ambassador!
Favorite Book: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? I wish people knew about the vast amounts of resources that Fondren provides for students, from classes to umbrellas!
How many years have you been an Ambassador? It's currently my second year!
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I'm looking forward to working with fellow library ambassadors and staff to make Fondren a better resource for students.
Shannon Jelley
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
College: Brown '22
Bio: Hi! I am from Cincinnati, Ohio, and am a member of the Women's Varsity Swim Team here at Rice. I love coffee, hiking, and trying new restaurants.
Favorite Book: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? I wish that people were aware of just how many resources Fondren has available.
How many years have you been an Ambassador? This is my first year.
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I look forward to learning even more about Fondren and getting to communicate that knowledge to others in my college.
Emma Saving
Major: Biosciences/Genetics major and medhum minor
College: Sid Richardson '22
Bio: Hi, I’m Emma! I’m a Biosciences/genetics major and medhum minor from Dallas who really enjoys deep talks, coffee, dancing, and meeting new people. You can usually find me at Sid, coffeehouse, XA, dance practice, or studying at Fondren!
Favorite Book: Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? I want everyone to be aware of all the extra opportunities Fondren has to offer including study resources, helpful workshops, writing assistance, study breaks, and events including voter registration!
How many years have you been an Ambassador? This is my first year as an Ambassador!
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I am excited to get to learn and share more about what the library has to offer students, and to serve as a liaison between Sid and Fondy!
Jennifer Wang
Major: Mathematical Economic Analysis
College: Duncan '22
Favorite Book: Small Gods by Terry Pratchett
What do you wish everyone knew about Fondren Library? There are a lot of useful courses offered at Fondren, like classes teaching you how to use data analysis programs.
How many years have you been an Ambassador? This is my second year!
What do you look forward to as an Ambassador? I’m excited to work with my fellow Ambassadors and library staff to improve people’s experience at Fondren as much as possible.