Rice University’s School of Social Sciences is a community of students and scholars who are dedicated to tackling some of the world’s greatest challenges. The School is comprised of seven diverse departments and 13 majors that foster interdisciplinary discussions and a well-rounded world view that can support virtually any career. Social Sciences undergraduate alumni hold prominent jobs in medicine, law, finance and banking, civil service, academia, and more.
The "Owls Just Out" series features stories from Social Sciences alumni who graduated within the past few years. Read on to learn about two alumni who shared how their majors prepared them for career paths in finance and public health.
Shikhar Verma '24
Major: Managerial Economics and Organizational Sciences
Current Occupation: Analyst, Blackstone
When Shikhar Verma '24 enrolled at Rice, he knew he wanted to gear his studies toward a career in business and finance. Verma ultimately declared managerial economics and organizational sciences (MEOS) as his major, noting the cross-disciplinary flexibility it provided in terms of courses offered, such as politics and finance, in addition to economics.
Verma was able to use his degree right out of school and landed a position as an investment analyst at Blackstone's private equity group, within the energy transition team. In this role, Verma spends roughly half his time managing Blackstone’s current portfolio of companies and the other half of his time reviewing new investment opportunities.
“I think my major was very relevant to what I'm doing right now,” said Verma. He added, “There were courses that taught analytical skills I now use, such as running financial models, and I also learned about industry structures and broader macroeconomic trends that helped me underwrite deals more holistically.”
Two courses in particular stand out to Verma for their role in helping him realize exactly how he would use his degree in the real world: Financial Markets and Microeconomics.
“Financial Markets was an introduction to learning about how the whole financial ecosystem ties together, and Microeconomics was intellectually very rigorous, ultimately building up my confidence in my analytical abilities,” said Verma. He added, “Microeconomics was challenging, but I picked Rice for a degree that would help me to grow and push my mental capacities.”
Verma, who also minored in energy and water sustainability, feels that because his major was so interdisciplinary, it fundamentally changed the way he processes information or approaches a difficult problem.
“It really helped me blend soft skills obtained through experiences like the management-based capstone with rigorous analytical skills learned from foundational classes in economics and finance,” said Verma.
Verma continues to stay connected by giving back – A former member of the Moody-Gateway finance and banking practicum, Verma recently hosted practicum students during their spring externship to New York City. He emphasized the importance of connecting with others through the Rice network.
“Going to Rice was one of the best decisions of my life,” said Verma. “I'm very glad I went there, and I actively stay connected to the Rice alumni network.”
In looking at his career trajectory, Verma noted his appreciation for the collaborative nature in his current role, similar to what he experienced on campus at Rice.
“I met a lot of people who were entrepreneurial and scrappy,” said Verma, “and I liked that. I'm always impressed by what my peers are doing right out of college. So, whatever comes next, I would like to be able to explore new markets and incorporate that entrepreneurial spirit into my work.”
Amanda Saving '25
Major: Social Policy Analysis
Current Program: Master of Public Health, UT Southwestern
When Amanda Saving '25 was a freshman at Rice, her strategy was to take a variety of different classes to find out what resonated with her. She had an initial interest in health, which led her to declare the health sciences major, but she also felt that a social sciences major would align well with her interests. It was a freshman course in social policy analysis (SOPA) that solidified her decision.
“I realized that SOPA was the perfect blend of all my social sciences interests,” said Saving. She continued, “The year-long SOPA capstone project also appealed to me for the industry experience it would provide.”
During the senior year capstone course, SOPA students are placed into groups and paired with a graduate student mentor and a community organization. The course provides students with hands-on experience in conducting research on social policy design, evaluation, and implementation. Saving’s capstone group worked with Brady: United Against Gun Violence. The group’s capstone project culminated in an internal report for the community partner and a presentation to their board, as well as a presentation to the SOPA department.
“The capstone was a great experience because it aligned with my interest in preventative health and health policy,” said Saving. She added, “Also, working with an interdisciplinary group and really understanding how to bridge the research side of things with the work people are doing on the ground was incredibly valuable.”
One of Saving’s favorite aspects of being a SOPA major was the wide range of options for electives.
“I took a social inequality class in the sociology department, which I never would have thought to take,” said Saving. She continued, “I remember sitting in class thinking, if I hadn't chosen this major and seen this class on the list, and it wasn't offered at the exact right time, I never would have gotten a chance to experience this. It ended up being one of my favorite courses because it shaped the way I saw research, not just qualitatively, but quantitatively.”
Today, Saving is a master’s student studying public health at UT Southwestern. She soon will take advanced statistics to support policy analysis, which will draw from her experiences as a SOPA major.
“The statistics training I received as a SOPA major has given me a leg up as a master’s student,” said Saving, “not to mention, the real-world examples I can draw from.”
This summer, Saving will complete a practicum and take policy courses in Washington, D.C., supported by a fellowship she received.
After getting her master’s degree, Saving plans to pursue an MD or an MD-PhD in health policy, with the ultimate goal of becoming a physician scientist.
“I think we really need voices in healthcare that are well versed in the policy space, so that they can advocate for their patients and community health,” said Saving.
To learn more about the different departments and majors in Rice’s School of Social Sciences, visit socialsciences.rice.edu/departments.