Aidan Silva (he/his)
Senior, Duncan College
Majors: Biosciences, Cell Biology and Genetics Concertation
Tell us about yourself!
Hi! My name is Aidan Silva, and I am a current senior at Duncan College from Houston. I study Biosciences with a Cell Biology and Genetics concentration and plan on pursuing a career in the healthcare field. At Rice, I have been active within Duncan as a class representative and campus-wide as the former Vice President of oSTEM Rice. Most notably, I have been heavily involved with O-Week having served as a Co-Advisor, Coordinator, and now as a Student Director! Outside of that, I love listening to music and sharing my opinions.
Why did you decide to become an O-Week Student Director?
I chose to be a Student Director because of how much I enjoyed my time as an O-Week Coordinator. I've had the opportunity to Coordinate two different O-Weeks at two different Residential Colleges, and I loved both experiences deeply. From them, I've learned so much about leadership, event planning, and problem-solving that I want to share with the newest cohort of O-Week Coords. I am absolutely ecstatic at the opportunity to guide them and provide a source of comfort throughout this stressful process with hopes that it'll continue to trickle down to their Advising Teams and New Students!
What is your favorite O-Week memory?
My favorite O-Week event is always move-in day! It is one of the most stressful events to plan and execute during O-Week each year, but I always feel a sense of relief getting to watch the Advising Team make the event flow so smoothly and see the New Students get excited when they first pull up. Getting the chance to provide such a strong welcome to everybody while also easing one of the most stressful parts of moving to college is such a fulfilling experience that I'm sure to miss after this coming O-Week.
What are you looking forward to most about being a Student Director?
I am looking forward to watching the matriculating class of 2026 arrive on campus for move-in day and seeing them experience the individual O-Weeks I had the privilege to support from behind the scenes. Though sad, it will be very cool to see the hands Rice will be left in after I graduate this Spring