Rice Business Board Fellows

Great time with the and it’s Vice President 💙🧡

Grant Blazina (FT, '23) serves on the board of The Mercer Society, an organization that brings Together Plants, People, and Opportunities" to support Mercer Botanic Gardens.

"My goal is to support fundraising capabilities to increase funding and maximize investment in the Mercer Botanic Gardens for the benefit of the local community."

We are excited about Grant's positive impact on the Houston community!

Adam Scheidler (PMBA, '23) serves on the board of The YMCA Houston (Weekley), an organization that puts Judeo-Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.

"I wanted to be involved in a program to have a philanthropic impact on the Houston-area community. It has enriched my experience by being exposed to philanthropy and part of a program that can deliver community-driven results."

We are excited about Adam's impact on the Houston Community!

Mason Galanski (FT, ’23) serves on the board of The Houston Zoo, an organization that connects people with animals and inspires people to take action to conserve and save wildlife.

"It has had a positive impact. I am really excited about the opportunity. This experience shows how committed Rice MBA students are to giving back to their communities."

We are excited about Mason's significant impact on the Houston Community!

Chikere Ogbonnaya (PMBA, '23) serves on the board of The Urban Enrichment Institute, an organization designed to empower boys to become responsible men and productive members of their families and community.

"I wanted to get involved in Board fellows to get a complete understanding and hands-on experience on what it takes to run a non-profit. I have been around non-profits my whole life, but board fellows was an opportunity to get a first-hand look at the inner workings of the operations. Another reason was to make an impact through mentorship and Programs for lower income & distressed areas of Houston. I feel the wealth gap in our country is at a huge disadvantage for African Americans. The first step to addressing the wealth gap is through the next generation, as they will be the ones who reap the full benefits of any potential progress. Aligning the kids with the right opportunities to change their lives and the lives of their families is something I hold dear to my heart."

We are grateful for the significant impact Chikere has on the Houston Community!

Arwa Hasanali (FT, '23) serves on the board of The Women's Home, an organization that prepares women and their families to become empowered and productive forces in their communities.

"The experience thus far has enhanced my MBA experience. I still have a whole year of working with my board and the Rice Board Fellows, but so far, it's empowering, impactful, and has made my time here so far very meaningful."

We are excited for Arwa to positively impact the Houston community!

Allan Y. Arroyo Amaro (PMBA, '23) serves on the board of Career Gear Houston, an organization that builds strong families and communities by empowering low-income men to overcome barriers and achieve self-sufficiency.


"I wanted to give back to the community I call home. I also wanted to understand how civilian companies work and showcase new skills I learned during the program. It has been amazing that I had the chance to practice lessons learned in my first semester. I have reached out to professors to gain insight and look for new development opportunities. I would have never thought I would get so much exposure to leadership and experience within the Houston community so fast. I'm eager to learn more so I can help grow Career Gear."

We can't wait for Allan's positive impact on the Houston community!

Yu-Cheng Hsu (PMBA, '23) serves on the
board of Houston Community ToolBank, an organization that provides accessible tools to enhance the charitable sector's capacity to serve, scale, and facilitates hands-on volunteerism in the greater Houston area.

"I wanted to get involved with board fellows because I am passionate about being part of a community and bringing about change. Utilizing my identity and privileged background, I want to better educate myself on what is happening worldwide, expand my perception, and apply what I have learned to make good decisions. Specifically, in Houston's communities, there are many people in need of accessible tools which can bring impactful change into their lives. On the financing committee, my goal is to expand the organization in the greater Houston area and provide additional networks for potential opportunities to collaborate and deliver impactful perspectives and decisions that can address several issues."

We cant wait to see the positive impact Yu-Cheng will have on the Houston Community ToolBank!