Oakton Launches RICE Center to Advance Equity, Innovation, and Undergraduate Research

Des Plaines, Ill. (April 30, 2025) – Oakton College brought a bold vision to life with the launch of the Research, Innovation, and Creative Engagement (RICE) Center on April 29. The Center aims to advance academic excellence, promote equity, and provide students with transformative research opportunities.

The RICE Center—soft-launched in fall 2024—is a hub for student-led inquiry, creativity, and high-impact learning experiences. Through mentorship, hands-on research, and community engagement, the Center empowers students, particularly those from historically underrepresented groups in research, to develop essential skills for academic and career success. Housed within the Division of Liberal Arts, the RICE Center underscores Oakton’s dedication to advancing racial equity and strengthening students’ Oakton experience.

“Oakton is committed to building just and thriving communities through learning experiences that are inclusive and student-centered,” said Joianne L. Smith, Ph.D., Oakton’s president. “The RICE Center brings this commitment to life by offering opportunities for students to explore their passions, engage in meaningful research, and become changemakers in their communities.”

One of those students is Alondra Alvarado Muñoz, a first-year Oakton student and Maine West High School graduate. Alvarado Muñoz joined the RICE Center to pursue a research project on gentrification—a topic she connects with her intended major, architecture. She was mentored by Julio Capeles, Ph.D., Oakton’s assistant professor of Social Science.

“I wanted to learn more about the impact of development so I can be more informed and make positive changes through my future work,” said Alvarado Muñoz. “The program has been really supportive. The mentoring and access to research help, including the library and tutoring, have made a huge difference.”

Her “Gentrification: A Local or Global Phenomenon?” project explores displacement patterns in areas like Chicago, Mexico City and Puerto Rico, examining how development can unintentionally harm communities.

“It’s different from classroom research—it feels more personal,” she added.

Each year, the Center will support up to 10 student fellows, who receive stipends to conduct research or creative projects with faculty mentors. All Oakton students are welcome to participate in various RICE-sponsored activities, including workshops, academic showcases, language conversation groups and public speaking forums.

Key features of the RICE Center include:

• Equity-Centered Approach: Prioritizing access for students who may not otherwise have research opportunities.

• Faculty Mentorship: Mentors are trained in inclusive practices.

• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Projects span liberal arts, social sciences and creative disciplines.

• Career and Academic Preparation: Students develop skills in research, communication, and problem-solving, many of which are transcript-noted.

The Center is located in a reimagined space on Oakton’s Des Plaines campus and operates under a shared leadership model, which includes faculty and staff co-coordinators and student workers. Its creation is supported in part by an Oakton College Educational Foundation grant, with future expansion planned through external support.

For Alvarado Muñoz, who plans to transfer to a university to pursue architecture, the RICE experience is one she wholeheartedly recommends.

“If you're passionate about a topic and want to explore it deeply and share it with others, this is the program for you,” she said.

To learn more about the RICE Center and how to get involved, visit Oakton’s website.

Oakton student Alondra Alvarado Muñoz presented her “Gentrification: A Local or Global Phenomenon?” project at the Research, Innovation, and Creative Engagement (RICE) Center launch, April 29.