Historic Huff House

Nestled within a grove of live oaks and surrounded by an award winning garden, the Huff House (formerly the O'Connor House, see Rice News for more information) provides a home for not only the Center for Career Development (CCD) and the Office of Alumni Affairs, but also for a piece of Rice history. Dr. Edgar Odell Lovett, the University's first president, oversaw initial planning for the Huff House in 1911, but spent three decades enjoying room service at the Plaza Hotel while more important projects, such as the construction of Rice's first women's dormitory, took precedence. When the house was finally completed in 1949, it featured the breakfast room, tea room, and "imperative" sleeping porches that Dr. Lovett had so desired, though he never got to enjoy them.

By the time the house was completed, William V. Houston had become the University's second President and the first resident of the Huff House. Since then, the house has undergone several renovations, even surviving redecorations by University President Norman J. Hackman, whose wife claimed that, "He thinks the ideal house would be one with linoleum floors and metal furniture that could be hosed down from time to time." While the metal furniture never materialized, the Wiess House on Sunset Boulevard did, and in 2004 became the residence of current President David Leebron. The CCD and Office of Alumni Affairs moved into the Huff House in July 2006. Additional renovations to the Huff House were made during the spring of 2010 thanks to a generous gift to the Centennial Campaign from alumnus Peter Huff '59 and his wife, Nancy Larson Huff. With the CCD's alignment to Alumni Affairs, the center is now making the most of this first class facility while continuing the Huff House's tradition of enabling the best of Rice to connect with the best from beyond the hedges.

About Peter Huff '59 

The Center for Career Development had the honor of speaking with Peter Huff when he visited Rice at the dedication of the Huff House, in December 2010. He had some great advice to share with students on planning for careers and making the most of time spent at Rice. View the interviews below!

Part 1: His undergraduate experience at Rice, and his graduate school experiences at Harvard Business School and MIT. His education directly guided his career path. 

Part 2: His career path- founding Dynamco, buying Wattmaster Controls, and then participating in City Council in McKinney, TX. 

Part 3: What Rice Institute was like in the late 50s, how he founded Beer Bike (!), and advice to current Rice students.