The power to see what’s possible

Annelise Heinz, associate professor of history, teaches about the American past, but she always has an eye on her students’ futures. She looks for their strengths that emerge in University of Oregon classrooms—and where they might take a student next.

“There are so many careers that students don't necessarily have the opportunity to know about,” she said.

When Heinz noticed that Kit Hungerford, class of 2029 (psychology), had a knack for organizing and analyzing historical materials, she saw a possibility: Had Kit ever considered a career as an archivist?

Heinz helped turn an initial conversation into a structured learning opportunity, providing the academic framework and one-on-one mentorship Kit needed to begin navigating archival research.

“Professor Heinz took my passion for history to a new level and created an independent study class where I could experience archival work firsthand to see if I am interested in it as a career,” Kit said.

A new path unfolds

Kit, an Osher Reentry Scholarship recipient, was intrigued by Heinz’s research for her upcoming book on lesbian feminist history. How might that work inform a richer, more complex understanding of America? Kit began pursuing questions of her own, logging long hours in the archives and building relationships with professional archivists.

Soon, what had started as an intriguing possibility was beginning to look like a future.

“She has said in many different ways that this opportunity has really changed her life in a positive way,” Heinz remarked. Kit worked hard to study at Oregon, she added, “so, to have clarity on how her own interests and passions can also lead to a professional path is really powerful, important, clarifying, and reaffirming.”

Kit’s experience shows the power of a faculty mentor seeing something in a student—and having the opportunity to act on it. Philanthropic support can help more faculty turn those moments of recognition into meaningful experiences that connect students’ talents and interests with possibilities beyond the classroom.

Paying it forward

For Heinz, investing in students carries forward a powerful legacy.

As a student, Heinz discovered new possibilities through faculty who welcomed her into their work and encouraged her own interests. Now, she has the opportunity to do the same for students like Kit.

“I had wonderful undergraduate mentors, faculty who invited me to work alongside them in research and who fostered my own interests and abilities," Heinz said. "I hope to offer my students that same combination of encouragement and opportunities to grow.”   

Philanthropy can help multiply those moments across Oregon: giving more faculty the capacity to recognize potential, create opportunities, and help students discover just how far their interests can take them.