Reading the thesis memories posted by alumni on CHC Connections and talking to alumni in New York City, Portland, Seattle, and other cities reminds me how transformative an experience the Clark Honors College provides for students. Because increases in college tuition and housing costs, high rates of inflation, and reduced support from state government are making paying for college more difficult, I am even more committed to helping defray the costs for students and their families.
I am writing today to ask you to join me in this commitment. As we head into the holiday season, we encourage all CHC alumni to engage in an act of generosity on Giving Tuesday (December 3, 2024) to benefit our current students. Donations from alumni like you helped us award more than $200,000 in scholarship funding to students in 2023-24. All contributions—regardless of the amount—make a difference: they add up to supporting students who are following in your footsteps. So whether you can give $5 (roughly the cost in Eugene of a large latte) or $500, your gift will make a difference in the lives of so many students.
Your contributions allow us to support Honors College students in many ways, including:
- Funding CHC scholarships that support current first-year students who are beginning their undergraduate education; scholarships for continuing students to pursue research opportunities and study abroad experiences; and money that goes directly to help students who need help financially to finish their studies.
- Supporting the CHC Three-Minute Thesis Competition, an event that has been established as an annual tradition. Check out the highlights of the 2024 CHC 3MT: our students use the Three-Minute Thesis competition as practice for the public speaking they will be expected to do, regardless of their career path, and as a way of translating their academic work for public audiences, including potential employers (mark your calendar for next year’s event on May 1, 2025).
- Assisting CHC students in traveling to conferences, like global studies major Charlie Petrik, who participated in the McDonald Conference for Leaders of Character at West Point and data science major Maya Rios’ participation at the National Young Feminist Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C.
- Bolstering the Dean’s Innovation Fund that provides funding for the CHC Career Faculty Summer Research Award. CHC core faculty member Casey Shoop recently received this award, which allowed him to travel to Alaska to study Indigenous storytelling about climate change. His research experience will figure prominently in his “Ice Archives” colloquium in winter term 2025.
Many employers offer matching gift programs that can double or even triple the charitable contributions made by their employees and retirees. Find out if your employer matches gifts on the UO Matching Gifts page.
Thank you for all you do for the CHC community. We hope you will support the CHC on December 3, 2024, for Giving Tuesday.
Sincerely,
Carol Stabile
Dean