Opening Doors, Changing Futures: How Scholarship Support Shaped Lilly Gaven’s Journey
By Andrea Olson
April 16, 2026
Scholarships have the power to do more than ease financial pressure. They create stability, open doors, and make it possible for students to imagine futures that once felt out of reach. For Lilly Gaven, BS ’23 Educational Foundations, MEd ’24 Curriculum and Teaching, scholarship support was the foundation that allowed her to persist, thrive, and ultimately transform her education into a career that now touches the lives of hundreds of children.
“I hope donors know how much their belief matters. Scholarships don’t just help students get through school. They create confidence, stability, and opportunity that last for generations.” –Lilly Gaven
When Lilly arrived at the University of Oregon as an out‑of‑state student, she brought with her strong ambition and a clear sense of purpose. She also carried uncertainty about how she would continue to afford college. One year into her studies, financial strain became a very real obstacle. What could have ended her time at UO instead became a moment of possibility. “I wanted to be there so badly, but I honestly didn’t know how I was going to make it work,” Lilly recalls. “The scholarship made it possible for me to stay and keep moving forward.”
That support changed the rhythm of her daily life. Without the need to work excessive hours to cover tuition and expenses, Lilly was able to fully engage in her coursework and take advantage of academic opportunities. She completed her undergraduate degree and went on to earn her master’s degree and teaching certification through UOTeach. As the first person in her family to reach this milestone, Lilly carries a deep sense of pride in what she accomplished and in the perseverance that brought her there.
Beyond the classroom, scholarship support gave Lilly the freedom to immerse herself in campus life and build meaningful connections. As an out‑of‑state student, it would have been easy to feel isolated or disconnected. Instead, she found community at UO and developed friendships that continue to shape her life. The feeling of being supported allowed her to focus not only on surviving college, but on truly belonging.
Today, the impact of that investment continues to ripple outward. Lilly is now a fifth‑grade teacher in the Bay Area of California, living out her dream of having her own classroom. Every day, she brings the values, preparation, and passion she developed at the University of Oregon into the lives of her students. She also moves forward without the burden of student loan debt, giving her peace of mind and the ability to focus on what matters most: being present for her students and growing as an educator.
When Lilly reflects on the generosity that made her journey possible, she thinks about its reach far beyond her own experience. Scholarship support did not simply help one student graduate. It changed the trajectory of her family. Seeing Lilly succeed helped her younger sister begin to imagine college as a real and attainable goal. And each child Lilly teaches is shaped, in small but meaningful ways, by the opportunity that scholarship support created years earlier.
Today, standing in her own classroom and guiding the next generation of learners, she is living proof of what becomes possible when students are given the support to stay, grow, and dream. “I hope donors know how much their belief matters,” Lilly shares. “Scholarships don’t just help students get through school. They create confidence, stability, and opportunity that last for generations.”
To learn more about empowering students like Lilly to become educators who shape classrooms and communities through investing in scholarships at the UO College of Education, visit Give to COE | College of Education.