Looking to Explore
PathwayOregon leads the UO’s Grant Wheeler to range of opportunities
Grant Wheeler was shocked after reading a letter from the University of Oregon earlier this year.
“My first impression was ‘What? My school is paid for?’ I was really confused at first,” the freshman from Portland recalls. “It sounded so good I was skeptical about what I might have to do. Then I found out more.”
The letter invited Grant to be a part of the first group of students to take part in PathwayOregon, a need-based financial aid and academic support program for qualified Oregonians. The program ensures that Oregonians who are admitted to the UO and who are eligible for the federal Pell Grant will have their tuition and fees paid with a combination of federal, state, and university funds.
This fall, Grant is one of at least 415 students taking part in the first year of PathwayOregon.
“In reality I had nothing to worry about,” says Wheeler. “The program requires me to be in academic advising that I really need.”
Shortly after arriving on campus, Wheeler, who thought he wanted to major in chemistry, worked with Carla Bowers, the PathwayOregon coordinator, to fine tune his direction.
“I met with the chemistry adviser, and it was pretty clear it wouldn’t work for what I wanted,” Wheeler says. “Pathway helped me get the classes for what I wanted, rather than what the major required.”
Highlighting his fall term schedule is a Freshman Interest Group called “Digging Up History.” Students in the group will take courses in anthropology and geology together. Members of the group are then linked together through another course, in which they connect what they are studying.
“It’s kind of an introduction to archaeology, which is one of the paths that I think I might take,” Wheeler says. “I’m excited for it. This is just a great place to start my exploration.”
Click HERE to watch a quick video featuring Wheeler.