The story behind the storyteller: Hannah Long-Higgins '15, honored at Beyond the Berg

For Hannah Long-Higgins, Heidelberg was never just a place to earn a degree. It was a framework for discovery, creativity and connection — a “lattice,” as she described it, that continues to support and shape her life and career post-graduation.

On Thursday night, Heidelberg honored Hannah ’15 with its 2026 Young Alumni Achievement Award during Beyond the Berg, an annual celebration recognizing graduating seniors at their first official alumni event. In her remarks, Hannah reflected on her remarkable professional journey and on the interdisciplinary Heidelberg experience she credits for helping her find her path.

“Thank you, Heidelberg, for the gift that keeps on growing,” she said, returning to the garden imagery woven throughout her remarks.
The Young Alumni Achievement Award recognizes graduates from the past 5 to 15 years who have distinguished themselves early in their careers through professional accomplishment and impact. At Heidelberg, Hannah double majored in International Studies and English in the “Life of the Mind” Honors Program.

Today, she is an Emmy Award-winning documentary film editor, having spent the past decade shaping powerful, character-driven films across broadcast, digital and branded platforms. Her work spans major global platforms, including PBS FRONTLINE and the BBC, where she has produced and edited documentaries reaching millions while elevating voices often left unheard.

Last June, she received an Emmy for Outstanding Climate, Environment and Weather Coverage for Maui's Deadly Firestorm, a gripping documentary examining the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. The film also earned the Scripps Howard Award for Excellence in Local Video Storytelling.

Yet despite the national recognition and high-profile projects, Hannah spoke less about accolades and more about gratitude — for the experiences, mentors and unexpected intersections that began at Heidelberg.

“I have been so fortunate to get to live out some real-life dreams,” she told the soon-to-be graduates.
Describing her work, Hannah said she sees herself “like a doula, birthing a cinematic vision.” The work, she explained, requires both creativity and problem-solving skills.

That interdisciplinary approach traces directly back to her years at Heidelberg. Hannah described her college experience as “intricate and unique,” shaped by far more than her double major. She studied abroad in Germany through Heidelberg’s American Junior Year program while also playing the oboe, serving as a writing tutor, competing on the Speech Team and participating in both Delta Sigma Chi sorority and the campus improv student org.

Together, those experiences created what she called “vertical scaffolding” — layers of support, challenge and connection that prepared her for a career she could not yet fully envision.

As a student, Hannah admitted, “I could not see a path forward. So many of my peers had things all sorted out.”
Instead of trying to map out every detail, she focused on finding “the next right step,” guided by two questions: “What lights my fire?” and “Does my work meet a need around me?”

That philosophy ultimately led her to documentary filmmaking, where journalism, storytelling, artistry and human connection intersect.

Throughout her remarks, Hannah returned repeatedly to the metaphor of the Heidelberg lattice — the supportive structure in a garden that helps growth flourish over time. For her, Heidelberg’s culture offered a worldview grounded in collaboration, curiosity and community.

“No one accomplishes anything alone,” she said

Her message resonated especially with members of the Class of 2026 preparing to leave campus and step into lives that may or may not yet feel fully defined.
“Remember, there are no irrelevant experiences or connections,” Hannah told them. “Stay connected to your Heidelberg lattice.”

She encouraged students to trust that the seemingly disconnected pieces of their Heidelberg experience — classes, organizations, friendships, performances, conversations and challenges — tht may someday come together in meaningful and unexpected ways.

“You will wake up one day, really in gratitude,” she said. “You will have turned the Life of your Mind into a mindful life. It doesn’t get much better than that.”