According to the American Anthropological Association (AAA), “through anthropology, we can shape a better world, together.” The idea that anthropology has the power to make the world a better place and improve the lives of different groups of people across the globe is longstanding. In this talk, I draw on my own experiences with the field to think through what anthropology can actually do for the world. I begin with my experiences as an undergraduate anthropology major, my stint working in public health, returning to the field for a PhD, and the various research projects I have completed along this trajectory. Drawing on these experiences, I show what an anthropological lens has done for me as a scholar and how I translate that into the classroom.