“The eldest daughter of two refugees from South Sudan who escaped from war, I am a first-generation American who is proud of where I came from,” notes Odyssey Junior graduate Zawadi. Thanks to the generosity of Shannon Huberty and Max Lenz, Zawadi became the first recipient of the Huberty-Lenz scholarship designed to help an Odyssey Junior graduate attend college. Now lawyers with two young children, Shannon and Max helped with Odyssey Junior while they were undergraduates and witnessed its impact firsthand.
Of Odyssey Junior, Zawadi says that she found friendship, encouragement, and belief in herself—and that she has felt part of the Odyssey family for her whole life. “My mommy is in college,” she exclaimed when just a toddler.
“When I look at a photo I took of Josephine with little Zawadi from so long ago, I can’t believe the changes!” says Odyssey Director Emily Auerbach. “Zawadi is now much taller than I am, an honors student at Madison College applying to UW-Madison. Wow!”
Zawadi wrote in her application for the Huberty-Lenz scholarship that even though she was proud of her origins, she battled shyness in school: “I was still timid growing up due to typically being the only African American girl in my class. I struggled with making deep connections with my peers and as a result would often feel lonely.”
At Odyssey Junior, she says she found courage, a sense of belonging, and pride in her writing. “Odyssey staff and the program in itself made me a more confident person. I am forever thankful.” As part of our Odyssey Junior staff while she completes her Liberal Arts transfer degree from Madison College, Zawadi inspires other Odyssey Junior teens to apply for college, too.
Zawadi’s goals include earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing and working to help others. “I am captivated by the wonders of the human brain, and my enjoyment in working with children has inspired me to contemplate the thought of becoming a psychiatric or pediatric nurse. Considering the vast opportunities the nursing profession offers; I remain open to the various pathways. I may also aim for a master’s degree in nursing as part of my long-term ambition.”
That would make two master’s degrees in the family, as Zawadi’s mother, Josephine, went on after Odyssey to complete both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UW-Madison. Josephine’s face adorned the cover of On Wisconsin Magazine.