overcoming adversity and achieving dreams through higher education
As this summer ends, Sanford Jones congratulates a granddaughter just offered one of the 30 coveted spots in the new Odyssey Class of 2025 set to begin in September. Sanford has a participation record that will be hard to beat, with a son, brother, niece, and sister graduating from Odyssey, a wife attending Odyssey Senior, …
“Our creative minds burst like piñatas when tapped into, for without creativity there would be no color in our bleak environment,” writes one Odyssey Beyond Bars student. “I write to find myself,” adds another, “and to speak for the ones who are mute and without a voice.” Amplifying student voices in transformational ways is at …
“Teaching in prison has been the most democratizing experience of my life,” says award-winning journalist and Odyssey cofounder Jean Feraca. She adds, “It cuts me down to size while it equalizes and exalts me. It is humbling to observe how much raw talent, human potential, and untapped humanity lie fallow in our grotesquely punitive prison …
“Because of Odyssey Beyond Bars, I found hope and the pathway to becoming a better man and father,” wrote one incarcerated learner at Oakhill Correctional Institution. So much has happened in the five years since Odyssey Beyond Bars (OBB) launched its first transformational UW composition course at Oakhill. We have more courses in more prisons, …
Taken at a Madison Club luncheon for The Business Forum of Madison, the photo above shows four new scholarship winners (from left, Andrea White ‘23, Giana Mason ‘24, Sally Phelps ‘24, and Thedora Smith ‘21) cheered on by previous winners Ngina Ali ’16 and Nicole Pecku ‘09. Sally also won a Women in Focus scholarship, …
Woman of Distinction When she applied for Odyssey in 2009, Keena was homeless and sleeping on the floor of a barbershop with her young son. Fifteen years later, Keena is not only a successful entrepreneur with a UW bachelor’s degree but also the recipient this month of a prestigious 2024 YWCA Woman of Distinction award. …
The Wells Family: A Legacy of Learning Across Generations “Returning to school after a 76-year hiatus is no small feat!” writes Mary Wells, Odyssey Class of 2007, about her 92-year-old mother. “It takes courage, determination, and a strong belief in oneself.” Mary credits Odyssey Senior classes with “opening the door to Mom taking the next …
Anna was nine years old when her mother and uncle completed Odyssey, and she has fond memories of finding her own voice in Odyssey Junior. She was overjoyed to receive an acceptance letter from UW–Madison for the fall! We celebrate Anna and other Odyssey and Odyssey Junior alumni heading to UW, thanks to the support …
Most of the military veterans in this year’s Odyssey Beyond Wars class never got to attend their high school commencement, so the graduation celebration of the first OBW was a particularly special occasion, marked by laughter, some tears, and overwhelming feelings of accomplishment. Odyssey Beyond Wars students each delivered powerful 5-minute stories of overcoming addiction, …
“Thank you, Odyssey,” said Cierra, “for creating an environment where dreams are nurtured and futures are shaped,” and Lucas noted, “Odyssey helped remind me of my worth and power, and I’ll forever be grateful for this gift.” Cierra, Lucas, and 28 classmates took the stage of Memorial Union’s Great Hall for a triumphant graduation celebration, …