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, and Andrea became both an Athena Award nominee and a “40 under 40” In Business star this spring. Read more about these amazing Odyssey scholarship winners as they pursue careers in nursing, social work, and other areas.
Founded in 1988, The Business Forum (TBF) of Madison became the first women’s group to be allowed to meet at the Madison Club. Professional TBF women network with each other and raise money for scholarships to help women continue their education. Many Odyssey students have won in the past, impressing the committee with the obstacles they have overcome and the dreams they hope to pursue.
This year was no exception. Here are brief sketches of the four newest winners:
Andrea White graduated from the UW Odyssey Project in 2023 and went full speed ahead towards her goal of helping others. A single mother of two daughters also caring for her mother, Andrea serves as a housing case manager for the YWCA, the Vice President of the Urban League of Great Madison Young
Professionals, and chair of the Homelessness Services Consortium. Citing her background growing up as one of 11 children in an impoverished single-parent family, Andrea says that she hopes getting a degree in social work will allow her “to be a voice for our underrepresented communities in our city.” Andrea graced the cover of a recent In Business Magazine.
Giana Mason graduated from the UW Odyssey Project Class of 2024 just days before receiving her award from The Business Forum. Giana moved the audience at the Madison Club luncheon with her account of crippling OCD and anxiety, her battles with addiction, and her passion for writing. Hoping to earn a bachelor’s degree in English and become a published author, Giana ends her scholarship application essay with a tribute to Odyssey: “Today, I have confidence, I have direction, and I understand my core self. Odyssey is the compass that directed me to my true north.”
Sally Phelps graduated with classmate Giana from the 2024 Odyssey Project and wants to inspire her five children. In her letter to the Business Forum, Sally describes her Laotian heritage and her career goals: “Growing up in a low-income family of refugees, I know receiving gifts and food from the community shelter made me feel like there was Santa. My heart leans me towards becoming a social worker because of the memory I have as a little girl, sitting by my mom’s side, and being interviewed by a social worker. I thought to myself that’s what I want to do. Wanting to help others is a passion in my heart.”
Thedora Smith graduated from the UW Odyssey Project Class of 2021 during the pandemic. She is a pre-nursing student at Madison College and has a passion for improving the outcomes for black mothers in Dane County. Racial disparities in prenatal care and infant mortality point to a great need for better medical care and support. As a single mother who also cares in her home for a client and her baby, Thedora struggles to make ends meet while continuing at Madison College. “Odyssey gave me empowerment, support, and motivation,” Thedora writes, and she is determined to go forward towards her end goal of becoming an OB/GYN.
We thank not only the Business Forum of Madison but also the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Women in Focus, and other organizations for honoring and empowering our students with their scholarships.
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