“This was the most amazing and eye-opening experience I have ever had,” said Adrianne, and classmate Mickey noted, “I am grateful that Odyssey built a bridge that helped me return to education. We will all rise.” The Class of 2025 did all rise on May 7 — literally rising to the podium at the UW Memorial Union to share their powerful words as well as rising in confidence and hope. Congratulated by guest speaker Rev. Dr. Alex Gee and cheered on by families, friends, supporters, and Bucky Badger, the Odyssey Class of 2025 became the 22nd cohort to complete UW’s life-changing jump-start course in the humanities.
Students overcame tremendous obstacles during their two-semester journey, including homelessness, relapses, abuse, illnesses, car accidents, surgeries, and the loss of loved ones. After praising the class for their resilience in the face of adversity, Rev. Dr. Alex Gee told them that his late mother was a strong believer in the Odyssey Project because she knew firsthand that higher education was her family’s gateway out of poverty.
Before each student came to the podium, the 2025 Friend of the Odyssey Project Award was bestowed on Roberta Wang. Bobbie, retiring after over 50 years at UW, devoted two decades to providing Odyssey with invaluable financial assistance. Alum Char Braxton presented Bobbie with the award and a big hug. Once told she was “not college material,” Char went on to win awards from Madison College and is now majoring in Chinese and Creative Writing at UW-Madison.
Another alum, Hedi Rudd, took photos at the ceremony, and we will share more of them in our June newsletter. The photo at the left shows Gela receiving her certificate from Professors Emily Auerbach and Kevin Mullen. Gela’s speech at the podium used a metaphor to describe her growth in Odyssey: “I am a rose that grew from concrete, thriving in challenging and unforgiving elements, reflecting my true self, authentic, intentional, fulfilling, rooted deep in the earth, reaching for the sky, choosing to exist.”
Other students also used metaphors to describe themselves or Odyssey. Dillon entitled his poem “Odyssey is a Rainbow,” beginning, “Each person a voice, a song, a flame, / No two exactly alike, yet still all the same.” He and his classmates were “on a quest to find the light,” enduring challenges along the way. Dillon ended, “No storm can take the beauty that makes us whole, / A rainbow forged of heart and soul.”
Red and white balloons, Bucky Badger posing with families, music, and refreshments added joy as families and supporters celebrated the success of Odyssey’s Class of 2025. Read and watch news coverage of the event, read our Graduation Oracle introducing all 30 of our students, and view a full recording of our 2025 ceremony below.
Special thanks to our graduation sponsors, including American Family Insurance, Custer Burish Financial Services, Madison Gas & Electric, Strand Associates, Summit Credit Union, and UW Credit Union.