“What English 100 did for me, I want to do for others. I blossomed in that class. I want others to experience that.” —Dominee Meek, Odyssey Beyond Bars alum (fall 2019) Dominee was in the …
In the news
Multicultural literature course hosts family, friends for online graduation
“Reading and reflecting on writings at this magnitude has allowed us to respond and be heard, to be a part of the community […] and to be more than just numbers in a system or …
Odyssey Beyond Bars expands!
“In finding yourself, you discover an array of beauty within. You discover that you actually are intelligent, when your teachers and classmates had written you off as dumb because you didn’t apply yourself. Now you’ve …
Director’s letter
We wind down the 2020-21 academic year proud of our students and what we have accomplished in the face of adversity. When the pandemic interrupted our face-to-face instruction, Odyssey Beyond Bars (OBB) rose to the occasion, …
UW Odyssey Project Class of 2021
Despite battling COVID, deaths of loved ones, homelessness, domestic abuse, parenting stress, lost wages, and physical and mental health challenges, the UW-Madison Odyssey Class of 2021 beat the odds. Thirty-five students graduated in a virtual …
Thespians come out of their shells
“How am I going to die today?” Loche asked herself as she entered UW–Madison’s Hemsley Theatre for Onward Odyssey’s first-ever Acting Techniques class. Professor Baron Kelly notes of Loche and her nine classmates, “The students …
Remembering a class MVP
Students in the Odyssey Class of 2021 called one classmate their MVP, hero, warrior-scholar and inspiration. Lifelong learner Diane Walton logged on from the hospital to read scenes from A Raisin in the Sun, even …
From bleeding feet to doctor-to-be
When Hezouwe Walada was growing up in rural Togo, West Africa, he craved learning so much that he walked 30 miles daily without shoes, his feet bleeding, to attend the closest village school. Hezouwe brought …
Odyssey staff garner awards!
Shortly after announcing Odyssey theater professor Baron Kelly’s national honor and Odyssey cofounder Jean Feraca’s selection for the Athena Award, we learned that Odyssey’s Director of Development and Community Partnerships, Jenny Pressman, had been chosen …
Odyssey alumni win scholarships!
“It’s a sweep! When I nominated four amazing Odyssey women for prestigious Business Forum of Madison scholarships, I hoped all four would win the four adult scholarships — and they did!” says Odyssey codirector Emily …