![]() ![]() Odyssey Junior, supporting Odyssey students’ children and grandchildren ages 0-18 in self-discovery, literacy and expression through writing, speaking, visual arts, music, movement and theater.Since the inception of that core course, Odyssey has expanded access to new audiences through five more programs: The students’ median age is early 30s but has ranged from 18 to 71. Ninety-four percent of Odyssey course students are from ethnic minorities and 75 percent are parents. They gain 6 college credits from UW–Madison, skills in critical thinking and writing, and a sense of empowerment. One-on-one tutoring is available for Odyssey students and alumni, along with their children and grandchildren.ĭuring the Wednesday evening classes, students engage in discussions inspired by prominent historical figures and read their own work aloud in front of their classmates. Students receive free tuition, textbooks, childcare and a weekly dinner. The core of Odyssey is a college course: Each year, 30 new students enroll in a two-semester class taught by UW–Madison faculty in English literature, philosophy, American history and art history. When leaders from Clemente visited the Odyssey Project, they called it the ‘gold standard’ of these pathway programs. In 2013, President Obama awarded the Clemente Course the National Humanities Medal. “We took inspiration from Clemente and Berea College, but we did things a bit differently and put our own spin on supporting and empowering students,” Auerbach said. In 2003, Feraca and Auerbach founded the UW Odyssey Project, a pathway to education that would address disparities and provide a place where students could not only find their voices but become leaders, mentors and advocates for themselves and their families. She also found inspiration from Berea College, a tuition-free institution for low-income students that both her parents attended. Clemente was established in 1995 by the late author and educator Earl Shorris, who believed the gateway out of disenfranchisement would come through exposure to powerful works of philosophy, literature, art history and American history.Īuerbach had already spent two decades developing outreach programs in the humanities for nontraditional students. ![]() It turned out to be a quintessential Wisconsin Idea.įeraca featured the Clemente Course in the Humanities on her Wisconsin Public Radio program. Twenty years ago, poet and journalist Jean Feraca and English professor Emily Auerbach had an idea to develop an outreach program in the humanities for nontraditional students. Speakers will include Odyssey alumni as well as the Honorable Judge Everett Mitchell. Odyssey invites the community to celebrate this milestone at the Chazen Museum of Art from 5 to 7 p.m. “We’re proud to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this groundbreaking program.” “It’s a multigenerational approach to breaking the cycle of poverty through education,” said Odyssey Executive Director Emily Auerbach. Over 20 years, more than 2,000 people of all ages have participated in the Odyssey Project, with many going on to further their educations, improve their livelihoods and contribute to their communities in a variety of ways. “One of the most impactful programs in our state, the UW Odyssey Project has completely transformed my life and the lives of many others,” Saffold said. The Odyssey course flipped a switch for Saffold.Īfter completing the program, he joined the Madison police department, went back to school to receive a bachelor’s degree from UW-Whitewater, served a term on the UW Board of Regents and was accepted to the University of Wisconsin Law School. During his Odyssey experience, he engaged in discussions of works by Frederick Douglass, Emily Dickinson and Socrates acted out scenes from Macbeth and A Raisin in the Sun and got an editorial published about disproportionate incarceration rates for Black and Latino men in Wisconsin. Prior to attending Odyssey - an award-winning University of Wisconsin–Madison educational access program - he’d never taken a college course and considered himself a passive person. ![]() MADISON - When Corey Saffold applied for the UW Odyssey Project in 2005, he had no idea it would change his life. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |