University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Community Engagement

The Odyssey Project

The Odyssey Project is a yearlong, college-accredited course in the humanities offered at no cost to adults in the Champaign-Urbana community living below or slightly above the federal poverty level. The purpose of the course is to introduce students to the humanities and to help them reenter the world of higher education.

The program, which begins in late August and runs through early May, offers instruction in five discrete disciplines in the humanities: literature, philosophy, art history, U.S. history, and writing and critical thinking. The class enrolls 25 to 30 students, who must live at 150% of the poverty level or lower, be 17 years of age or older, be able to read an English-language newspaper, and, in interviews with the project coordinator, demonstrate a desire to complete the course.

The course is hosted by its community partner, the Douglass Branch Library. There is no tuition fee, and books, transportation vouchers, and child care are also free to all students. Students who complete the course receive six hours of college credit, which can then be transferred to other two- or four-year colleges.

Faculty for the course is drawn from departments at the U of I and receive release time from one course in order to teach in the Odyssey Project. This fall, Audrey Petty (English) will teach literature, and Timothy McDonough (Educational Policy Studies) will teach philosophy. In the spring, Dana Rush (Art History) will teach art history, and Jim Barrett (History) will teach U.S. history. John Marsh (English), who also serves as project coordinator for the initiative, will teach writing and critical thinking, which runs throughout the year. Kerry Pimblott (History) also joins the staff this year as graduate assistant to the program.

The Odyssey Project is a joint undertaking of the IPRH and the Illinois Humanities Council. Funding for the course is also provided by the U of I Office of the Chancellor and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Faculty who are interested in teaching in the Odyssey Project in future years are encouraged to contact John Marsh at jemarsh@uiuc.edu.



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	Community Engagement The Odyssey Project The Odyssey Project is a yearlong, college-accredited course in the humanities offered at no cost to adults in the Champaign-Urbana community living below or slightly above the federal poverty level. The purpose of the course is to introduce students to the humanities and to help them reenter the world of higher education. The program, which begins in late August and runs through early May, offers instruction in five discrete disciplines in the humanities: literature, philosophy, art history, U.S. history, and writing and critical thinking. The class enrolls 25 to 30 students, who must live at 150% of the poverty level or lower, be 17 years of age or older, be able to read an English-language newspaper, and, in interviews with the project coordinator, demonstrate a desire to complete the course. The course is hosted by its community partner, the Douglass Branch Library. There is no tuition fee, and books, transportation vouchers, and child care are also free to all students. Students who complete the course receive six hours of college credit, which can then be transferred to other two- or four-year colleges. Faculty for the course is drawn from departments at the U of I and receive release time from one course in order to teach in the Odyssey Project. This fall, Audrey Petty (English) will teach literature, and Timothy McDonough (Educational Policy Studies) will teach philosophy. In the spring, Dana Rush (Art History) will teach art history, and Jim Barrett (History) will teach U.S. history. John Marsh (English), who also serves as project coordinator for the initiative, will teach writing and critical thinking, which runs throughout the year. Kerry Pimblott (History) also joins the staff this year as graduate assistant to the program. The Odyssey Project is a joint undertaking of the IPRH and the Illinois Humanities Council. Funding for the course is also provided by the U of I Office of the Chancellor and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Faculty who are interested in teaching in the Odyssey Project in future years are encouraged to contact John Marsh at jemarsh@uiuc.edu.

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