Aiesha West scans the circle, sizing up her new classmates to see if they’re as nervous as she is. Some scroll on their phones. Others dig through tote bags and backpacks. It’s been longer than she likes to say since she last sat in a college classroom.
Despite landing a coveted spot in The Odyssey Project, West’s mind races through her education stops and starts: caring for her sick mother, a real estate license that wasn’t the right fit, a shot at becoming a nurse.
Her eyes land on an eager face. For a moment, her fears ease.
West sees Kate Spies’ sincerity. That’s exactly what the Odyssey academic advisor and student support coordinator wants. Her University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) program for adult learners helps students feel welcome and supported — on their own and as a cohort.
But first, they have to open up.
“We do a lot of group-building activities to make sure people know each other,” Spies said. “As adult learners, they have busy lives and they’re working hard. We want them to bring their life experience into this class.
Learn about Odyssey in Chicago
Explore adult learning system wide
In Valerie O’Brien’s literature course, a story about brothers after one gets out of prison shifted from heavy to heartfelt as Odyssey classmates found common ground sharing laughter and memories of their own siblings.
Finding her voice
O’Brien and Spies watched West grow as a student, despite classrooms long ago that did real damage.
“Aiesha was the student I could always rely on to have super thoughtful questions and analyses to share about any text we read,” O’Brien said. “She paid attention to her classmates in much the same way that she read our texts, with such care and insight.”
With new people, though, West’s easy smile hides what hurts her — fear of being too much, saying too much, not getting to the point. All digs from teachers unwilling or unable to see the warm, intelligent soul within.
All she ever wanted was a safe space to learn and grow.
So, the lifelong South Side Chicagoan made a change — stepping away from big-city life and the long list of people who relied on her for support. She moved to Champaign, found work at a distribution center, and discovered her peace and a new path with The Odyssey Project.
“I needed this move, and I needed this class,” she said. “I know I’m in the right place.”
Humanities and the human touch
As West settled into a quieter life, Odyssey showed up in her newsfeed, inviting low-income adult learners to earn college credits at no cost — with free meals, textbooks, even bus fare.
Many adult learners — often juggling work, family, and finances — show determination shaped by life challenges, caregiving, or being the first in their family to attend college. They seek stability and opportunity but can face doubts, time pressures, and economic strain.
Each year, Odyssey immerses 20 students in the humanities — literature, philosophy, art history, and U.S. history. Through robust discussions, campus field trips, and meaningful projects, students build friendships, gain confidence, and find their voices.
“The professors kept encouraging us to engage,” West said. “The goal was to get us to mesh. It worked.”
To West’s delight, meals after class got noisier as classmates shared their day-to-day and their down-the-road.
“When you break bread with people, you know them in a different way,” Spies said, adding her team of caring educators and support staff agrees. “Dinner is not just a luxury; it’s essential to our program.”
One of the Humanities Research Institute’s many successful programs, Odyssey blends shared experiences with new learning — a formula that empowers students to shape what comes next.
From hurt to hope
Empowerment through community helps us all sort through life’s complications.
“I always wanted to go back to school, but student loans, time, and just life always got in the way,” West said. “Getting into The Odyssey Project strengthened my commitment to showing up.
“I no longer make excuses.”
Seeing West for who she is, Spies offered a leap into another new experience. Nervous but willing, West accepted.
“She gave an incredible speech at graduation,” Spies said. “She was really getting something out of her experience, and she’s a wonderful, thoughtful person.”
Accessible education
As higher education works to gain and keep the public’s trust, Odyssey shows how granular the University of Illinois System gets to provide supportive pathways for learners to create the lives they want.
A UIUC alum, Spies is proud her alma mater dedicates resources to non-traditional programs.
“Access doesn’t just happen. Institutions really have to be intentional about it,” she said, adding the payoff is worth it.
Today, West is a walking, talking billboard for Odyssey, encouraging friends and coworkers to apply. Pushing barriers aside, she plans to return to school to study psychology.
“I’m intrigued by humans in general, why we think and act the way we do,” West said. “Why do some people break down mentally, but others fight through? I feel like the more I understand people, the more I’d be able to help.”
A full-circle goal. On her terms.
***
Financial gifts from alumni, community members, and others help the almost 20-year-old program provide books, classroom technology, field trips, and more. Explore how you can support UIUC’s Odyssey Project.
