The first year course (HUM 110 & HUM 111) provides an interdisciplinary introduction to the humanities through the study of philosophy, art history, literature, U.S. history, and critical thinking and writing. In addition to work in the classroom, students will also have the opportunity to see plays, visit museums, and attend public lectures for free.

Classes meet twice a week in the evenings from late-August to late-April, and are offered in-person in Chicago’s Bronzeville, Brighton Park (in Spanish), and Uptown neighborhoods. Upon successfully completing the first-year course, students earn eight units of college credits in the humanities (4 credits each in HUM 110 and HUM 111) from the University of Illinois Chicago.

The second year course (HUM 210) takes place during the fall semester and is offered to students who have completed the first-year sequence at any time in the past. The course is interdisciplinary and text-driven and is organized around a single theme for the entire semester. Students who complete the course earn 3 additional credits in the humanities from the University of Illinois Chicago.

Classes meets twice a week in the evenings from August until December, and are typically offered at Illinois Humanities’ main office in the Loop.

El Proyecto Odisea es un curso al nivel universitario para hispanohablantes, que consiste en cinco clases: Redacción y Pensamiento Crítico, Literatura, Historia, Filosofía e Historia de Arte. Las lecturas asignadas y la discusión en clase son en español. Las clases se reúnen de agosto a abril, dos veces por semana. Los estudiantes que cumplan con todos los requisitos del curso recibirán 8 horas de crédito universitario.

Cada dos años ofrecemos el Curso de Segundo Año en Español, abierto a los estudiantes que han completado el nivel básico del Proyecto Odisea y que desean profundizar sus estudios de las humanidades. Los estudiantes tomarán dos cursos durante un semestre y se reunirán una vez por semana desde agosto hasta diciembre. Al completar exitosamente el curso, los estudiantes obtendrán 3 créditos universitarios adicionales.

Rebecca Amato is the Director of Teaching and Learning and directs The Odyssey Project/Proyecto Odisea. She is a teacher and historian interested in cities, space, place, and memory, with a special focus on the public humanities and community engagement. Her work has appeared in the journals Urban Omnibus and Radical History Review, as well as More Art in the Public Eye (Duke, 2020), Radical Roots: Public History & A Tradition of Social Justice Activism (Amherst, 2021), and A People’s Guide to New York City (University of California, 2021). She holds a PhD in United States History from The Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

Zerline Thompson is the Programs and Grants Coordinator at the Illinois Humanities. She received her B.S. in Business Operations from DeVry University of Chicago.

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Started in 2018 in honor of one of the first graduates of The Odyssey Project and retired employee of Illinois Humanities, EJ Hendricks, this annual award recognizes an Odyssey Project alumnus who exemplifies EJ’s commitment to lifelong learning, her dedication to strengthening her community, and her continued investment in working to improve The Odyssey Project for future generations.

Odyssey Project EJ Hendricks Award Recipients

• 2023: Kim Campos
• 2022: Mayra Ortiz
• 2021: Wanda Obazee
• 2020: Nicole Bond
• 2019: Jo McEntee and Mateo Gonzalez
• 2018: Toy Robinson and Judith (Sophie) Razo

The Sophie Razo Alumni Award was created in 2022 to recognize an important and beloved member of our community, Sophie Razo, who passed away in 2021. The award honors a graduate of Proyecto Odisea who, like Sophie, demonstrates a deep commitment to lifelong learning, care for one’s many communities, and continued investment in strengthening Proyecto Odisea for future students and alumni.

Odyssey Project Sophie Razo Award Recipients

• 2023: Itzel Muñoz
• 2022: Magdalena Portillo

Please join us in congratulating the Odyssey Project/Proyecto Odisea Class of 2023!

The Odyssey Project is FREE. Thanks to our funders and partners, there is no cost to our students. Course materials and books used in class are provided at no cost and basic school supplies are also provided, if needed. Public transportation and child- or elder-care assistance may also be available on an individual basis, in cases of demonstrated need.

The application window is March-June. Odyssey Project classes start in late-August, and so we take applications in the spring and part of the summer, between March 15 and June 15.

To apply, following the directions in the “Apply Now:” section.

Decisions will be e-mailed to you during the first or second week of July. Soon after, you will be contacted by one of our site coordinators to collect a few additional details and invite you to a site orientation. Please make sure we can reach you by the phone number or email address on your application. It’s a good idea to provide more than one means of contacting you.

Classes meet twice a week in the evenings. We generally meet 6:00-8:00 P.M. on Mondays and Wednesdays OR Tuesdays and Thursdays.

All of our sites will meet in-person.

• First Year, Chicago’s North Side: Uptown (Haymarket House, 800 W. Buena @ Clarendon
• First Year, Chicago’s South Side: Bronzeville (Carruthers Center, 700 E. Oakwood Blvd near Cottage Grove
• First Year, Proyecto Odisea (Spanish Program): Little Village (Venue TBA)
• Second Year Course, Chicago’s Loop: Illinois Humanities (125 S. Clark Ave., Suite 650, Chicago)