Odyssey Harbor Fund

Rebecca Bolinger began the social work program at Southwestern Adventist College in the fall of 1980. A group of enthused students expressed to her concern about caring for a local, abused boy. Class research indicated that there was no place in Texas for multi-problem children, and the students began a campaign to start such a center. Through providence, much hard work on the part of the social work students, through wise guidance from the volunteer board of directors chaired by Dr. Erwin Sicher, and through considerable financial commitment from Ms. Bolinger, Odyssey Harbor was founded in June of 1983. Its goals were to provide treatment for multi-problem abused children, to provide practical training for college students in many fields, and to provide employment for college students. It successfully accomplished all these goals.

In its 13 years of operation, it achieved a statewide reputation for giving excellent care to the state's most challenging students. It provided experience in the fields of education, psychology, social work, and business for countless college students, assisting many in identifying their career choices. Most importantly, it provided full-time jobs for up to 90 students each year. Several thousand children benefited, and more than 1,000 students have been able to graduate from Southwestern Adventist University who would have found that goal to be impossible otherwise.

Scholarship award requirements

The Odyssey Harbor Scholarship is awarded each year to a student majoring in religion.

Students Recipients 

2019-2020 -Konstandino Tsatalbasidis

2018-2019 -Ruber Alvarez Maros

2016-2017 -Edgar Restrepo