‘Integrity, Care, and Drive’ Honored

McCombs finance student earns UT Austin leadership scholarship by exemplifying resilience and compassion

As a college student raised by deaf parents including a mother who is also blind, Pierre Odom has followed a path defined by initiative and resilience. His extraordinary accomplishments are being recognized with the Sharon H. Justice Leadership Scholarship, a $2,000 award given annually to a junior or senior who displays exemplary campus leadership. The award is named in honor of a beloved former dean of students.

“UT Austin gave me the space to learn and lead, but it is my responsibility to multiply those opportunities for others. Responsibility means acting with integrity and ensuring my work creates lasting impact beyond myself,” said Odom, a junior finance major at McCombs School of Business who is double majoring in government through the College of Liberal Arts.

Collaborating with fellow Longhorns from different majors, classifications, and backgrounds, Odom built Ascend Consulting Group into a 20-plus member student organization with executive roles and projects involving UT alumni and tech startups. He co-founded BridgeAbility, a 40-plus member organization dedicated to supporting students with disabilities, and he is a leader in his fraternity and business student organization. Additionally, he led his intramural soccer team to the semi-finals as captain.

Odom is among the 77% of UT students who participate in student organizations — 93% of those students say their participation helped prepare them for life after graduation. This student involvement is equipping future leaders like Odom — 87% of students who participate in student organizations say it helped them develop leadership skills. Additionally, 91% of these students say they strengthened their teamwork skills.

Through academic competitions, Odom applied strategy learned in the classroom to real-world contexts. He also volunteered with The Project and serves children of deaf adults and survivors of domestic abuse — joining the 64% of Longhorns who volunteer in the local community.

These are the life skills and values Sharon Justice helped foster as associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students during 1985-2001. Several Longhorn leaders created the scholarship in 2012 to honor her legacy of putting students first.

“Pierre demonstrates the kind of leadership that reflects the very best of UT Austin. His commitment to serving children of deaf parents and supporting fellow students shows both compassion and vision. He embodies the values we strive to instill — integrity, care for others, and the drive to make a lasting difference,” Justice said.

Odom’s recognition affirms the power of student leadership at UT, where Longhorns learn not only to succeed but to broaden opportunities for others. “UT has given me the ability to meet and impact many different groups of people. I want to keep expanding that experience,” he added.

Like many other Justice Award recipients, Odom will take his skills gained on the Forty Acres around the world. He’ll study abroad during Spring 2026 in Paris, where he hopes to gain experience that will inform his future career in consulting and international affairs. Next summer, he’ll intern at Dell Technologies, helping to develop artificial technologies through the company’s partnership with Nvidia.

Story by UT Austin Student Affairs