Brad VoytekVerified account

how did you get past it?

luck, persistence, and a lot of people going to bat for me to help me out.

'a lot of people going to bat for me' As someone who nearly flunked out repeatedly, this really underlines the importance of asking for help. People with depression issues don't always see that as a viable option.

When I speak to incoming first year students this is a point I emphasize repeatedly.

That's awesome! I wish I'd had professors say that to me when I started at university. We need this so much! In retrospect, I was ill-prepared for being an undergraduate in a lot of ways. Not intellectually, but in almost every other way. If I'd known then what I know now...

Thank you for sharing this. I, too, almost flunked out of undergrad at The University of Michigan. It is important to let students know that they can turn things around and achieve their dreams. Nothing like almost flunking out and then becoming a professor.

If nothing else, having experience this myself gives me perspective when working with struggling students.

@bradleyvoytek I love your idea about failures on CVs. I now have unsuccessful grant section on mine too.

@bradleyvoytek Wow this is actually really inspiring to a current struggling UCSD grad student

We were at USC at the same time! I was a music major, class of 2001.

I have an almost identical letter from Berkeley. Never said this out loud before. But you’re right. It was a turning point.

@bradleyvoytek do you show that to the grad students?

I found your “Failing into passion” TEDx talk a couple years ago when I was bombing my courses at UCLA, and still rewatch it whenever I’m in a tough spot. I’m nearing the end of my ugrad degree and am still having doubts of my career choice