It began as a project. We wanted to understand the impact their time at UT had on UT alumni who had gone on to be leaders in their fields. We knew UT must have been a time of growth for them, so we wanted to know, what happened to them during their time at UT? So we began interviewing alumni, starting with Roy Spence and Admiral McRaven, and to our surprise, we heard about their struggles, vulnerabilities, and challenges— all transformational experiences.

Roy and Bill were candid and eager to share their stories. We quickly recognized their stories could be valuable to so many who wonder, are they cut out to go to college? And beyond that, what is the impact of college and postsecondary education on shaping our future leaders, leaders we need in this complex, confusing, chaotic world? And we're so glad we took this on.

What we learned is that college is not a place, but a time of personal growth. Our alumni leaders learned to persevere in the face of failure, fear and self-doubt. What matters is the support of faculty and staff who take an interest in students, take time to visit with them, advise them, challenge them, and encourage them to stretch and grow.