Staff share how they recovered from setbacks during panel discussion
Panelists shared with students how they recovered from mistakes and how setbacks are a normal part of growth during an event hosted by the Thompson Scholars office.
To kick off the Fail Forward event on Oct. 5, students formed teams for a game in which one team member attempted to draw an image based on what the others described. Teammates were limited in how they could guide the person who was drawing. After two rounds, students talked about how they learned from their mistakes to succeed.
Panelists were Phillip Todd, assistant director of Multicultural Affairs; Jenna Mazurek, program advisor for TRIO McNair Scholars; and Abby Sachs, assistant director of Corporate Partnerships. Each panelist discussed what failure looked like on their unique paths and how they learned from it.
From left to right are Anton'e Williamson, Phillip Todd, Jenna Mazurek, Abby Sachs, Samantha Mayse and Tianna Davis. The Thompson Scholars office hosted Todd, Mazurek and Sachs during the Fail Forward event Oct. 5. (Simon Zwart)
Sachs shared her struggles to stay academically motivated in college, which resulted in a 0.7 grade point average in her first semester.
“Failure taught me resources mean nothing if you don’t seek them out,” she said.
Todd’s setback came at the end of his undergraduate experience. He shared that while he was highly successful as a student, he struggled with the real-world application of his major and degree. “It gave me the opportunity to really analyze my environment. Failure taught me that I can succeed,” he said.
As they concluded, the panelists discussed the importance of taking time for themselves and giving themselves grace when life doesn’t go as planned.
— Sofia Ellis is a senior writing major and a student writer for University Communications.
Students stand near notepads ready to draw an image from a description during the Fail Forward event in the Kirkhof Center. (Simon Zwart)