Dennis Cosgrove is an undergraduate student at the University of Virginia in the early nineties; he is an impressive research assistant in Pausch’s computer lab, is a teaching assistant in an operating systems course, is taking graduate level courses, and is an A student—in every class but one. Cosgrove is failing his Calculus III class.

He is able to do the work, but he is so focused on other things that he simply stops going to his calculus class. Of course this becomes a serious problem, especially since it is not the first time in his college career that Cosgrove has earned all A’s with one F. Two weeks into the semester, one of the deans notices Cosgrove’s sketchy academic record. He is aware of the young man’s capabilities based on his test scores, and he assumes his problems reflect an attitude problem rather than a lack of aptitude. He wants to expel Cosgrove from the university.

Pausch knows that Cosgrove has received no warnings; in fact, his GPA is high enough to keep him from any kind of academic suspension. The dean finds a way to get rid of him, but Pausch takes on his cause. Pausch argues that this is a young man with a stellar future and that the university is here to teach and nurture. Pausch insists that Cosgrove be allowed to stay in school, but he is seen as a pushy young professor and the dean is not convinced. Then Pausch goes a step farther and uses tactics to get his way.

He argues that the university just cashed Cosgrove’s tuition check, a tacit statement that says he is welcome as a student on this campus. If he had been expelled before the semester began, he could have tried to enroll at another school. Now that is not an option. Pausch even mentions the possibility that the young man might hire a lawyer, and Pausch might testify against the university.

The dean is surprised at Pausch’s passion and asks why he is willing to place his own job and career at risk for this young man. Pausch says it is a simple matter of believing in him. The dean speaks of tenure, telling Pausch he will remember this incident when the time comes. Pausch understands the veiled threat: if Cosgrove does not turn his academic career around, Pausch’s judgment will be under serious question. Dennis is allowed to stay.

Cosgrove passes Calculus III and goes on to be “an award-winning star in computer science” and has stayed connected to Pausch and his work. He actually becomes one of the early designers of Pausch’s Alice project. Pausch once fought to keep twenty-one-year-old Cosgrove in school. Now Cosgrove is thirty-seven and will be working to continue Pausch’s professional legacy through the Alice project. When Cosgrove needed help to keep his dream alive, Pausch was there to plead his case. Now that Pausch needs his dream to continue, Cosgrove is there to make sure it happens.