“After several futile attempts to come up with something ‘profound’ to say to you today, it dawned on me that clearly I was asked to speak to you because I represent an Alabama alum who went on to some modicum of success. My mission is to encourage and beckon you graduating seniors to the world that awaits you… and inspire you to dream a little,” said Ward, who spoke at both of UA’s two undergraduate ceremonies and received an honorary doctorate of humane letters.

Ward, best known for her award-winning portrayals as Lily Sammler on “Once and Again” and Teddy Reed on “Sisters,” is a 1977 graduate of UA’s College of Communication and Information Sciences. She received two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe for her work on “Once and Again” and “Sisters.”

“Perhaps you are thinking: Sela is so lucky, yes, she had a few knocks but…. The world is her oyster. I want to remind you that luck and opportunity are like gold nuggets in a river – they are available to everyone. You have to look for them, you have to believe in their presence and notice them. Make sure you are not walking around with your eyes wide shut, blaming others,” said Ward.

“I stand here, representing what every one of you can achieve in your own way, and I assure you that the gap between us is not as wide as you might think and truly not as formidable or difficult to bridge as you may fear. It is not filled with wild beasts or impossible barriers. The obstacles and the potential for setbacks are there, but they are part of what will strengthen you. And, if you pay attention, you will learn and grow from them,” she said.

“Every occupation brings with it speed bumps and road blocks along the way. How you react, how you bounce back, how you draw lessons out of failure will determine how persistent you can be and, ultimately, how successful you will be.

“For me, after being devastated by the first handful of failures, I came to learn that, in every loss, there is an opportunity to learn something – either about myself or about the world around me. . .that if I crashed and burned on a film, in an audition or in a relationship -- that which didn’t kill me made me stronger. Being stronger made me able to know that there is always another opportunity around the corner.

“I have always loved the expression ‘Where God closes a door he opens a window.’ It took me awhile to get to this point, but my universe shifted the day I got there,” said Ward.

Ward’s additional television credits include the telefilms “The Reef,” “Double Jeopardy,” “Killer Rules,” “The Haunting of Sarah Hardy” and “Bridesmaids;” and appearances on television series “L.A. Law,” “Night Court,” “Saturday Night Live” and “Frasier.”

Her film credits include “The Day After Tomorrow,” “Havana Nights,” “The Fugitive,” “My Fellow Americans,” “Hello Again,” “Nothing in Common,” “Rustler’s Rhapsody” and “The Man Who Loved Women.”

In 2002, Ward released her first book, “Homesick,” which appeared on The New York Times bestseller list. Part inspirational story, part memoir, the book tells of Ward’s quest for a balance of the comforts of her small-town childhood and her big city way of life.

This weekend marks the first time in decades that UA commencement ceremonies have been held in the stadium. The venue change is due to renovations in Coleman Coliseum. The stadium has been the site of graduation exercises in the past, most recently in 1985 but more commonly in the 1960s and earlier. Built in 1929, Bryant-Denny Stadium celebrated its 75th birthday this year.

Friday’s and Saturday’s ceremonies, which included about 2,400 degree candidates, were broadcast live over the Internet. The web cast will be archived on UA’s
Web site, http://www.ua.edu, and will be available for viewing until May 31.