This past Saturday, School of Theatre, Film & Television alum Craig T. Nelson delivered the commencement speech at the University of Arizona’s 160th Commencement ceremony. The ceremony was attended by around 4,700 students and 33,000 guests.
During his speech, the revered actor shared humorous anecdotes from his time on campus, was frank about his “rock bottom moment” from addiction struggles during his career, and offered inspirational words of encouragement to the graduates as they look to the future.
“What I received here was a love for words, a feeling of being accepted, a feeling of being encouraged, a feeling – even though I failed – that I could get up, I could do this, I could make something of myself,” he said. “I had this dream, this vision, of celebrity and stardom and making a living by doing that and being something when inside I really felt like not much.”
There were other challenges along the way. A film producer led Nelson and his family to Hollywood on a false promise of the stardom he sought. Years later, he worked to overcome drug and alcohol addiction.
Nelson’s career tells the rest of the story.
“A life that had become a disaster had been transformed, and at least I’m able to communicate on a level I never thought possible, which is to tell you in the language of my heart how deeply moved I am by what you have accomplished and how important you are,” Nelson said, emphasizing the pandemic and other challenges the class of 2024 has faced in the last four years.
Nelson was also awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the College of Fine Arts during this year’s graduation proceedings.
In the lead up to the ceremony, Nelson spoke with Arizona Public Media‘s Mark McLemore, host of the radio show and podcast Arizona Spotlight. The pair spoke about his long and diverse career, and why he attributes his success to the lessons learned during his time at the University of Arizona from mentor and longtime head of the Theatre department Professor Peter Marroney. He also talked about his hopes for his commencement speech.
“When President Robbins asked me to do this, I was consumed with what I would deliver, what I had to say, what could I impart that had any kind of relevance to a graduating class of this size and the experiences they’ve been through, what can I bring to it? And I’ve probably written maybe 50 different versions of what I had in mind.” Nelson posited.
“I can tell you this, that what I hope will be imparted is the sense of hope and a … significant desire in each of us to fulfill a dream or to make a difference and to affect change. The only other thing that I have on top of that is [to] do for one what you would do for many, because in my life I have been nurtured and sustained and sponsored and mentored by so many different people. I have only an attitude of gratitude.”