Jack Williams Shares
Four-Point Plan for Sucess
Emmy Award-winning CBS4 Boston News Anchor Jack Williams, while acknowledging the news of the day and headlines in time of war during his commencement speech, encouraged students to be excited as they graduate. “Don’t underestimate the strength and resourcefulness of the American people,” said Williams. “You will look back and realize that in life, with every crisis, new opportunities arise.”
Williams asked students “What does success mean to you? What will it take to drive and inspire you?”
He told them that they need to have a plan to be successful in life.
“Twenty years from now, those who became
the most successful will be those who concentrated their energies and did what seemed impossible.”
Describing a four-point formula for success, Williams advised students to write down goals and review them regularly; to have faith and belief in themselves; to have the ability to say no in order to overcome the twists, turns and obstacles on the path to success; and to discover how to accomplish their goals.
“Set goals that excite and have faith,” said Williams. “Confidence has a magnetic quality that is amazing, and successful people act
successful long before they are. There are thousands of ways to accomplish anything, when you follow number three and know when to say no, the hows will make themselves known.”
Mr. Williams also challenged graduates to find a charity or cause that fills a void in their soul and help those less fortunate than themselves. For over 23 years, this is something that he and his wife Marci have practiced through their work with Wednesday’s Child, a weekly news series Williams created in 1981 featuring a special needs child in search of a permanent home. Over the years, Wednesday’s Child has helped more than 490 children find loving homes, and Williams has raised more than $3,000,000 for the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange, a non-profit agency that matches special needs children with adoptive families.
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 Jack Williams, Luis Carmody ’04, and Mary Beth CarmodyCommencement 2004 exercises will long be remembered as a very moving and affirming experience for those in attendance, as Jack Williams, founder of Wednesday’s Child, told the story of Angel with great emotion.
Angel was a little boy who at six years old entered the foster care system, separated from his sisters aged 3 and 1, and newborn brother, who were all placed in different homes. He suffered abuse and neglect in a number of settings in his young life. He was even placed in a Spanish speaking foster home though he didn’t know the language himself. Six years and six foster homes later, Jack Williams met Angel, whom he featured on Wednesday’s Child in February 1992, broadcast from a Stoughton fire station.
When Williams informed the audience that Angel was seated among the candidates for graduation, now known as Luis Carmody, the name he took when adopted, Luis’ classmates gave him a standing ovation, in respect and admiration of his achievement.
When it was time for Luis to cross the stage, Williams proudly presented him with his hard earned and well deserved bachelor degree.
“There are no words that can express my thanks for what you have done for my life,” said Luis in a letter to Jack and Marci Williams, posted on the Jack Williams Wednesday’s Child website. “If it wasn’t for you, I don’t know where I’d be. I just never thought when I was sitting in that fire truck in Stoughton that 12 years later you’d be giving me my degree from college.”
Mary Beth Carmody, Luis’ mom, also recognized by Williams during the ceremony, summed up the emotion of the day that many shared as they learned the story of her son.
“I was overwhelmed and in awe,” said Ms. Carmody of the wonderful celebration of Luis’ hard work and success, coupled with the heartfelt reunion with Jack Williams. “Curry College is certainly a school full of miracles. I am blessed that one of them is my son!”
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