ESPN sports commentator Robin Roberts drove home the message Thursday that all Iowa State students are in a position to accomplish whatever dreams they may have.

“You are in an environment [here at ISU] that is encouraging you to be able to reach any goal that you set before yourself,” said Roberts before a crowd of about 200 people in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union.

Roberts, who is also a commentator for ABC’s “Wide World of Sports,” was one of the featured speakers for ISU’s Women’s Week.

Roberts related her experiences from growing up as a student athlete at Southeastern Louisiana University and the dilemma she faced when, entering her senior year, she realized there were few outlets for a career in sports for African-American women.

“When I was growing up, I didn’t have anybody that looked like me doing what I wanted to do,” Roberts said. “But I didn’t let that prevent me from attaining my ultimate goal.”

She told the audience that she gradually climbed the success ladder, albeit with little steps.

After starting out as sports director of a radio station in Louisiana, she then went to Mississippi, where she spent three years as a sports anchor and reporter for two television stations. Her journey then took her to Nashville, Tenn.

“You’ve got to think big, but you’ve got to focus small,” Roberts said.

Then she turned down ESPN to work for an Atlanta television station, and she also worked as a radio personality for a top-rated morning show. Finally, she accepted another offer from ESPN.

“I was putting myself in position for good things to happen to me,” Roberts said. “I was willing to make the necessary sacrifices.”

One of those sacrifices was having to DJ country tunes — which she made clear is not her favorite type of music — for the Louisiana radio station on weekends while reporting sports.

Roberts, who now is at the top of her field, said in today’s sports media, African Americans have more opportunities and are represented better in front of the camera.

“[But] I’m more worried about what’s going on behind the camera. I want to answer to someone that looks like me,” she said.