Sen. Katie Britt drew on some lesser-known episodes from her career as she gave the commencement speech at her alma mater, Enterprise High School, on Friday.

Britt told the Class of 2025 they should be proud of their background and be resolute in the face of the setbacks that inevitably will confront them.

“Anyone who knows me will tell you the things that I hold most dear are my relationship with the dear Lord, with my family and being from here,” Britt said. “As a daughter of two Class of 1975 graduates and a Class of 2000 graduate myself, I am exceptionally proud to be home.”

“The same values that were instilled in me when I was at Enterprise High School are the very ones that I carry with me in the United States Senate, as a mom, as a sister, as a friend,” she said. “And they’re the very same ones that have been taught to you over your educational journey here in Enterprise. I want to impart with each of you that these principles that have guided you this far will truly lead you through the rest of your life, if you let them.”

Britt’s Facebook page carried a video of her full 16-minute address, plus a shorter, two-minute version. Britt encouraged graduates to be grateful to their parents, highlighted their academic and athletic accomplishments and singled out for particular praise those students who plan to serve in the military.

She referenced her arrival at the University of Alabama in 2020.

“I thought I would try out for cheerleader,” she said. “Well, guess what? I didn’t make it. Well, then I thought I would do Freshman Forum, maybe hone my leadership skills. Yep, I wasn’t able to get [a place]. I tried out for Bama Belles, didn’t make it, tried out for Diamond Dolls, didn’t make it. Tried out for Capstone Men and Women. Do y’all see a pattern here? Didn’t make it.

“But what I’ve found is that life has twists and turns,” she continued. “Those disappointments became an opportunity to learn, to grow, and to find my own path. That string of failures, though, didn’t just stop there. Fast forward and I decided to go back to law school with a newborn and an 11-month-old. Now, I’ve had some bad ideas, but that one was No. One. Flash forward a few years after that, I was starting my law career at a great law firm that had been around for 85 years. The moment I got there they told me they were shutting their doors.

“Needless to say, I asked, what is my purpose? When am I going to find my lane? And it wasn’t until a couple years after that, that against all odds, I decided to run for the United States Senate,” Britt said. She referenced the initial advantage her opponent, then-Rep. Mo Brooks, had over her in the polls.

“So to say that it was unlikely that I would be standing in front of you is a bit of an understatement.”

The timeline omits some well-known highlights of Britt’s life: She was elected to UA’s Student Government Association in her freshman year and went on to serve as its president; worked as press secretary and later as chief of staff for Sen. Richard Shelby; and, prior to running for the Senate, led the influential Business Council of Alabama. But it also illustrated that even a career as successful as hers isn’t necessarily a cake walk from one win to the next.

“What I have found is, failure is not fun, challenges are hard,” she said. “Disappointments will happen but many times they are necessary for your future success. The world will absolutely knock you down, I can promise you. Because I have lived it. But what I want each of you to promise me is that when you get knocked down know that God calls you to do hard things and that we need every one of you to stand back up.”

“Never forget where you came from and what this place has instilled in you,” she said. “And no matter how far your path takes you, remember that being from Enterprise means always being able to come home. Each and every one of you should be proud of this monumental achievement. I wish you all the happiness and success in the world. Don’t forget that you’ve got this and this community has got you. God bless you, and Go, Wildcats.”