Actress Dawn Wells, famous for playing the part of Mary Ann Summers on Gilligan’s Island, came to BYU-Idaho Feb. 8 to promote the Idaho Film & Television Institute’s summer programs for students.

A group of about 30 students listened to Wells speak. She told them that to really make it as an actor, you must be able to do a little of everything, from acting to voice-overs.

“This isn’t about being a star,” Wells said. “This is about doing something you love to do and are passionate about.”

Students were generally impressed with Wells. “I think she’s very motivating,” said Jacob Green, a freshman from Fredericksburg, Va. “I think she can give a lot of direction to people who don’t necessarily know what they want to do.”

According to the Idaho Film & Television Institute’s Web site, Wells founded the institute five years ago to, among other things, “train local and visiting students in all crafts of film and television and to promote the use of Teton Valley as a filming location.”