[media-credit name=’BRYAN FAUST/Herald Photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]"The Cosby Show" focused on family values, respect and loving your neighbor — all things Phylicia Rashad addressed Monday at Ingraham Hall.

Rashad, an actress and former "Cosby Show" cast member, spoke at the University of Wisconsin Monday night, helping to kick off the centennial Alpha Week, a celebration of Alpha Phi Alpha, her father's college fraternity.

Rashad remained seated throughout to keep her presentation conversational.

"Feels like I'm talking to people I know," Rashad said. "I'm gonna' keep it real in here this evening."

Once Rashad had told her story, the microphone was open to the audience for a question-and-answer session. Rashad was bombarded by questions for more than an hour on topics ranging from her experience as an actress on "The Cosby Show" to personal advice, to an individual student's academic future.

The issue of low retention rates of black students at UW opened the floor to audience members who spoke aloud on this issue. Students commented about not fitting in socially within UW, and Rashad offered the concerned individuals some advice.

"Your perception informs your experience," Rashad said. "Assert yourself in a different way, and the world will respond differently. If you have come this far, you ought to stay."

While speaking, another crowd outburst occurred. This time a child was babbling in the audience and was being silenced by his mother.

"Don't shush, that's a beautiful child," Rashad said. "What kind of world is this for that 2-year-old boy?"

Rashad closed her conversation by encouraging action among the attendees she had shared her life story with.

"We have learned so many new things, but we still can't treat each other with dignity and respect," Rashad said. "We refuse to do it."

Throughout her conversation, she appeared to keep her audience's attention with animated gestures and expressive dialogue, and the audience kept her attention by occasional vocal outbursts.

Rashad warmly embraced her audience when she heard a man laugh loudly.

"I love that man," she said, stopping her speech to point him out.

Students in attendance praised her for presence on campus.

"That's huge that she's here in Madison," said Krystal Ratliff of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Rashad's college sorority. "Being a strong, intelligent woman, it's just inspiring."

UW sophomore Zo? Cohen also said she sees Rashad as an inspiration.

"She's an incredible lady and a talented actress," Cohen said. Rashad was honored as the first African American woman to win a Tony award for a leading actress for her performance in "A Raisin in the Sun."

Members of Alpha Phi Alpha had the opportunity to have dinner with Rashad before her speech.

"Having dinner with the mother from the Cosbys was a great experience," said UW senior Reggie Cribbs, treasurer of Alpha Phi Alpha. "She's a down-to-earth woman."

Rashad's story, Enjoying the Journey of Life, began with her early childhood experiences of moving from Houston to Mexico City. She repeatedly described her early childhood as that of constant wonderment.

"I found wonder in fresh-cut grass, watching clouds form, poetry and music," Rashad said.

Rashad's overwhelming feeling of wonder dwindled once she started school. She was struck in the leg for tap dancing during class, where she said she first lost her sense of wonder.

When Rashad was 13 years old, she moved to Mexico City. Her family was moving from house to house nearly every month, sometimes staying in hotels.

Rashad painted a picture of loneliness and frustration, as she had found herself in a foreign culture with no friends and not knowing the language. She described life as a series of ups and downs.

"When I was at my lowest in life," Rashad said, "that was a great turning point."

Another turning point for Rashad was her theatre success in New York. After appearing in multiple shows and one on Broadway, Rashad auditioned for “The Cosby Show.”

Rashad explained how immediately before becoming a member of “The Cosby Show” cast, she recognized the spiritual omnipresence of God. She said it was then that wonder returned to her life.