Ball State University graduate Anthony Montgomery recognizes his good fortune in being cast as helmsman Travis Mayweather on the new UPN series "Enterprise."

"I've been blessed," said Montgomery, 30, an Indianapolis native who graduated in 1994 from Ball State with a bachelor's degree in theater with an emphasis on performance. "A lot of people will come out to L.A. and in their whole lives never get the opportunities I've had."

Those opportunities came easily at first, says Montgomery, who landed a part in a Tommy Hilfiger ad campaign within six weeks of hitting Los Angeles.

"I thought, ‘That wasn't so hard. Maybe I won't have to struggle like everyone else,'" Montgomery said. "But then the job ended and only a little work came my way, and it wasn't so easy."

Not that Montgomery wasn't used to hard work in the pursuit of his chosen field. Besides being in a number of college productions at Ball State, Montgomery pursued a variety of entertainment-related jobs after graduation.

From singing in an R&B band in Chicago to trying his hand at stand-up comedy in Indianapolis, Montgomery looked for his niche in the entertainment industry.

It was his experience as a production assistant and background performer on a movie called "Hard Rain" that prompted him to make the big move to Los Angeles.

Montgomery says working as a production assistant was key in developing an understanding of how movies are really made.

"I learned a lot about what happens on the set," Montgomery said. "I see a lot of actors who think that if they aren't doing something on the set, that means nothing is going on. But look around. There's always something going on."

Montgomery credits his awareness of the complexity of movie and television production, combined with a Midwestern sensibility that emphasizes believing in oneself, as the key to maintaining his excitement and enthusiasm in a business where many appear jaded.

"I don't get it when I hear people being interviewed who get these great acting jobs and they say they're happy, but they sure don't sound happy," Montgomery says.

Before he landed the "Star Trek" role, Montgomery starred as host of a children's adventure series, "Awesome Adventures." He also had a recurring role on the WB series "Popular."

Regular work in his field fulfilled one goal. Being a regular on a television series was the next step. Montgomery's excitement about being on "Enterprise" is clear. After learning he got the part, "I screamed like a banshee!" Montgomery said. "I mean, you don't get these kinds of opportunities and not get excited."

"The best part is that I'm not a kid," he says, "so I can be genuinely excited about this and still see it for what it is."

For the moment, Montgomery's focus is on keeping himself grounded as a person and growing as an actor. Keeping a foot in reality while riding the wave of Hollywood hype is a delicate balance.

"I feel I got this job because I stuck to it, I stayed positive, and I believed in myself," he says. "It's weird being a celebrity. It gets surreal. But this is why I came to L.A. - to work."

As for the rest of it -- the interviews, the premieres, the paparazzi -- Montgomery assumes an attitude that these are all just part of the job.

"Three and a half months ago I was borrowing money to pay my rent," he says. "I focus on the fact that I get to do a job in the field I trained for. Everything else is just extra."

By Carmen Siering, Communications Manager

(Note to Editors: A print-quality photo can be downloaded from the Ball State University News Center on the World Wide Web. Go to www.bsu.edu/photoservicesand follow the instructions.)