Stephanie Walters ‘08, HU Media Icon Pushes Towards Her Dreams with Resiliency

Stephanie Walters, a Hampton University alumna, is a TV host, producer, and Director of Engagement and Communications. She attended Hampton University due to her family legacy and journalism program. Walters knew from a young age that she wanted to pursue a career in the media or TV industry. She created her first entertainment news show Media Mixer, while at Hampton and later created her own TV show, Montage. Walters is currently the Director of Engagement and Communications at Yellow, a non-profit organization. She also runs her own company, Dream Pusher, which helps women reclaim and accomplish their dreams. Walters advises current students to take advantage of every opportunity, build genuine relationships, and pay attention to their mental health.

Stephanie Walters, a Hampton University Alumna,TV Host, Producer, and Director of Engagement and Communications for YELLOW, a non-profit created by Pharrell Williams, has set the stage for the ultimate performance, a lifetime of redefining black womanhood and success.

Rooted in Hampton’s history before her time, Walters is a Hampton legacy spanning generations of family members who have tread the great waters of our institution. As a student, Walters honed in on her passions and pursued a major in Journalism at the Scripps Howard School of Journalism & Communications on campus. When we asked if she knew early on in her career that she wanted to pursue a career in the media and TV industry, the answer was an absolute yes! Walters shares, “I always knew that media is something I wanted to do ever since I was seven years old. I’m the only child, so growing up, I performed for my stuffed animals and did shows in my garage, and I always had this love and passion for talking to people and wanting to know people’s stories and just really engage. I was just so curious. And growing up, we used to sit at the dinner table and watch the news and things like Entertainment Tonight, and I was like, I want to do that.”

Walters shares that from this early seed planting as a child, things manifested and grew in her life, creating a full circle moment when she landed one of her first extensive internships in New York City at Entertainment Tonight! “That was the most incredible experience, literally of my life. It was such an amazing experience, so I knew that I wanted to do it, and I’ve always taken steps to get there. So, whether it’s hosting shows at school or being the spokesperson for the class, I always got in trouble for talking too much, and I’m like, I was that girl, and now here I am, now it’s paying off.”

When charting out your moves to get to the top, you must play chess and not checkers if you want to be successful. Walters shared that one of her first power moves included Hampton University’s first news show, Media Mixer. This pivotal move for Hampton University started when blogs and Facebook emerged. Walters shares that this inception was a great bridge to fulfilling her passion for entertainment news by bringing in guests and having the ability to bring other experts on the show to talk about entertainment.

With the roots planted and sprouts budding, Walters’s career began taking off. Innovation, determination, and resiliency are the ingredients that birthed Walters’s TV show, Montage, after graduation. Walters shares that she’s always created something if she didn’t see it because “I can’t be the only person thinking this. Why not bridge the gap?” In bridging the gap, Walters first show focused on entertainment, lifestyle, and human-interest stories. “Everything isn’t about the flashing lights, but how did you get there? Let’s talk about this journey. Let’s talk about what set you up for success.” Walters shares that she got that show on nationwide public access stations, including California, New York, and Atlanta. Walters credits creating her own steps and figuring things out, which led her to where she is today.

“I always got in trouble for talking too much, and I’m like, I was that girl, and now here I am, now it’s paying off.”

In figuring out those steps, Walters is now the Director of Engagement & Communications for YELLOW, a non-profit created by Pharrell Williams. This opportunity occurred through many transitions over a few years and being at the right place and time. Walters had been working with Virginia Beach public schools by creating programming for STEM and entrepreneurship, where she met Dr. Williams, Pharrell’s mother. On a random evening with destiny, Dr. Williams came across Walters at an event as she was one of the only black women at that event. From there, they stayed in touch and later invited Walters to become their Director of Engagement & Communications, where she leads all their communications internally and externally, runs all of our socials, serves as a spokesperson for the organization, and oversees any events that they may have engagement-wise. Leaving her mark, Walters created a series called Bright Sparks, which interviews people locally and nationally who are doing impactful things in their organizations. This began on IG Live during COVID-19 and is now moving in person across the country.

When we asked Walters about her career trajectory, she shared that, “when you think about being able to maneuver through different fields and having things layered so they build upon the other, use what your base is and then be able to interject that into other fields, and you’ll always excel. Even working full-time with Yellow, I still have my own TV show. I still run my own company, Dream Pusher. I still produce other people’s TV shows. I do lifestyle segments on different networks across the country. It’s always been a base for me, and I’ve never swayed from what I’ve wanted to do.”

“I’ve been speaking prayers over my dreams and over my entire life, and other people have been praying for me."

With all these accomplishments under her belt, there’s no question that Walters was selected to be the feature of Resilience Magazine. “Being on a magazine cover has always been a dream of mine. I think I talked to my friends about it last year. I was like, I’m going to be on a magazine cover next year, and you say things jokingly, but the universe and God be like, ‘bet.’ It still feels kind of surreal to me sometimes because after I posted that I was on the cover, I got so much love, so many people hit me up. I wasn’t expecting all that because it’s weird. I did my research, and I was like, oh, snap. This is a really big deal. And the fact that it’s black women running the magazine, I was like, okay. Absolutely. And then the name of the magazine-- resilient. There are so many things that have transpired in my life over the last few years that have made me such a resilient person. And I was like, ‘Okay, God, this is crazy.’ The first magazine I’m going to be on. It’s not like a Vogue, it’s not an Essence, it’s a magazine called Resilient, which has been the word of my last two years, and I connected with them.”

“I’ve been speaking prayers over my dreams and over my entire life, and other people have been praying for me. I’m grateful to their team for even reaching out to me, thinking of me, and seeing me.”

When we asked Walters what inspires her to keep going, she shared, “I want other young girls to know it’s possible. I think sometimes when you see things on social media, on TV, and it’s so funny, I work in media, but everything seems so unattainable. I want to be able to have girls be able to reach out to me to connect with me, too; this is why I show up to empowerment, and it’s why I show up to speak, why I show up to host because I want y’all to see where I’ve been and where I’m going. I want to be able to tell the story and be able to be a vessel to help them get to the next level. I’m really excited for what the next generation is going to do, and I’m hopeful that they will not only do what’s best for them but think about the future generations.”

To learn more about Stephanie Walters, click HERE.

To learn more about YELLOW, click HERE