Career Roadmap
Walter's work combines: Government, Non-Profit Organizations, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
History
Newberry College
Bachelor's Degree
Sociology
Newberry College
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a President & CEO:
Bachelor's Degree: History
Bachelor's Degree: Sociology
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
Growing up, I wasn’t a bad student, but I primarily received Cs and Bs—later on, I was diagnosed with ADHD.
2.
After the September 11 attacks, I was determined to join the military—however, I received a scholarship to play football in college, so I decided to go that route instead.
3.
While interning in the probation department for Newberry County Juvenile Justice and seeing the struggles facing so many people, I realized I wanted to dedicate myself to making my community better.
4.
I decided the best way for me to improve my community was to help others make money, so I got into workforce development.
5.
In 2014, I was one of two people from South Carolina selected to attend a summit at the White House for working families—the experience changed my life.
6.
Within 90 days, I had moved to Washington, D.C. and started working for the Department of Employment Services.
7.
I was eventually called to Maryland, where I spent two years working in economic development in Prince George’s County.
8.
After gaining some experience, I realized we could make major improvements to our work—I started a new workforce development nonprofit and currently lead the organization as president and CEO.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Peers:
You're only 28—you can't start a better organization. You think you know it all. You don't know enough to start a new business.
How I responded:
After spending some time working in workforce development, I realized there were some things we could really improve on. I had the idea to start a new organization and implement those improvements. I received some backlash because I was young and people thought I was fooling myself. I didn't know it all but I knew that what we were doing wasn't working. I proposed my idea to the county executive and he liked it! After giving him my business plan, I received the funding to start my organization.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
From my senior year in high school to my sophomore year in college, I had lost six friends either to gin violence or drugs. Other friends went to jail. These sad experiences really focused my determination to help improve my community.