What did the class of 2019 adfellows learn at Walmart?

We are watching the world change dramatically before our eyes. As we make sense of the new realities of life, it is our people and our culture that have enabled Walmart to serve our customers’ evolving needs. It is our humanity that differentiates us and makes us special. That’s one of the many reasons diversity and inclusion are so important to us.

In 2019, Walmart signed up as a brand partner for the adfellows program – a one-of-a-kind fellowship program designed to help individuals from diverse backgrounds break into marketing and advertising. It is an eight-month rotational program where adfellows explore different career tracks in creative, media and brand marketing for various top-tier companies such as Verizon, R/GA, Accenture, Digitas, Walmart and many more.

Here at Walmart, we had the opportunity to work with ten of the 34 adfellows to help us build seamless shopping experiences for millions of our customers; over the course of eight weeks, they connected with various teams, met new mentors, developed their strengths and worked on meaningful projects. Building a team as diverse as our customer base isn’t a nice to have - it’s a must have. It takes the thought, talent and leadership of so many to serve our customers to the best of our ability, and we’re excited to welcome the new and diverse voices of the adfellows.

We know the fellows had an impact on us, but we wanted to know what had a lasting impact on them. Here's what they shared with us:

At Walmart, the customer is #1.

Ranita Findlay, Tampa, FL

Team: Walmart Corporate Social Media

“The customer is at the center of everything Walmart does and that they care about being a good steward to the community.”

Walmart is America

Abraham Escalona, Miami, FL

Team: Retail Marketing – Hardlines

“Walmart is America. There is no other brand that represents the nation’s massive population and values quite like this one. I’ve also learned that Walmart’s marketing associates have a sense of pride and belonging in working for this uniquely iconic U.S. brand.”

Be yourself, everyday

Janay Tyson, Raleigh, NC

Team: Pricing and Packaging – Sports and Outdoors

"Working at a large corporation like Walmart allowed me to see the many opportunities and resources that can be found within big brands. Walmart showed me that you can do great work while still showing up as a human every day. Your work will still be valued nonetheless as long as you continue showing up."

Walmart has a huge role to play in Americans’ live

Erica Johnson, Buffalo, NY.

Team: Strategic Brand Partnerships

“The power of community and the impact that has on a global scale. In most major disasters, Walmart has a role to play as the world's largest retailer. Walmart is able to do what a lot of places can't - like filling important needs for communities across the globe in times of distress.”

Walmart is more than just numbers and ROI

Khadija Craine, Memphis, TN.

Team: Strategic Brand Partnerships

“The most important thing I’ve learned working at Walmart is that a big brand is more than numbers and ROI. During my rotation at Walmart, I felt at home and eager to learn how retail influences more than bottom lines and the value of consumers’ lives. From Hoboken to Bentonville, there was never a day when I felt unwelcome or incapable of my duties during this rotation. Sam Walton's family friendly environment and values are rooted in the work and products of the company.”

Change is constant at Walmart

Nudrat Kadir, Brooklyn, NY.

Team: Retail Marketing – Consumables

“The most important thing I've learned so far during this rotation is that Walmart is an organization where the constant changes among consumers and the overall landscape of retail are welcomed with open arms. Having a rotation at Walmart during such unprecedented times has showed me how much Walmart cares about delivering their promise as a brand and being there for consumers when they need them the most.”

It takes a village

Stephanie Uriostegui, Chicago Metropolitan Area, IL

Team: Retail Marketing – Pets

“I'm grateful to have learned and explored the different positions and responsibilities within category marketing at a major corporation. It takes a village of wonderful and talented individuals to maintain and constantly innovate to meet customers’ growing needs. A few months of working at Walmart has significantly propelled my understanding and confidence in becoming a better marketer.”

Nothing like a good Walmart cheer

Kevin Zhang, New York City, NY.

Team: Walmart Corporate Social Media

“My answer is from a perspective of working completely remote- but I'd say that contrary to public opinion - Walmart commits to a lot of philanthropic causes. Walmart is a customer-centric company full of innovation where decisions are often backed by results, data, and numbers. Not to mention, their own proprietary and state of the art W-A-L-M-A-R-T cheer.”

BYOH: Bring your own hobbies to work

Jillian Lattimore, Chelmsford, MA.

Team: Walmart Corporate Social Media

“The most important thing I learned at Walmart is to bring my outside hobbies and passions to the office and use them to elevate my work. I was able to use my love of choreography and ideating to successfully create engaging content on Walmart's social media.”

Prioritization is key

Anthony Sanchez, Fort Myers, FL.

Team: Media Partnerships and Affiliate Performance Marketing - Pickup and Delivery

“Prioritization, organization, and proactive communication go a long way!

Identify the top priorities of your role with your manager and don't lose sight of how you are taking action to succeed in accomplishing these priorities every day. Often times new projects will come up or timelines will change. So, make sure to create systems to stay on track with keeping yourself accountable in making progress and keeping your manager and team informed with your status on achieving these top priorities.”