A New Kind of Star is Born

Long before Alaya Walton ‘29GS arrived at Columbia GS, storytelling had already shaped her life in more ways than one. She embodied characters as an actress in Los Angeles, she created them as the author of six romance novels, and eventually began thinking more deeply about the stories society tells—and whose voices get heard.

Originally from Georgia, Walton’s early career began at 16, when she moved with her family to LA to pursue acting. While she was able to get representation and gain experience, the harsh realities of the entertainment industry started to become more apparent the longer she stayed. “I was such a small fish in a big pond,” she recalled. “I was being put in audition rooms where it felt like I didn't belong or wasn't expected, competing with girls who were prettier, more talented, and more well-known.”

After a few years in LA, Walton decided to do a complete reset: she moved back to Georgia with her family, changed management reps, and enrolled in an online software engineering program while continuing to audition. But juggling school with acting and service-industry jobs quickly took its toll. “I still felt entirely lost and unsure of what my identity and purpose was. My voice was still small and curated to fit what everyone around thought it should be.”

Walton could feel herself becoming overwhelmed by all her various obligations, which in turn fueled a sense of deep dissatisfaction with her life overall. After an especially grueling filming period, Walton made the choice to step back from acting and withdraw from her academic program. Not long after, a devastating heartbreak proved to be that spark that sent Watson on a totally new path: writing. “I was seeking anything to heal the pain that I was feeling, and writing seemed to be just the outlet to heal a wound that would reopen each time I thought about it,” she said. “Writing my first romance book was extremely cathartic for me because it allowed me to communicate in the best way I knew how.”

Writing quickly became an outlet to channel her thoughts and creativity without the pressures of micromanagement and perfection she’d become accustomed to while working in LA. After completing her first book, she went on to self-publish six books under the pen name Ally Lee, finding a medium to share stories that spoke directly to others also navigating their own internal struggles. “I had finally found my calling, and I hoped to write stories that resonated with young women who also experienced the disorganized wilderness inside of my mind,” she said.

Despite her success as a writer, Walton still felt incomplete, like something was missing. “I felt partially fulfilled in my identity as a writer, but I still felt like I wasn't doing enough to service and give back to those who need it,” she shared.

After a much-needed break from school, she decided to return, but on her own terms this time. She enrolled at Columbia State Community College in Tennessee to study mass communication—a pivot that would prove to be the turning point in her educational trajectory. It was the perfect combination of all her interests: media literacy from her time with acting, psychology from character study, and written communication from her writing background. “Ever since I enrolled at Columbia State Community College, my life made a turn for the better, and I felt more confident and certain about what my identity was,” Walton said.

She graduated Summa Cum Laude with her Associate of Arts degree, but her community college experiences that shaped her extended far beyond the classroom. She became a member, and eventually the chapter president, of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society, leading public initiatives that helped veterans and provided school supplies to students in need. It was this commitment to community that earned Walton many accolades, including being named a 2026 PTK All-USA Academic Scholar and a 2026 Coca-Cola New Century Transfer Pathway Scholar. When Walton received an email about GS, she knew it was where she wanted to continue her educational journey. “I applied to GS because it gives me the second chance that I need to expand my intellectual curiosity,” she said. “What I love about GS is how accessible it is to nontraditional students.”

Now, as she begins her first semester at GS, Walton intends to declare a major in sociology so she can study the "why" behind societal systems. She has many goals for her time at Columbia, including using her storytelling capabilities towards opportunities in investigative journalism and conducting academic research to amplify the voices of disenfranchised groups. As an actress and as a young woman, Walton became aware of the ways media can shape perceptions of women and people with darker skin, and she plans to use all the resources available to her to push the needle forward when it comes to the societal outcomes for black women and other people like her. “

For Walton, the desire to create opportunities for others is also part of what makes GS a fitting next chapter for her. “I am so thankful to be attending a program that I believe will best prepare me for curating my identity and purpose,” she said. “I am a firm believer that allowing students an opportunity to achieve an accessible education is what drives a successful society, and GS is everything that I stand for.”