Anaiya Whaley

Anaiya "Naiya" Whaley is a recent graduate of Claflin University, where she majored in Public Relations and Psychology. While maintaining a 4.0 GPA and being named one of six valedictorians, Naiya also led several student organizations, community service events, and business projects. Her professional experiences include working at top companies such as NBCUniversal, Sodexo, Golin, and the U.S. Department of Energy. Currently, she is a 2023 AT&T Rising Future Maker and an AmeriCorps Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA) member.
 

Now a full-time master’s student at Columbia University's School of Professional Studies, Naiya is pursuing an M.S. in Strategic Communication through the HBCU Fellowship Program. Her career goals include working in public relations within the beauty or entertainment industries and eventually establishing her own PR agency to serve clients in the entertainment field.