UW-Madison Alumna Pursues Master’s in Journalism at USC, Wins Iger-Bay Scholarship
Chelsea Hylton, a Posse alumna of University of Wisconsin-Madison, is now a graduate student at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Chelsea was recently awarded the inaugural Iger-Bay Scholarship as she works to complete a Master of Science in journalism.
The Iger-Bay Scholarship was established by Disney Chairman Robert A. Iger and his spouse, USC Annenberg Dean Willow Bay. The scholarship was created to provide funding support for journalism students from underrepresented backgrounds. Chelsea was also awarded the USC Annenberg Graduate Fellowship this year.
“This scholarship has allowed me to turn my dreams into a reality,” Chelsea says. “I am very humbled to have been selected for the awards—it feels like all my hard work is paying off.”
“Being a Posse Scholar, I learned that I needed to see my own potential and seize every opportunity that was open to me.”
Chelsea graduated cum laude from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May 2021 with department honors in journalism and mass communication. Her passion for storytelling and education began when she was a high school student and continued to grow during her undergraduate career. Chelsea gained invaluable leadership experience as co-editor-in-chief at The Black Voice, a UW-Madison student-led publication, and says she has always been inspired by the power of journalism to amplify under-represented voices.
At USC, Chelsea has served as an editor for Dímelo, Annenberg Media’s Latin-based and only bilingual desk.
During the upcoming spring semester, she will join NBC and local NBC stations for a hands-on journalism internship.
“I am really excited about this new opportunity,” Chelsea says. “I can’t wait to see what I will produce during my time there.”
Chelsea credits her Posse experience as a key influence in her career trajectory, saying the program motivated her to take on opportunities including internships and interviews and to become more engaged in her community.
“Being a Posse Scholar, I learned that I needed to see my own potential and seize every opportunity that was open to me,” Chelsea says. “Posse taught me to be a leader and stand tall with the knowledge that I have. I would not be where I am today without these lessons.”
