A Happy Homecoming In addition to delivering the Commencement address and receiv- ing her honorary doctorate, Hampton returned to her alma mater, amid a flurry of fanfare and selfies, to chat with current and pro- spective theatre students in Johnson Hall and to hold an informal Q&A session with fans and members of the public at the Colise- um. Accompanied by her husband, Daren Dukes, whom she met at Winthrop, Hampton reflected on her career, offered advice to those pursuing similar dreams and spoke about how Winthrop shaped and influenced her life and career.


GLOW GET IT


HAMPTON ENCOURAGES NEW GRADS TO EMBRACE THEIR STORY


Award-winning actress Shanola Hampton ’98 commands a stage. Her mega-watt smile, infec- tious energy and larger-than-life charisma intro- duce her to audiences before she utters a word.


On the morning of May 10, the Winthrop Coliseum stage set the scene for her latest stellar perfor- mance. As the keynote speaker for the first of two undergraduate Commencement ceremonies, Hampton, outfitted in regalia after receiving an honorary doctorate of humane letters degree from President Edward Serna ’02, delivered a rousing monologue to the newest graduates of the Col- lege of Arts and Sciences and the College of Visu- al and Performing Arts. She offered insight into her time at Winthrop and provided words of wisdom to those sitting where she once sat awaiting her own diploma.


“Today is your day, your moment, the next chap- ter in the incredible script that only you can write. You are the architects of your own dreams, the creators of your own scripts, the star character of your life series. Class of 2025, a draft of your script


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is already written, and you are the only one who can play the lead,” she told the graduates.


She noted life would interject plot twists, unex- pected guest stars, antagonists and even love interests. But throughout all of life’s ups and downs, she encouraged graduates to not just shine but to glow. “Shining might catch eyes for a moment, but glowing with inner strength and self-worth lights up the world long after. Glow! Glow with passion and compassion. Glow with forbearance and perseverance. Glow with aspi- ration and inspiration. Glow even when the deck seems stacked against you,” she added.


Her parting message to graduates was “when the noise of negativity consumes you, remember the voice that stands before you today saying ‘keep glowing’…., and never forget, you are the star.”


View Hampton’s full Commencement address


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1. Hampton, pictured with husband Daren and event emcee Kalaylah Chisolm ’22, ’23, a theatre graduate, took questions from the crowd on Friday evening. 2. Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., came out to support their soror. 3. Hampton posed for photographs and signed autographs. 4. Fellow actress and theatre alumna Rayana Briggs ’16 asked a question and welcomed advice from Hampton on how to further her blossoming career. 5. Hampton started the Friday evening event by talking about how much Winthrop means to her. 6. Attendees waited for a photo op with Hampton. 7. On a familiar stage, Hampton spoke to current and prospective theatre students in Johnson Hall on Friday afternoon. Some photographs provided by The Professional Photography Group.


About Hampton:


• 1998 Winthrop theatre graduate; M.F.A. from University of Illinois


• Raised in Summerville • Starred in and produced NBC’s drama series “Found.” Role earned her a Gracie Award and Critics Choice Award and NAACP Image Award nominations.


• Portrayed Veronica Fisher in Showtime’s award-winning tele- vision show “Shameless.”


• Face model of Rochelle in the video game “Left 4 Dead 2.”


• Held roles in television shows “Criminal Minds,” “Strong Medicine,” “Stalker,” “Scrubs” and “Reba,” and movies, including “You Again,” “The Mostly Unfabulous Life of Ethan Greene,” “They Die By Dawn,” “Things Never Said,” “Christmas in the City” and “The Hanged Man.”


• Earned Best Actor Award at the 2013 American Black Film Festival for her performance in “Things Never Said.”


• Pledged the Mu Xi chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. • Her older sister, Andrea Hampton-Mills, who holds an Ed.D., graduated from Winthrop in 1991.


• Works with charity organizations such as Feeding America. • Mother of two children, whom she shares with husband Daren.


3 1 3 Take a look at her time on campus:


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