Her Twitter bio reads: "CNN Correspondent. Bison. California soul. Silicon Valley raised. NYC sharpened." The reference to her alma mater -- Howard University, from which she graduated in 1995 with a degree in broadcast journalism -- is subtle, but it is an integral part of Stephanie Elam's personal history.
You see, once you're a Bison, which is the university's mascot and how current students and alumni affectionately refer to one another, you're a Bison for life.
As a former Howard swimmer, Elam says it was that sense of unity and competition learned on the team that helped her progressively navigate her professional life. Now, as an accomplished journalist, she credits her college experience with giving her the confidence to truly pursue and tackle her dreams head-on.
espnW caught up with Elam, 42, before she headed back to Howard for its famed homecoming festivities to get insight on her post-college life and more.
This interview has been edited for length.
espnW: How did you feel when you were about to leave college and (essentially) your athletic career? What was going through your mind?
Stephanie Elam: I knew my athletic career had a time limit. I was OK with that part. The thing that was scary for me was leaving the comfort of my whole Howard family, and then moving to New York City. I was like ... "Oh, wow, this is 'adulting' for real." When I think back to the spring [before graduation], everyone was buzzing around asking "Do you have a job? Do you have a job?" I remember everyone talking about their job pursuits. And I felt good about having secured a position, but I was also completely aware that I'll never have the undergraduate experience again.
espnW: How did your first couple of years out of college go? What did you do?
SE: When I graduated, I took an internship with Dow Jones Newswires in New York City. So initially I wasn't necessarily sure of what the future held, but at the end of the summer, they offered me a full-time job. And living in NYC wasn't something I set out do, it wasn't on the top of my to-do list, that's just where I ended up. However, it was a good way to enter New York City -- and prepped with that sports background -- I knew that if you had challenges ahead, you had to try to conquer them. You're trained to do that as an athlete. I just had to figure it out.
I got promoted every year I was there -- to the point where I knew I wasn't going to get promoted again, as the people in the next tier had been there for a really long time. Some friends from work were interviewing for another company, so I also went out for a position there as well, and ended up taking a job with Bridge News. That was another real test -- do I leave the comfort of a job I already know, or do I branch out and do something new? But, I took that leap of faith, and it was good for me on so many levels. It improved my life financially, and my sense of responsibility. Overall, I think sports teaches you that you can surmount life's hurdles if you just give it a good try.
espnW: Since college, what choices have you made to set you up for where you are now?
SE: I majored in broadcast journalism, because I was like, "Well, I like to write, and I like people." I do think I was true to myself when I selected my major. And I think that's a huge part of what set me up for future success. Also, networking helped me. Overall, I think as women, we need to learn how to network a bit better. It's useful on many levels. You can even create connections for other people -- help define those synergies. It doesn't have to benefit you directly, but it loops you in, and those organic connections are what makes a difference in the long run.
espnW: What was the best piece of advice you received when leaving college?
SE: Take risks. You can afford to do that when you're young. You might find something you really love, that you never thought to pursue. I wish I had done that a bit more.
espnW: What lessons did you take from being an athlete that have applied to your working life?
SE: You're always on a team in corporate America, so the focus on teamwork is important. In my job, we very much operate as a unit. So, that team-life doesn't go away just because you're not competing athletically. Being an athlete has taught me how to trouble shoot during those difficult moments, and figure it out. That's something that sports truly teaches you. As you never want to let your teammates down.
espnW: Professionally, what was your first "failure"? And what did it teach you?
SE: I wish I had considered sports journalism a bit more seriously. All of the features I created in college were sports-related. But, at the time there weren't a lot of high-profile women in sports-related journalism -- and I have three older brothers, so I'm very comfortable in a male-dominated setting -- but I still had apprehension. So, it's not an actual failure, but it's something where I wish I could go back and tell younger Stephanie to go ahead and give it a try.
espnW: Did you have a strategy to keep sports/fitness in your life?
SE: No, I actually didn't. Especially because I was a swimmer, and in NYC, that was not ... at all happening. Now that I'm living in California, I'm married with a child, my husband -- who was also collegiate swimmer, and we made sure our daughter was water-safe really early on. We swim, bike, kayak and do lots of walking as a family.
espnW: What's unique about Howard University that's helped you in your professional life?
SE: There's no place like Howard. And the generational understanding [amongst alumni] is just priceless. My sister went to Howard, my brother went to Howard, so HU is almost a member of the family. Howard University helped develop me into the woman I am today. There is just something special about stepping on that campus.
espnW: What do you wish you knew before graduating that you know now?
SE: That I'd never be able to recapture that same feeling [I had at Howard]. You take it for granted when you're a student. How many times in life are you just going to be around such beautiful, smart and like-minded people?
Ericka N. Goodman-Hughey is a senior editor at espnW and fellow Howard University alum. Follow her on Twitter @ericka_editor