Associates Week encouraged Amber to “just do everything."
Amber Lopez thought she was already making the most of her Walmart career. But Associates Week 2024 showed her there was even more to experience than she realized.
She started her Walmart career at the Returns Center in Waco, Texas, almost 10 years ago, filling various roles before becoming an online shopper in 2022. Shortly afterward, she was promoted to digital team lead (online grocery team lead) at Store 1254 in Bellmead, Texas.
Opportunity through education
The same summer she joined the team at Store 1254, Amber also started studying for a bachelor’s degree, through Walmart’s Live Better U program. She took two classes at a time at Bellevue University, studying business management and leadership.
“It's a great opportunity,” says Amber, who hopes to finish her degree in 2026. “I want to stay with Walmart — I want to grow with Walmart. My next goal is to be a coach. Eventually, maybe a store manager. But I also wanted to show my kids that you can get a degree. I'm encouraging them.”
A week to remember
Amber was smashing her goals, one by one. Could there be more?
There could! In June 2024, Amber was invited to attend Associates Week!
“It was a great experience,” she says, noting she got to talk with people from all over the world, as well as putting faces to some of the names she had heard mentioned often, including Cedric Clark (executive vice president of operations) and Paul Lewellen (senior vice president of operations).
Even better, she learned about benefits she didn’t realize Walmart offered — like special programs for associates in the military and mental health support and work-life resources through Lyra — and became eager to bring that knowledge home to the associates at her store.
“I brought back information, so that they could look into it,” Amber says. “There was just so much there.”
Amber’s Top Tips for Associates Week
Embrace the opportunity
Amber found so much to do at Associates Week, she tells any associate able to attend to prepare for exciting days and little sleep. “I felt like I was more exhausted than I've been in a long time. But it's so worth it.”
Show up early
“Don't think that it's a vacation because it's definitely not,” she warns with a smile. Amber got up early every day — making it to breakfast at 5 a.m. — to watch teams from other countries perform dances and chants. It’s also smart to arrive early to events and meetings.
Bring pins for trading
Amber suggests packing pins, saying that store- or market-specific pins are easiest to trade. They are a great way to meet associates from all over!
And finally, “Just do everything,” Amber says.
