Somara Theodore is an upstanding force within the meteorologist community. Her dynamic personality, educated wit, and strong passion for all things weather-related have pushed her into homes across the Savannah, Georgia region.
As the weekend TV meteorologist for WJCL ABC 22 and WTGS FOX 28, Theodore is a testament to what hard work and perseverance can do for one’s career. A multifaceted individual, this Penn State University graduate not only holds a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology, but she is well-versed in energy business, finance, and Chinese.
In addition to providing information about the weather, the 23-year-old is very determined to share her experiences and life goals with the masses. Ever since falling in love with weather via the movie “Be Kind Rewind,” Theodore has charged her thoughts and desires into action as her flame for education burned bright.
With her membership to the scientific community in tact, this young scholar has worked with NASA and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) to improve what is known about the world around us. Her positive outreach to the community has led her to showcase said passion at a Ted Talk this past May, where she explored R/Evolution with her fellow brilliant colleagues.
BlackEnterprise.com is proud to present our exclusive chat with Theodore as she shares how her family helped to inspire her career aspirations, details her work with NASA and NOAA, and offers tips to those in Hawaii bracing themselves from two typhoons. Enjoy!
BlackEnterprise.com: How did your environment inspire you to take the path you decided to venture upon? Can you also talk about any obstacles you faced which emboldened your career decision?
Somara Theodore: My mother has always been a free spirit whose moral compass pointed north. Her acceptance of all things different, her love for learning and the fact that she held steadfast to the idea that we all are born with a divine purpose created an environment conducive to dream chasing. It was an environment where I felt free to be me. She never questioned the desires of my heart as a child or adolescent, instead she helped me attain them. This environment set me free from societal expectations and granted me the innate ability to fulfill my destiny.
Many don’t realize but the meteorology discipline is very physics and calculus intensive. Pretty much all applied physics and math courses. When I arrived in college my freshman year I didn’t know how to add fractions, meanwhile my peers were already doing derivatives in calc I. It was very discouraging because I was well behind and thought it would take me forever to catch up. I struggled with math and physics, to the point where I failed a major class. The professor actually pulled me to the side and suggested I change my major because it would save me a headache and money in the long run.
His statement fueled me to do better. I signed up to tutor math and I took a course that helped me become a chemistry TA in undergrad. My reasoning was, if I can teach it surely ill understand it. It worked!
Find out more about how Theodore became a meteorologist on the next page …