SOFÍA CANTÚ SAUCEDA/ THE RIDER
The UTRGV Department of Communication held a Q&A COMMversation event featuring Tim Smith, chief meteorologist at KRGV Channel 5 News, Tuesday at the PlainsCapital Bank Theater in the Student Union on the Edinburg campus.
Gregory Selber, a professor in the department of Communication, led the discussion, guiding the Q&A session and posing questions to Smith about his career, industry experience and advice for students.
Selber asked Smith about his biggest inspiration for who he is today. Smith replied it was his father, professors and experiences during college.
Smith said a friend gave him advice about taking a chance during an event, and for him, that meant accepting the job offer from KRGV in Weslaco, even though he was working at a radio station right out of college.
During the Q&A, Selber pointed out Smith had no previous meteorology experience before working in the field.
“I didn’t know I was going to be doing weather,” Smith said, “Little did I know, I was going to fall in love with it and make it a career.”
He also talked about his community service campaign, Tim’s Coats, which helps families, children, and individuals who do not have access to warm clothing during the winter.
“Over the years, we have given close to a million coats away,” Smith said.
As COMMversation came to an end, Selber highlighted Smith’s recognition as the 2026 Federal Alliance for Safe Homes National Weatherperson of the Year.
“Just to be nominated in that group was amazing, but to win was the [Rio Grande] Valley, because the Valley voted every day,” Smith said.
Destiny Orellana, a mass communication senior, said she was in attendance because she watches Smith on television all the time.
Orellana added her favorite part about COMMversation was the different topics Smith spoke about.
“He talked about taking a chance,” she said. “That really spoke to me because I’m usually hiding behind somebody else.”
Orellana said she finds people to do stuff for her because she did not see the need to do it herself.
“But when he said take a chance, it really spoke to me,” she said. “I can go out there and just do it. I just have to take a chance.”
SOFÍA CANTÚ SAUCEDA/ THE RIDER
SOFÍA CANTÚ SAUCEDA/ THE RIDER
SOFÍA CANTÚ SAUCEDA/ THE RIDER
SOFÍA CANTÚ SAUCEDA/ THE RIDER
SOFÍA CANTÚ SAUCEDA/ THE RIDER
