Storytelling with a Smile

Sophia Tavanello sitting and smiling toward the right

Storytelling with a Smile

Contar historias con una sonrisa

Journalism graduate Sophia Tavanello wants to share her passion for broadcast media with the world 鈥� and will get the chance as soon as she graduates

May 1, 2025 | written by Duard Headley translated by Carlos Jos茅 P茅rez S谩mano

Take a deeper look at four other exceptional graduates who forged different paths and obstacles to reach their goals.

Lights, camera, action.

Tucked away in a corner of Candelaria Hall at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), nestled behind nondescript corridors, classrooms and computer labs, there is a room unlike any other on campus. Here, amidst bright lights, humming cameras and a massive, vibrant green screen, students gather to share news stories of all kinds with the entire university.

This is the home of Bear News.

And for Journalism major Sophia Tavanello, it鈥檚 become something of a home away from home as well.

While she initially came to UNC as a Business Administration major, Tavanello took a class on broadcast news during her second semester, and the rest was history.

鈥淥ne day, I just thought, 鈥榣et me try anchoring. Let me just try it,鈥欌€� Tavanello said. 鈥淪o, I went up to the desk, and next thing you know鈥︹€�

Next thing you know, Tavanello found her way into the role of executive broadcast producer for Bear News, overseeing each production, managing the editorial team and developing story ideas, all while anchoring each show with a smile.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 how I learn 鈥� how I鈥檝e always learned,鈥� Tavanello said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 like sitting in lectures. Let me go out and do something rather than just sit there, you know?鈥�

At the start of her senior year, Tavanello became the director of content for Bear News, a role that fully oversees the entire production and creative development processes, as well as the head anchor for each broadcast.

In addition to her role with Bear News, Tavanello also worked as a reporter for, UNC鈥檚 student-run news publication.

On May 10, she鈥檒l graduate from UNC, taking the skills she鈥檚 honed as a journalist out with her into a world packed to the brim with news just waiting to be broken.

But despite her storied career as a student journalist and the passion she exhibits for telling stories, the path that got her to where she鈥檚 at has been far from a straight line.

鈥�You are doing what you are doing. You are making your ends meet. You are doing your goals. You are going to cross that finish line. You got this far 鈥� keep going.鈥�

鈥� Sophia Tavanello

Tavanello is the first person in her family to go to college, and as such, had no idea what to expect when she set foot on UNC鈥檚 campus for the first time.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what I was coming into, I didn鈥檛 know how college operated,鈥� Tavanello said. 鈥淚f you asked my freshman self, 鈥榳here will you be when you鈥檙e graduating? What will April look like your senior year?鈥� I could not have answered where I am now. But I enjoy the surprises.鈥�

Regardless of the situation she finds herself in, Tavanello said her philosophy is to take a deep breath, put her best foot forward and believe that she can do anything she puts her mind to.

鈥溾€淚 try to get into the mindset that everyone here is in the same position as I am,鈥� Tavanello said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e here, they鈥檙e new, they鈥檙e learning things. And I鈥檓 going to be a part of that, so I might as well make it a community.鈥�

That mindset has helped Tavanello as a journalist as much as it has helped her in her everyday life. She has been able to crack tricky story topics, craft compelling human-interest pieces and bring breaking news to life, all by simply talking to people.

鈥淚f you can鈥檛 have a conversation with someone, well, that鈥檚 not journalism,鈥� Tavanello said. 鈥淸Reporting] shouldn鈥檛 just be a 20-question survey that you give. It should be, 鈥榣et鈥檚 have a conversation, let me get to know you and let鈥檚 talk.鈥欌€�

One conversation in particular ended up shaping the course of her future and steered her toward the first step in her career after she graduates from UNC this spring.

Shawn Montano, assistant professor of Journalism and the faculty advisor to Bear News, connected Tavanello with a recruiter from TEGNA, a broadcast media company that owns and operates news stations in markets all across the country.

In no time, Tavanello was in contact with stations in Toledo, Ohio, Memphis, Tennessee and Louisville, Kentucky about taking on a role as a producer as soon as she graduated.

When the dust of emails and interviews had settled, Tavanello found herself with a job offer from Louisville, which she happily accepted.

鈥淭he biggest thing [Shawn] has told me is, 鈥榶ou鈥檙e going to have a job by spring break.鈥� And guess what? I had a job by spring break,鈥� Tavanello said. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 be able to say that if I hadn鈥檛 had this experience with these courses. It鈥檚 been super, super rewarding.鈥�

Reflecting back on her time at UNC, Tavanello said she is thankful for the opportunities she has been given, the people she has met and the lessons she has learned from the Journalism program.

But beyond that, she鈥檚 thankful for how her college experience cemented her confidence in herself 鈥� a confidence she now wants to share with anyone thinking about tackling college for themselves.

鈥�You are doing what you are doing. You are making your ends meet. You are doing your goals. You are going to cross that finish line,鈥� Tavanello said. 鈥淵ou got this far 鈥� keep going.鈥�

Now that she鈥檚 set on a course, there鈥檚 no doubt that Tavanello will continue walking the walk 鈥� and, more importantly, in this case, talking the talk 鈥� all the way to the top. She hopes to become a station producer one day, taking the expertise and experience she has honed at UNC and with Bear News and applying them at a national level.

Although, Tavanello added that she wouldn鈥檛 mind working behind the scenes in movie production either.

Regardless of where the future takes her, it鈥檚 safe to say that Tavanello will find her home where the lights shine, cameras whir and there are stories to be told.

And cut.

UNC is deeply committed to meeting students鈥� financial needs. Sophia Tavanello received the following donor-funded scholarships and UNC institutional scholarships or other federal, state or grant aid:

Justin Steffen Memorial Scholarship
HSS Preparing Students for Careers Scholarship
William F. Hartman Journalism Scholarship

Lee m谩s

Conoce otras tres historias excepcionales de alumnos graduados que lograron superar todas las barreras para lograr sus objetivos.

Luces, c谩mara, 补肠肠颈贸苍.

Escondida en un rinc贸n del Candelaria Hall de la Universidad del Norte de Colorado (UNC), detr谩s de anodinos pasillos, aulas y laboratorios inform谩ticos, hay una sala que no se parece a ninguna otra del campus. Aqu铆, entre luces brillantes, c谩maras que zumban y una enorme y vibrante pantalla verde, los estudiantes se re煤nen para compartir noticias de todo tipo con toda la universidad.

Este es el hogar de Bear News.

Y para Sophia Tavanello, estudiante de Periodismo, se ha convertido en una especie de hogar lejos de casa.

Aunque al principio entr贸 en la UNC como licenciada en Administraci贸n de Empresas, Tavanello asisti贸 a una clase de informativos durante su segundo semestre, y el resto fue historia.

芦Un d铆a pens茅: 'Voy a intentar ser presentadora. D茅jenme intentarlo禄, dice Tavanello. 芦As铆 que me acerqu茅 a la mesa y lo siguiente que supe...禄.

Al poco tiempo, Tavanello se convirti贸 en productora ejecutiva de Bear News, supervisando cada producci贸n, gestionando el equipo editorial y desarrollando ideas para los reportajes, todo ello mientras presentaba cada programa con una sonrisa.

芦As铆 es como aprendo, como siempre he aprendido禄, dice Tavanello. 芦No me gusta sentarme a dar clases. Me gusta m谩s salir y hacer algo que quedarme ah铆 sentada禄.

Al comienzo de su 煤ltimo a帽o, Tavanello se convirti贸 en la directora de contenidos de Bear News, una funci贸n que supervisa por completo todos los procesos de producci贸n y desarrollo creativo, as铆 como al presentador principal de cada emisi贸n.

Adem谩s de su papel en Bear News, Tavanello tambi茅n trabaj贸 como reportera para , la publicaci贸n de noticias de la UNC dirigida por estudiantes.

El 10 de mayo se graduar谩 en la UNC y se llevar谩 consigo las habilidades que ha perfeccionado como periodista a un mundo repleto de noticias que esperan ser publicadas.

Pero a pesar de su carrera como estudiante de periodismo y de la pasi贸n que muestra por contar historias, el camino que la ha llevado hasta donde est谩 no ha sido ni mucho menos una l铆nea recta.

鈥淓st谩s haciendo lo que est谩s haciendo. Est谩s llegando hasta donde deber铆as. Est谩s cumpliendo tus objetivos. Vas a cruzar la l铆nea de meta禄, afirma Tavanello. 芦Has llegado hasta aqu铆: sigue adelante鈥�

鈥� Sophia Tavanello

Tavanello es la primera persona de su familia que va a la universidad y, como tal, no ten铆a ni idea de lo que le esperaba cuando pis贸 el campus de la UNC por primera vez.

芦No sab铆a a lo que ven铆a, no sab铆a c贸mo funcionaba la universidad禄, dijo Tavanello. 芦Si me preguntas a m铆 misma en mi primer a帽o, '驴d贸nde estar谩s cuando te grad煤es? 驴C贸mo ser谩 abril en tu 煤ltimo a帽o? no habr铆a podido responder d贸nde estoy ahora. Pero disfruto con las sorpresas禄.

Independientemente de la situaci贸n en la que se encuentre, Tavanello dice que su filosof铆a es respirar hondo, poner lo mejor de s铆 misma y creer que puede hacer cualquier cosa que se proponga.

芦Intento mentalizarme de que todo el mundo aqu铆 est谩 en la misma situaci贸n que yo禄, afirma Tavanello. 芦Est谩n aqu铆, son nuevas, est谩n aprendiendo cosas. Y yo voy a formar parte de eso, as铆 que m谩s vale que lo convierta en una comunidad禄.
Esa mentalidad ha ayudado a Tavanello tanto como periodista como en su vida cotidiana. Ha sido capaz de descifrar temas espinosos, elaborar piezas de inter茅s humano convincentes y dar vida a noticias de 煤ltima hora simplemente hablando con la gente.

芦Si no puedes mantener una conversaci贸n con alguien, eso no es periodismo禄, afirma Tavanello. 芦Informar no deber铆a ser s贸lo una encuesta de 20 preguntas. Deber铆a ser, 'tengamos una conversaci贸n, d茅jame conocerte y hablemos'禄.

Una conversaci贸n en particular acab贸 marcando el rumbo de su futuro y la orient贸 hacia el primer paso de su carrera despu茅s de graduarse en la UNC esta primavera.

Shawn Montano, profesor adjunto de Periodismo y asesor docente de Bear News, puso a Tavanello en contacto con un reclutador de TEGNA, una empresa de medios de comunicaci贸n que posee y gestiona emisoras de noticias en mercados de todo el pa铆s.

En poco tiempo, Tavanello se puso en contacto con emisoras de Toledo (Ohio), Memphis (Tennessee) y Louisville (Kentucky) para trabajar como productora en cuanto se licenciara.

Cuando la polvareda de correos electr贸nicos y entrevistas se hubo asentado, Tavanello recibi贸 una oferta de trabajo de Louisville, que acept贸 encantada.
芦Lo m谩s importante que me ha dicho [Shawn] es: 'vas a tener trabajo para las vacaciones de primavera'. 驴Y sabes qu茅? Tuve un trabajo para las vacaciones de primavera禄, dijo Tavanello. 芦No podr铆a decir eso si no hubiera tenido esta experiencia con estos cursos. Ha sido s煤per, s煤per gratificante禄.

Reflexionando sobre su tiempo en la UNC, Tavanello dijo que est谩 agradecida por las oportunidades que se le han dado, la gente que ha conocido y las lecciones que ha aprendido del programa de Periodismo.

Pero m谩s all谩 de eso, est谩 agradecida por c贸mo su experiencia universitaria ciment贸 su confianza en s铆 misma, una confianza que ahora quiere compartir con cualquiera que est茅 pensando en abordar la universidad por s铆 mismo.

芦Haces lo que haces. Llegas a donde deber铆as. Est谩s cumpliendo tus objetivos. Vas a cruzar la l铆nea de meta禄, afirma Tavanello. 芦Has llegado hasta aqu铆: sigue adelante禄.

Ahora que se ha puesto en marcha, no hay duda de que Tavanello seguir谩 caminando -y, lo que es m谩s importante, en este caso, hablando- hasta llegar a la cima. Espera convertirse alg煤n d铆a en productora de una emisora, aprovechando los conocimientos y la experiencia que ha adquirido en la UNC y en Bear News y aplic谩ndolos a nivel nacional.

Aunque Tavanello a帽adi贸 que tampoco le importar铆a trabajar entre bastidores en la producci贸n de pel铆culas.

Independientemente de ad贸nde la lleve el futuro, es seguro que Tavanello encontrar谩 su hogar all铆 donde las luces brillen, las c谩maras zumben y haya historias que contar.

Y...corte.

La UNC est谩 profundamente comprometida en satisfacer las necesidades financieras de los estudiantes. Sophia Tavanello recibi贸 las siguientes becas financiadas por donantes y becas institucionales de la UNC u otras ayudas federales, estatales o subvenciones: