Tristan Somers just started his first semester of college a few weeks ago and is already doing what he loves: hosting his very own radio show on Liberty University’s radio station, The Light.
The show is called “Wise Guys” and is hosted by Somers and his longtime best friend sophomore Levi Ricabal.
“We kind of treat the show like a lunchroom conversation,” Ricabal said. “… and I think it makes for some really funny interactions. It’s just really natural.”
The two friends grew up together and their comical banter is apparent on the show. Their chemistry on air is not only because of their tight bond, but also due to their passion for quality conversation on air.
“This is what (Somers) wants to make his life — like — his career, and getting to be a part of that — getting to be a part of his journey by basically just having fun and talking to each other on the radio and learning alongside him — I think that’s just really special to me,” Ricabal said.
Somers has been driven to reach his career goals for quite some time. In high school, he headed up a student run newscast and called play-by-play for the basketball team. Since arriving on Liberty Mountain at the start of the semester, his drive has only increased.
“Tristan is a go-getter,” said Steve Stilwell, general manager of The Light. “… He came in raring to go, willing to do whatever it takes in order to get on the air and do different things here at the radio station.”
His experience and persistence have helped him get to this point, but they are not the only factors that have gotten him here. His dedication to his craft, as well as a desire to learn and improve have contributed to his success so far.
“In order to create media you have to consume it, and that’s what he does,” Stilwell said. “He listens to sports broadcasters. He watches sports radio shows or just radio shows in general to learn the process of what they do, and if you already have that skill and mindset coming in here, the sky’s the limit.”
While radio may be his passion, that has not stopped Somers from getting involved in other areas as well. He is currently gaining experience working for the Liberty Broadcast Experience (LBX) and writing stories for print.
“I’m a CSER writer for the Champion, which is a lot of fun because that’s something I enjoy doing,” Somers said. “Written journalism isn’t something I’ve done a whole lot of but is something I definitely look forward to getting into more.”
As a freshman, Somers has already prioritized gaining hands-on experience in his intended career field by pursuing a variety of projects on campus.
“Because he’s coming in here so young he’s got so much room to grow and the talent… can go through the roof,” Stilwell said. “It’s what you put into it and he’s already done some of the legwork.”
You can listen to Somers’ show “Wise Guys” every Tuesday and Thursday from 4 to 5 p.m. on The Light.
Perdew and Storey are feature writers for the Liberty Champion.