Surrounded by the Right Community, You Can Weather Any Storm: The Story of Emmett Twomey ’23
Was the dream career you had when you were a kid the same as the one you are pursuing now as an adult? For Emmett Twomey ’23, the answer is yes!
From a young age, Emmett knew he wanted to be a meteorologist. His fascination with weather began in first grade when a tornado warning in his Chicagoland hometown sparked a lifelong interest. “I remember seeing the gray screen of death on the TV,” Emmett recalls. “My dad told me to look up tornadoes on Google, and I found raw storm-chasing footage. I was hooked,” he says excitedly.
This passion led him to Valpo, a choice inspired by a news story about the University’s storm-chasing class. As someone who didn’t want to just study meteorology but experience it, the hands-on opportunities Valpo offered sealed the deal for Emmett. “At Valpo, you get to do the coolest stuff in the least amount of time,” he says with a smile. From launching weather balloons for NASA to coding and making weather maps using real-time data to using a fully-equipped news studio and recording on a green screen with the same weather graphic system that professional stations use, Emmett’s involvement wasn’t just confined to the classroom. As a junior, he took part in a project to observe atmospheric data from Lake Michigan, an experience that not only enhanced his technical skills but also allowed him to collaborate with upperclassmen. “We didn’t need a professor to launch weather balloons for us. We could do this ourselves,” he says, reflecting on the independence and confidence Valpo instilled in him.
But it wasn’t just the academic opportunities that defined Emmett’s Valpo experience. The relationships he built with professors, alumni, and peers were equally transformative. “There’s a pipeline of Valpo grads in meteorology, and it’s such a quirky bunch. It’s amazing how connected we all are. I got my job because I reached out to an alum through our department’s contact list and I even had a 45-minute conversation with John Gumm [’97], a chief meteorologist in Cincinnati — also a Valpo grad — who didn’t hire me but took the time to give me advice. That kind of support is priceless,” Emmett exclaims.
Emmett’s relationships with his professors were particularly formative. He credits them for not just academic instruction but also for providing practical insights that prepared him for the unpredictable nature of his job. “One adjunct professor, [Ellen Bacca ’10] who is a chief meteorologist in Grand Rapids, [Michigan], told us we might get pulled into news coverage from time to time. She was right — I’ve covered everything from weather to police shootings. It’s intense, but it keeps me on my toes. I get pumped every single day because it’s never the same thing,” he says.
Emmett’s enthusiasm hasn’t waned since first grade or graduation last year, and Emmett believes it’s because he’s found his true calling.
On a personal level, Emmett found joy in both his career and his relationships. He met his girlfriend, Alexa Minton ’23, at Valpo, and they’ve been together ever since, navigating long-distance while supporting each other’s careers. “We call each other every day,” he says. “It’s funny — we’ll compare weather between South Bend[, Indiana,] and Kentucky because what I get here, she gets six hours later. It’s just another way Valpo continues to connect us since what we studied together in college is now what we continue to discuss and study in our careers,” he says with a chuckle.
For Emmett, Valpo was more than just a stepping stone to a career — it was the place where he discovered joy in his calling, surrounded by a community that believed in his potential. As he looks toward the future, Emmett is confident that the values and experiences he gained at Valpo will continue to guide him, no matter where his career takes him.
To current students and aspiring meteorologists, Emmett offers this advice: “Be comfortable with failure, because it’s going to happen. But be open to learning, because there’s so much to know.”
If you, too, want to pursue a bright future in often stormy meteorology, learn more about Valpo’s meteorology program and get connected to the quirky yet committed community Emmett credits much of his success.