PHS grad lands dream meteorologist job at KSAT
Sunny skies ahead…
Former Pearsall High School and Texas A&M University graduate Leah Rodriguez fulfilled a childhood dream this month, joining the KSAT-12 News Weather team in San Antonio, the station she grew up watching with her mother.
According to her bio on the news channel website, Rodriguez grew up watching KSAT every morning before and after school and on weekend mornings.
Rodriguez graduated from PHS in May of 2021 and attended Texas A&M University in the Fall of 2021 and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Meteorology in May of 2024. Before completing her senior year at Texas A&M, Leah earned a summer internship opportunity with KSAT 12 in 2023.
Her interest in weather was largely sparked as a child after she and her father were caught in a baseball-sized hailstorm as they were driving home after school.
“When I made the decision in high school to become a meteorologist, I knew working at KSAT would be the ultimate goal,” Rodriguez said. “It wasn’t going to be easy to get a job with the 31st ranked TV market in the U.S. fresh out of college, but it was a goal that I knew I had to work towards.
“I believe the launchpad for my career was gaining the internship at KSAT in 2023. The funny thing is, at the time I had no idea how much weight that internship opportunity would have. I had only applied for that one internship and I had no backups in mind, so when I found out I was selected to be their intern, I was just excited to learn from the meteorologists I grew up watching.
“I spent that summer growing confidence in myself, my passion for the weather, and truly understanding the drive to help others as a meteorologist.”
Rodriguez’ first on-air stint was in Lubbock as the weekend meteorologist for KLBK. She was on the verge of completing her two year contract with KLBK when a meteorologist position opened up with KSAT.
“When I was hired in Lubbock, I definitely had a learning curve to get comfortable on TV,” she said. “For me, it wasn’t as easy to speak in front of the camera the same way I could speak behind it. Thankfully there was some grace in Lubbock, as the viewers know it’s a starter market – most new faces are straight out of college and working their first official job.
“Navigating this important step in our careers is where my fellow reporters and I bonded and we truly made a strong support system for ourselves. I was fortunate to be from Texas, while others came from states away to start their career in Lubbock.”
Rodriguez said she is extremely grateful to be returning to San Antonio a mere five years after graduating from high school.
“I’m very blessed to say that five years after graduating high school, I’ve found my way back to San Antonio to work at the news station that’s been my inspiration since the beginning,” she said. “Unlike my internship, I’m much more aware of how amazing this accomplishment is and I feel very honored to be a KSAT meteorologist. When people see me on TV, I know there will be a variety of opinions. I’m hoping most will be enthusiastic!
“Overall, I want people to see that I’m pursuing my dream job in the city I grew up around and dreamed of serving. I wouldn’t have made the progress that I’ve made today if it wasn’t for my parents who provided their unwavering support and instilled the value of hard work. I’m truly grateful for their consistent encouragement, and I hope to encourage others to follow their passion to the fullest extent.”
Leah is the daughter of Nasario (Lalo) Rodriguez and Dora Mata-Rodriguez of Pearsall.
