Fernando García Franceschini reveals his long-term professional goal.
By Yanmarie S. Santiago Colón
Collaborator
As we grow, a part of us reveals itself as if dictating where we need to go. And with a passionate heart’s effort in every step, we become certain of having achieved success, without forgetting the roots at the base of our formation.
“A dolphin never gives up,” said Fernando García Franceschini when he got the chance to work as a reporter at the ABC News affiliate in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
This daring and dedicated young man knew from the beginning what his vocation was. Seeing as human beings are multidisciplinary in nature, Fernando, in his first year of college, entered an academic program to become a pharmacist. However, he realized along the way that this was not the path he really wanted to follow; his restlessness was leading him someplace else.
That is why, in August 2014, he came to Sagrado to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts with a major in Journalism. His life on campus was very active because, in addition to valuing the knowledge obtained in the classroom, he highlights that his involvement in projects and student organizations such as Sagrado’s One Single Heartbeat, the Residents’ Council, and the Student Council made him stronger.
“A journalist is a leader and he must be able to work well both individually and collectively. In this industry and in this field, it is super essential that you know how to work well in a group, to get along with other people. Thus, participating in college associations helped me in that respect: working as a team, being able to listen to other people, see what their needs are, and see what we could do with people who have X or Y need to find a solution”.
Fernando García Franceschini, reporter for ABC News, Cedar Rapids.
After graduating in May 2017, he knew his goal was to get into television. Therefore, in July 2018, he entered Syracuse University in New York to pursue a Master’s degree in Broadcast Journalism.
After his time at Syracuse, Fernando applied for different jobs, both in Puerto Rico and the United States. However, it was an ABC News station that decided to give him a chance after seeing in him the qualities and essential experiences to make it in the industry. The hiring process required an interview and a written exam in which Fernando demonstrated his excellent writing skills.
Although he was offered other positions, he chose to stay at the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, affiliate because his long-term goal is to work for ABC News as an anchor or reporter for the main network.
“This station has an excellent reputation here in the Iowa market, it’s been the #1 station for years, and it’s the market leader. Therefore I knew that it could eventually provide me with a degree of credibility and advantage when the time came to reach my goal,” he explained.
In recent years, multimedia journalists have been gaining ground, and they must be able to do everything: recording, editing, searching for contacts, conducting interviews, and writing scripts, among other tasks. Fernando was trained to be this type of reporter and it’s what he will mostly be dealing with in his current job.
Journalism is a sacrificed profession, but even if it’s not easy, it is gratifying for him to see the fruits of his work and its positive impact in a community. Hope never leaves him and he understands that perseverance, empathy, humility, and the desire to continue learning are key concepts that every journalist should embrace.
Without a doubt, Fernando is grateful to Sagrado and to all those who believed in him, since they were are the foundation that has allowed him to fulfill his professional goals.