The Calm During the Storm
by Charlotte Skipper
Whenever dark clouds rolled in near his Winter Park home, a young Eric Burris would run to the television, tuning in to his favorite source of comfort – the meteorologist.
Now, Eric is a broadcast meteorologist at WESH 2 News, providing viewers across Central Florida that same degree of comfort through accuracy, reassurance, and fast reporting.
“When I was young and the weather was scary, I would be frightened, and it was the weather guy who would always set my mind at ease,” says Eric. “I just always dreamed of being that calm voice for others.”
A Master at Multitasking
As Eric grew older, his love for meteorology only expanded. After earning a coveted internship at WFTV 9 when he was a senior at Lake Howell High School, Eric was on his way to a lifelong career. The only thing he was missing was the college degree to go with it. That led him to Seminole State College in 2002, where Eric was able to get the general education credits he needed while continuing to gain work experience. He also enrolled in a distance learning program at Mississippi State University (MSU), where he got a head start on a degree in biosciences while remaining in Central Florida.
While working almost full time and attending classes in person at Seminole State and virtually at MSU, Eric was also taking a band class at the University of Central Florida and marching in the school’s band. Thanks to smaller class sizes at Seminole State and more hands-on instruction, Eric believes his experience there is exactly what he needed to truly excel.
“I remember hearing friends talking about huge class sizes or taking weeder classes, and I had never experienced this while taking those same classes at Seminole State,” says Eric. “I wasn’t ever worrying about getting lost in the shuffle like my friends were.”
Eric landed his first on-air position at WPBF in West Palm Beach in 2006 even before he graduated with his associate’s degree. For Eric, the credits he accrued and the opportunities to work while earning an education outweighed a traditional college experience. He often filled in for WPBF’s sister station, WESH 2 in Orlando, and moved back home to assume his current role at WESH in 2012.
A Guiding Light
To a viewer, the life of a TV personality may look glamorous, but being a celebrity is not Eric’s focus. Rather, he takes pride in giving his community quick, accurate weather information to help ensure the safety of Central Florida residents. In addition to his on-air segments, Eric gives daily Coffee Talks on Facebook, connecting with locals, answering questions directly, and encouraging a safer community when weather emergencies happen.
Just like he dreamed as a kid, Eric has become that calming voice when storms prevail.
“Sunny skies and being on TV is not what I do this for,” says Eric. “It’s for when the weather’s bad and people are scared, when I can hold their hand and be a guiding light. That’s why I do this.”
Twenty years after attending Seminole State, Eric still visits campus often. From speaking at the Foundation for Seminole State College’s annual Dream Gala to leading community forums for students, he sees the value in being a mentor and reliable source of information, just as others were for him early in his career. And as Eric watches today’s students taking the same classes he did years ago, he hopes they will become a cohort of future colleagues who are just as passionate about weather as he is.
“If there’s something that you dream of, there’s absolutely no reason why you can’t make it a reality,” says Eric. “You may have to take non-traditional paths, you may have to fight harder, it may take longer. But as long as you never ever let go of the fight, you’re going to get what you want because they can’t take that away from you.”
Know an SSC alum we should feature? Email Alumni@SeminoleState.edu to tell us about them!