Whether you’re preparing to enter the workforce after graduation, pivoting into a new industry, or exploring new fields and opportunities, the 2025-26 Industry Insights series highlights the challenges alumni have faced and the experiences that helped them turn their Sonoma State credentials into a career. 

“Industry insights is a webinar series created in partnership with the Career Center and the Alumni Association, where Sonoma State alumni share their experiences, insights, and advice,” said Jennifer Mannwieler, alumni outreach and programs manager at Sonoma State.

Open to all, the series showcases alumni from a wide range of industries sharing insights into careers such as film, marketing, nursing, educational advocacy, and more. Alumni highlight the tools they gained at Sonoma State and how they built upon those skills in the professional field.

Last Tuesday marked their latest webinar, where alumna Aubrie Tolliver offered an in-depth look at media and sports journalism. A 2016 Sonoma State graduate, Tolliver has built her career in the industry, now serving as a producer and co-anchor for 49ers Cal-Hi Sports and as the only in-game host for the San Francisco 49ers. 

During the webinar, she shared her journey from student-athlete to sports journalist, offering insight into the hard work, preparation, and adaptability that shaped her career.

As an athlete, Tolliver chose Sonoma State for its intercollegiate softball team, serving as captain and catcher. While balancing life as a student athlete and her studies in communications, Tolliver began to write for SSU’s student newspaper, the Sonoma Star. 

“I came to Sonoma State to play softball, but also knowing that they had a good communications department where I could ultimately pursue sports journalism,” said Tolliver.

Although Tolliver was interested in sports journalism since her sophomore year of high school, it was during one of her communication classes at SSU that her professional ambitions were set in stone. When Emmy Award-winning Sports Journalist Amy Gutierrez visited as a guest speaker, Tolliver knew she wanted to pursue the same career. Growing up watching Gutierrez report on the San Francisco Giants and being able to speak with her in person, Tolliver said, “She was the one that I really saw and went, yeah, that’s the job that I want.”

It was in that class that Gutierrez spoke about two paths into sport journalism. Enter the industry immediately as a production assistant and work your way up, becoming indispensable, or attend one of the nation’s top graduate programs in broadcast journalism. Tolliver chose the latter. She applied to two of the country’s leading programs and was accepted to Syracuse University’s Newhouse School, where she earned her master’s degree in broadcast and digital journalism.

“That’s why I do talks like this, because that one hour Amy G. spent with our class was so important to me and my career trajectory,” said Tolliver.

After completing her graduate degree on the East Coast, Tolliver returned to the Bay Area and joined Cal-Hi Sports. She started as a reporter, and within months, her work ethic and initiative helped her move into an anchor role.

Just eight weeks into her reporting role, an anchor position opened unexpectedly. Tolliver approached her boss and said, “I know I can anchor this show. How do I prove to you that I can?” During her first weeks, Tolliver had built connections and taken initiative on projects beyond her role. Recognizing her work ethic, her boss gave her the opportunity to step up and prove herself.

Tolliver emphasizes that showing up and doing your work is important, but going beyond that, being personable, adaptable, and showing initiative, can open doors. “I know for a fact my personality has gotten me into rooms that otherwise I would not have gotten into,” Tolliver said. 

Webinars like Aubrie Tolliver’s provide a candid look at what it takes to turn a Sonoma State education into a thriving career. Hearing from alumni about their professional journeys not only connects current students and graduates but also offers a visible path into these competitive fields. 

Past webinars, including Tolliver’s, are available to watch on the Sonoma State Alumni Association’s YouTube channel. Offering an accessible way to learn from alumni experiences and gain insights that can help make these careers tangible.