Bringing Confidence into Focus
Photography has been part of Tucker Schoneberg’s life long before he considered it a career path.
As a high school freshman, he began entering photography contests and taking photos at sporting events for players, parents and the yearbook. But when Tucker arrived at the University of North Dakota, he wasn’t planning to become a photographer.
“I’ve actually been through five majors,” he said with a laugh. “I counted.”
Looking back, Tucker credits UND for helping him believe that his work deserves to be seen.
Tucker initially planned to pursue aviation before shifting directions. He also explored the sciences, including pre-med, inspired by his father, a family physician. Those experiences helped him better understand what truly interested him and eventually pointed him toward photography.
After a few classes with photography professor Suzanne Gonsalez-Smith helped solidify his decision to switch to the visual arts program.
UND faculty have shown me that they have trust, that they believe in me just as much as I should believe in myself.
At UND, Tucker began to connect his interest in photography with a broader future in visual storytelling. But his biggest transformation wasn’t simply developing technical skills. It was gaining confidence in himself as an artist.
“I think in my first year, I was almost too much of a perfectionist when it came to photography,” he said.
“I always felt like my photos weren’t good enough to be looked at, or I didn’t want strangers to see them.”
That mindset changed gradually through exhibitions, critiques and encouragement from faculty mentors. He credits professors like Gonsalez-Smith and Michael Conlan with pushing him to take advantage of opportunities outside the classroom.
Their encouragement led him to submit work to exhibitions, including one where a piece he created was displayed and ultimately sold.
The experience helped shift his perspective.
After exploring five different majors, Tucker discovered his passion for photography and found his place in Visual Arts.
Tucker spent a month studying abroad in South Korea and that experience reinforced the type of photography he wants to pursue.
“My confidence has grown with that,” Tucker said. “I want other people’s opinions on work, and learning how to take those opinions not in a negative way, but as constructive criticism, has been a really big part of it too.”
That confidence continued to grow as he became more involved in exhibitions and campus organizations.
“It came over the last few years, and now I’m at the point where I am perfectly fine if strangers are looking at them,” he said. “In fact, I want them to look at my work because that’s kind of what makes or breaks an artist.”
The most important thing I've learned at UND is how to talk about myself and talk about the things that I’ve done.
During the summer of 2026, Tucker spent a month studying abroad in South Korea, traveling alone and embracing the uncertainty that came with it.
“I was alone for maybe 12 hours, and then I made friends on the very first day,” he said.
The experience expanded his worldview and reinforced the type of photography he wants to pursue. Visiting historic sites, exploring the areas beyond Seoul and immersing himself in a different culture helped him see familiar subjects in new ways.
“I always feel like a lot of my best or my favorite photographs come from when I am traveling,” Tucker said. “Being able to go to a city or a country and look at it from an outsider’s perspective, you can see a lot more beauty.”
Living abroad also strengthened his willingness to embrace new experiences and step outside his comfort zone, qualities that mirror the artistic growth he has experienced throughout college.
Tucker is a founding member of the UND Printmaking Club.
Now, as graduation approaches, Tucker sees a clear connection between the confidence he has built at UND and the future he hopes to create.
His ultimate goal is ambitious: becoming a photographer or a photojournalist for National Geographic or a similar organization focused on travel, nature and storytelling. But regardless of where his career takes him, the lessons he’s learned at UND will remain with him.
“I think that’s the most important thing I’ve learned at UND,” he said. “I have to learn how to talk about myself and talk about the things that I’ve done and what I’m doing.”
Looking back, Tucker credits UND for helping him believe that his work deserves to be seen. “The faculty just pushing me forward and saying you can do this,” he said. “Showing me that they have trust, that they believe in me just as much as I should believe in myself.”
That confidence, more than anything, is what has prepared Tucker for whatever comes next.