The Next Jeanette Reyes

Kalis Smith understood what she wanted out of life, but college came quicker than she imagined. Smith’s goal now at Howard University is that she will be one of the school’s forthcoming black female news anchors.

Smith developed a liking for following the news as a result of spending her adolescent years growing up close to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region. Jeanette Reyes, the FOX 5 Good Day D.C. morning anchor in Washington, serves as both her journalistic hero and source of inspiration. Reyes not only works as a news anchor but also as a motivational speaker, encouraging others to reach their full potential by drawing on their narrative, culture, life experiences, and positive engagements with numerous forms of social media.

“ I feel like I can relate to her on many levels. She’s an Afro - Latin just like me and her career is something I would love to pursue shortly,” says Smith.

Smith was on the trajectory of becoming a world-known sports anchor at the prestigious Howard University. However, during her freshman year, a wealth of opportunities were presented to her. At one time, she considered becoming an attorney and enlisting in the Air Force. Nevertheless, she discovered a plethora of other topics besides “sports” that needed to be covered as well. With the unveiling of this newly found skillset, Smith aligned her coursework to become the next renowned news anchor.

Smith plans to graduate at the top of the HU Class of 2026 with a degree in Strategic Law Management Communications. In addition, she is pursuing internships to "get her foot in the door," and secure a place for the future. She thinks making herself known will help her break out of her introverted nature. “ I just want to put myself out there, make connections, and gain experience to be productive and successful," she says.

With this drive, Smith believes that her work as a news anchor benefits her community through educating and promoting awareness of one's environment. She claims that "the world needs to hear various perspectives on vast topics."

Ariana Boatwright, Smith's best friend, explains her interest in this line of work by saying that they "walk around creating short films, interview their peers and others on the world around them just for fun and to get insight from people from all walks of life which will help her to gain exposure into the anchor world.”

Smith is a self-advocate, according to Boatwright, and she enjoys sharing her thoughts and outlook on important issues that are important to everyone.

Smith intends to follow her ambitions and become one of the nation’s leading news anchors on air.

"I aim to be like Jeanette Reyes,” she says.

Smith won't be the first black woman to play such a significant public role, but she hopes to open doors for others.