Junior broadcast journalism major Jeannette Reyes was recently awarded the Ken Kashiwahara Scholarship, sponsored by the Radio Television Digital News Foundation.

Reyes, from Providence, R.I., applied for the $2,500 scholarship in May. Candidates for the scholarship must be full-time college sophomores or higher in good standing and have career aspirations in electronic journalism.

"I feel honored," Reyes says in response to the recognition. "I did not think I would receive it. The stories I sent in were some of the first I had ever done. I applied because there was nothing to lose, and it paid off."

Since her freshman year at Kent State, Reyes has been involved in several on-campus organizations. She held several on-camera positions for the campus television station, TV-2, and helped to create Black Squirrel Radio's first bilingual radio show, which she also co-hosted. Reyes is the former president of the Spanish and Latino Student Association, an organization that she co-founded to increase understanding of issues faced by that community.

In the future, Reyes hopes to work for CNN or CNN En Espanol. She is applying for an internship with the media company this summer.

"I hope to represent the Latino and Hispanic community by covering some of the issues that affect them, like immigration, cultural barriers and the achievement gap," Reyes says.

As she looks to the future, Reyes is grateful for the professors and experiences that have made her a better journalist.

"There are several professors that have shaped my experience at Kent State, two of whom are Gene Shelton and Gary Hanson," Reyes says. "My experience at Kent State would not be what it is were it not for their support, encouragement and advice."

The Ken Kashiwahara Scholarship was developed in 1998 in honor of the award-winning broadcast journalist, who served as an international correspondent with ABC News for 25 years. The award is given annually to minority students with career aspirations in broadcast journalism.

The Radio Television Digital News Foundation offers several scholarships yearly for college students who are pursuing careers in radio, television and digital news. For more information and to download an application, visit www.rtdna.org.

By Sarah Lack