Alumni Spotlight: Alumna Navigates the Newsroom

Alumni Spotlight: Alumna Navigates the Newsroom 

Houston native Madison Smith (’19) knows that making her way to the anchor desk in one of the largest media markets in the nation takes a lot of work, but she has been making strides towards that goal since before her time at Sam Houston State University.  

It all started with the Myers-Briggs personality test, which Smith took in middle school as part of her district’s career readiness initiative. To the shy girl’s surprise, among the recommended career paths she could take was news reporting.  

“I knew then on, that there were a few things that I needed to do to get into this industry. One of them was to make sure I didn’t develop a Southern accent because that’s very middle America,” she said. “Then, you can’t be scared of being in front of people because the whole job is in front of people. Now, in the studio, there’s nobody really there, but you are live, so tens of thousands of people, sometimes millions, are watching, depending on where you are.” 

With that information in mind, she spent her high school career developing her interpersonal skills while researching where she could receive the best education in journalism. At her high school, which also has a Bearkat mascot, she kept hearing about SHSU and began to dig into the university’s Department of Media & Communication. After learning that legendary news anchor Dan Rather studied at SHSU, which named the communications building in his honor, she knew where she had to study.  

“I really wanted to learn under him in any way that I could, even if it was just through the school he helped create, so I decided I wanted to go to Sam Houston,” Smith said. “From there, I had the time of my life.” 

Once she set foot on campus, Smith immersed herself in all things SHSU. She became an Orange Key, one of the university’s official student hosts and ambassadors, eventually becoming president of the organization. She also became a member of the National Broadcast Society, Bearkat Studios, the SHSU chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America and a member of Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority, all while working for SHSU’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE).  

It was while she was studying at SHSU and while at the CCE that she honed her writing and discovered her passion for research, two key components of a successful career in media.  

“You don’t have to be good on camera, you don’t have to look good on camera, they can fix all that, but if you can’t write that story to where the audience understands it and enjoys it, you’ve got nothing,” Smith said. “I spent so much time at the CCE writing different things to really understand my style, the formats and just how to be a better writer. That has helped me so much in getting to where I am and is something I still work on.” 

On top of honing her writing skills, throughout her college career at Sam, Smith took every opportunity to practice in front of the camera. Every year, she would audition to serve as an anchor on the university’s student-run newscast, building up her confidence and bolstering her portfolio. Those experiences worked in her favor, landing her in Amarillo after graduation, followed by a stint in North Carolina, where she reported on the devastation of Hurricane Helene and the last presidential election.  

With six years in the industry under her belt, Smith maintains that good writing remains the key to compelling journalism. It was through her exceptional work during her time as a student and in her previous markets that earned her a full-time position as a morning anchor for KOLD 13 News. Once her contract with KOLD 13 News is up, she hopes to return home to Houston and establish herself in the nation’s sixth largest market for television media. For those also wanting to work their way to delivering the news to their community, Smith’s advice is to be bold. 

“Do anything that you can that puts you in front of that camera and just make yourself comfortable being in those positions. Be curious, train your brain to ask questions and not just think them, but ask someone if you have a question. Don’t be afraid to talk to your professors. I made such good connections with them and they’re the professionals, they are the people you want to form relationships with,” she said.