Jenn Smith

Jenn grew up in Heyworth, Illinois. When she was 8 years old, she participated in the “Youth Radio” program on B104 in Bloomington, and returned to B104 as a weekend part-timer when she was 16. After graduating high school, Jenn moved to Charleston, Illinois and attended Eastern Illinois University where she wore many hats at the student radio station, Hit-Mix 88.9 WEIU, including co-hosting the morning show during her junior and senior years. Jenn graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies.

After college, Jenn returned once again to Radio Bloomington in the traffic department (that’s commercials…not honk honk beep beep) and worked weekends at B104. In 2008, she moved to Joplin, Missouri to co-host Morning KIX on KIX 102.5. While in Joplin, Jenn had the opportunity to meet many country artists including Sugarland, Brooks & Dunn, Trace Adkins, Rodney Carrington, Dierks Bentley, Darius Rucker, Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts, Larry the Cable Guy, Miranda Lambert, George Jones, Martina McBride, Craig Morgan, and her ultimate favorite…BLAKE SHELTON!

One of Jenn’s favorite things to do is give back, and she’s accomplished that in many ways. While in Joplin, she helped raise money for Children’s Miracle Network during their annual Radiothon, spent 24 hours high above the trees in a pink crane to support the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, worked with athletes at Special Olympics games and volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters. In Peoria, Jenn has participated in the American Diabetes Association Walk to Cure Diabetes, Advocates For Access Wheel-A-Thon, American Cancer Society Relay For Life, Special Olympics Polar Plunge, St. Jude Children's Hospital Give Thanks Walk, helped out with Big Brothers Big Sisters' Bowl For Kids Sake, was the "dunkee" for the Crittenton Center's Kids Day dunk tank, wrapped Christmas gifts for the Salvation Army, volunteered at OSF St. Francis Medical Center delivering cards to patients, and arranged a trip with Lifeline Pilots to deliver items to Joplin tornado victims.

Jenn is a TV junkie and will not answer her phone during Jersey Shore or Grey’s Anatomy. In fact, after watching, you may find her doing shots with her cat or attempting to give her friends medical advice. She is proud to call herself a Gleek, (fan of the show Glee) a Foodie (obsessed with the Food Network) and a Twi-hard (fan of Twilight) and is sure that one day she will marry Edward Cullen despite his being a fictional character, and Blake Shelton despite his already being married. She also aspires to be a wizard (ala Harry Potter) a Broadway star, (ala Kristen Chenoweth) a Sea World trainer (Shamu is awesome), and the next white-water kayaking Olympic Gold medalist (come on, that would just be awesome).

Want to know more? (and there's plenty of it) Listen to Jenn in the Morning weekdays from 5-9am on River 97.3!