That's a good question. Talk around campus was this CNN sportscaster wisely transferred from Bradley University in Peoria to Eastern, but then left early. But, according to CNNSI, Larry's got a bachelor's in speech communication from EIU.

Here's a better question, though. Who cares?

Smith is a media stud and can often be seen working for CNN Headline News, but also handled CNN's Sports Tonight and Sports Latenight back when they existed on CNN and CNNSI. He's probably the best-known and most successful broadcaster/journalist to come out of Eastern.

While at Eastern, Smith worked at WEIU-TV as a sports anchor and did the High School Sports Action Program, and at WLBH radio in Mattoon (I would have loved to have heard that). He also worked at WICD-TV in Champaign, a television station in Knoxville, Tenn. and finally at WPTV in Palm Beach, Fla., before moving on to CNN in December 1992.

His beat at CNN is basically the Miami area, which includes the Heat, Marlins and Dolphins; the University of Miami; baseball spring training; and the Olympics.

A graduate or not, Smith is a loyal alum. He has returned to Eastern Illinois University several times since he left the school. He is also active in the Society for Black Journalists and does mounds of charity work. He sponsors The Larry Smith (psuedo)Celebrity Golf Classic, which raises thousands for scholarships for college bound students.

Sources for information and some photos: CNNSI, The Daily Eastern News.