Top 50 Hokie Spotlight: Hoda Kotb

Today is one of the most recognizable shows on television and it is hosted by Hoda Kotb, one of the most recognizable Hokies.

Hoda attended Virginia Tech after hearing stories from her sister, who also attended Tech, and didn’t take her very long to fall in love with the campus. During her time in Blacksburg, she majored in broadcast journalism, created a news department with WUVT, the campus radio station and was a member of the Beta Nu chapter of Delta Delta Delta women’s sorority. After graduating in 1986, she began her career in Greenville, Miss as a morning news anchor and general assignment reporter. She was hired by NBC News in 1998 following stints as an anchor and reporter in Illinois, Florida and Louisiana. While working at NBC, she has served as a national correspondent for NBC News and anchored Dateline NBC and Today.

Throughout her career, she has been the recipient of many awards, some of which include the Edward R. Murrow Award for reporting (2002), Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Morning program (2010-2012) and another Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informative Talk Show (2019) with former co-host, Kathie Lee Gifford.

Ms. Kotb is proud to be a Hokie and loves seeing Hokies out on the Plaza each morning, as well as interacting with them on social media. She served as the commencement speaker for the class of 2008 and most recently, she tweeted her support for the men’s basketball team prior to the Sweet 16 matchup against Duke in the 2019 NCAA Tournament and shared a brief message during the virtual commencement for the class of 2020.

In an interview written by Amy Boyce for Virginia Tech Magazine in 2006, she said, "Be singularly focused on what you want. Do something every day that will take you closer to your goal. But don't miss the moments when you're here. Enjoy your classes and embrace your professors. Enjoy your friends.’ And her most important piece of advice? ‘Find your own thing--whatever that is. You can do it."