‘Today’s Hoda Kotb Makes Emotional Trip With Her Sister & Niece
Following her latest return to Today, Hoda Kotb took a trip down memory lane by paying a visit to her alma mater.
Kotb kicked off the week by stopping by Virginia Tech’s campus to promote the app for her wellness company, Joy 101. “Thanks for the visit, @hodakotb!” the Virginia Tech News Instagram page captioned photos from Kotb’s visit on Monday, April 27. “While on campus, she met with four @vt_liberalarts classes who are testing her Joy 101 app, before joining a panel discussion with @commvt students.”
The post featured several snaps Kotb took with students. “Hoda is a wonderful person and she loves her Hokies! Thank you for your positive outlook on life, beautiful lady!” one person wrote in the comments. Another called Kotb a “Wonderful ambassador!”
In an Instagram upload of her own, Kotb filmed herself cheering on the school’s mascot, the HokieBird, as well as snaps with Virginia Tech students and staff. Kotb was joined during the visit by her sister, Hala, and her niece, Hannah, who is a Virginia Tech student.
“Great day at @virginia.tech! Loved chatting with the students….. @hokiesfb and lets go Coach Franklin!!!” Kotb captioned her post, which included a photo she took with Hala, Hannah, and Virginia Tech football coach James Franklin.
“VT Icon,” one person wrote in the post’s comments. Another gushed, “Loved meeting you and Hala and working with Joy 101 – thank you!!” Someone else shared, “‘Good things keep happening to me’ is how i felt as soon as i heard you were coming to campus. thank you!!!”
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A different person posted, “So amazing to have heard you!!” A separate commenter stated, “You are always so generous. What a gift to our students. To all of us.” Another user praised, “These students are so lucky!!!”
Kotb said it was “great” to be back at the school — located in Blacksburg, Virginia — during an interview with local news outlet WSLS 10 on Monday. “I literally rolled in yesterday, and I was like, ‘Wait!’ I saw the drill field. I saw all of the stuff that just gave me this warm and fuzzy feeling.”
She continued, “We walked by the duck pond, my sister and I. My niece is here. She’s a freshman, so we walked together. It was beautiful to be able to share it with her and to remember all the good old times.”
Kotb graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in broadcast journalism in 1986. She joined NBC News in 1998, became a Today host in 2007, and became Savannah Guthrie‘s Today co-anchor in 2018.
Kotb launched her wellness company, Joy 101, shortly after she left her longtime role on Today in January 2025. She returned to her former role in February, as Savannah took time off amid the investigation into her mother Nancy Guthrie‘s disappearance.
Earlier this month, Kotb joined Savannah at the anchor desk for the first time since her exit to fill in for Craig Melvin as he enjoyed a week-long spring break vacation with his family.
“Hoda’s Here! I still feel every time we walk out, people are like, ‘Could she possibly [come back]?’ Yes! Now, she’s here. We’re so glad to have you this week,” Savannah said on the show’s April 13 episode. Kotb, for her part, told Savannah that she was “so happy to be sitting back in this chair next to you this week, too.”
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