Hoda Kotb will address Fordham University’s Class of 2026 at the school’s 181st Commencement on Saturday, May 16, 2026, and will receive an honorary degree at the ceremony. Fordham announced on Instagram on April 16 that Kotb, the celebrated broadcaster, bestselling author and CEO, is this year’s commencement speaker.
The university said Kotb has informed and uplifted the public throughout her career, from NBC’s TODAY to leadership in the wellness space, and will share words of wisdom with graduates at the Rose Hill campus. For Fordham, the selection links a major academic milestone to a familiar television figure whose career has also taken her into writing and wellness.
Kotb has done this before. In May 2016, she gave the commencement speech at Tulane University, where she offered 10 things she thought every graduate needed to be successful throughout their lives. Her return to a commencement stage comes after years in the public eye as a former Today show star, a wellness brand executive at Joy 101, and someone whose life has been shaped by cancer, the adoption of her two daughters and divorce.
Kotb said she was honored to be asked to speak at Fordham’s ceremony and described herself as a believer in perseverance and new beginnings. She said she is excited to be part of an event that celebrates hard work, optimism and the joy the future can bring, and said she cannot wait to personally congratulate the Class of 2026 on all they have achieved. The response from fans was immediate and emotional, a sign that the announcement landed as more than a routine campus honor; it was received as another public turn in a career people have followed closely for years.