Her parents are of Egyptian origin, and she spent one year living in Egypt and another in Nigeria during her youth. Her first name, “Hoda,” derives from Arabic, meaning “guidance,” while her surname, “Kotb,” translates to “pole,” as in the North or South Pole, which is a common Egyptian surname. Her father, who passed away in the 1980s, was a fossil energy specialist, and her mother has worked at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Education and College Involvement

Kotb graduated from Fort Hunt High School in 1982 and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism from Virginia Tech in 1986. During her time at Virginia Tech, she was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority, Beta Nu Chapter. She later returned to her alma mater to deliver the keynote speech at the 2008 graduation. From 2010 to 2013, she served on the Virginia Tech Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Journalism Career and NBC’s Today Show

Hoda Kotb began her journalism career in 1986 as a news assistant for CBS News in Cairo, Egypt. She quickly progressed to roles in the United States, serving as a morning anchor and general assignment reporter for WQAD-TV (ABC) in Moline, Illinois, and as an anchor for WXVT-TV in Greenville, Mississippi.

Between 1989 and 1991, she worked as a weekend anchor and reporter for WINK-TV in Fort Myers, Florida. In 1992, she joined WWL-TV (CBS) in New Orleans as an anchor and reporter. Her national career took off in 1998 when she became a correspondent for Dateline NBC.

Kotb gained widespread recognition as a co-host of the fourth hour of NBC’s Today show, originally alongside Kathie Lee Gifford. Over the years, she has co-anchored Today with other prominent anchors, including Katie Couric, Meredith Vieira, Ann Curry, and Savannah Guthrie, solidifying her status as a leading figure in American broadcast journalism.