\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat To Know<\/p>\n
Today\u2018s Craig Melvin will be giving a college commencement speech later this year.
\nMelvin graduated from Wofford College in 2001.
\nKoda Kotb will fill in for Melvin on Today next week as he enjoys spring break with his family.<\/p>\n
Craig Melvin<\/a> is being honored with a special role off the small screen.<\/p>\n On Thursday, April 9, the Today<\/a> host reshared a post<\/a> on his Instagram Story, revealing that he will give a college commencement speech later this year. \u201cCraig Melvin, acclaimed journalist and NBC\u2019s TODAY co-anchor, will deliver Villanova University\u2019s 2026 Commencement Address,\u201d the school\u2019s official Instagram page shared.<\/p>\n In addition to the commencement speech, an announcement on Villanova University\u2019s website<\/a> also revealed that Melvin will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. The commencement will take place on Tuesday, May 19, at 2:30 p.m. ET, at Villanova Stadium in Villanova, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n Melvin himself is not a Villanova alum, as he earned his Bachelor of Arts in government from Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, in 2001. Before he joined NBC News and MSNBC (now MS Now) in 2011, Melvin served as an evening news anchor at a station in his hometown of Columbia, South Carolina. He later worked as a weekend anchor at the Washington, D.C., NBC caffiliate WRC, per his Today bio<\/a>.<\/p>\n Melvin joined the Today family as a news anchor in 2018. The following year, he began co-hosting the third hour of Today alongside Al Roker<\/a>, Dylan Dreyer<\/a>, and Sheinelle Jones<\/a>, the latter of whom stepped away<\/a> from the show in January to begin co-hosting the fourth hour of Today with Jenna Bush Hager<\/a>.<\/p>\n Following Hoda Kotb<\/a>\u2018s exit<\/a> from Today in January 2025, Melvin took over<\/a> her role as Savannah Guthrie<\/a>\u2018s co-anchor. He has held the role ever since, and continues to co-host the NBC morning show\u2019s third hour. Last month, launched his first-ever podcast<\/a>, Glass Half Full, on which he shares candid conversations with some of the biggest Hollywood and sports stars.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we live in a time where everything\u2019s like this [snaps fingers],\u201d he said of the podcast on the March 10 episode<\/a> of Today. \u201cI think the pendulum\u2019s starting to swing. There\u2019s a real audience for people who want to connect through storytelling, through laughter, through tears. And this is the perfect medium for that.\u201d<\/p>\n Melvin has yet to reveal whether he will take any days off from Today for his college commencement speech. The TV personality, however, began his week-long spring break from the show on Friday, April 10.<\/p>\n \u201cSpeaking of tomorrow, Craig, you are heading off on a very well-deserved vacation<\/a>. You\u2019ve been holding it down here for a long time,\u201d Guthrie said to Melvin at the top of Today\u2018s Thursday, April 9, episode. \u201cSo, you\u2019re gonna have a spring break.\u201d<\/p>\n She added, \u201cAnd Monday, we\u2019re gonna try a new host here. Her name is Hoda, and she\u2019s gonna fill in for you next week. So, that will be fun.\u201d<\/p>\n Weekend Today<\/a>\u2018s Laura Jarrett<\/a> and Sunday Today<\/a>\u2018s Willie Geist<\/a> filled in for Guthrie and Melvin on Friday\u2019s episode of Today.<\/p>\n Today, Weekdays, 7am, NBC<\/p>\n \t\t\t