Hoda Kotb Met Baylor University Journalism Student She Inspired 10 Years Ago

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Ten years ago, a young student wrote a letter to Hoda Kotb. She replied and didn't think much more about it, until yesterday. That's when the young man showed up outside the Today studio with a story to tell.

As anyone who watches Today knows, folks who gather outside the studio frequently become part of the show. So it wasn't out of the ordinary when anchor Craig Melvin approached a young man standing in the crowd and asked him to introduce himself.

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He said his name was Nolan and he is a junior studying journalism at Baylor University in Texas. Then he revealed why he was studying to be a reporter—and who helped put him on that career path. That's when things got really interesting. Turns out that he has Kotb to thank for his career choice. "I wrote in to Hoda," he told Melvin, according to Today. She replied to his correspondence and, with that one letter, the veteran news anchor helped shape Nolan's future. "Hoda inspired me to become a journalist, and that's why I'm pursuing my career." Check out the video.

Kotb overheard Nolan telling his story to Melvin and went to chat with the student. She was clearly moved by the interaction and gave him a huge hug. "What a kid," Kotb said on the show, thanking him for making the journey to New York City. She then added, "We'll keep our eye on you, okay?" So we won't be surprised if Nolan ends up on Today in a few years