James came to Virginia Tech in 2017 with the goal of becoming a veterinarian. But after more than two years of navigating the rigors of college, she says she began to struggle with mental health and decided to return home to focus on her mental health. She spent a year at home and then moved to Richmond, which she says helped her navigate challenges on her own. During the COVID pandemic, she took some online courses at Virginia Tech, switched from animal and poultry science to public relations, and returned to campus in 2022. She will graduate in December and earn a minor in real estate management.
While at Virginia Tech, James worked on the Blacksburg campus and this summer she was involved with Sheetz. In her free time, she is involved in the Virginia Tech Belly Dance Club, the Black Cultural Center organizations, and the House of Elite Dance Team.
James is teaching herself American Sign Language and hopes to attend school for it someday. After she graduates, she hopes to work at a PR firm to gain experience.
And she said the gift she received will help her achieve her goals.
“I’m very grateful for everything that’s happened,” James said. “First of all, I’ve never been to New York before. That was an experience in itself. But everyone (from the “Today” show) was so kind, so friendly, and of course I’m very grateful for the gift they gave me. I know there are other students who are going through similar things to me, but they don’t have the opportunity. I’m just very grateful and thankful for the opportunity and the help they offered me.”
“You’re going to do great things, incredible things. And when you do, will you come back here and tell us about it?” Kotb asked James live. “Is that a promise?”
Kotb, who graduated from the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences with a degree in broadcast journalism, has hosted the “Today” show since 2007 and won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2010. She delivered the university’s commencement address in 2008 and received the University Distinguished Achievement Award in 2022.
