Students Visit The Today Show 

At 6:30 a.m. on a chilly Friday morning, members of the Xavier Regiment and Jazz Ensemble gathered outside The Today Show studio at Rockefeller Plaza. Despite the early hour, excitement buzzed through the crowd of students and handful of proud parents. As members of the Jazz Ensemble carried their clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, and trombones, cadets waved hand-made signs emblazoned with the words “Raiders Rock with Roker” and “Go Xavier JROTC.”

Students traveled to 30 Rock on November 13 at the invitation of Today Show producers, who planned a surprise celebration for Al Roker ’72 as he set his second Guinness World Record in as many years. Last November, Mr. Roker earned his first record by reporting the weather for 34 hours straight. This year, he set the record for the fastest time ever reporting the weather from all 50 states in what has been dubbed Rokerthon 2—going coast-to-coast in just one week, starting in Hawaii and ending at Rockefeller Plaza.

Upon returning to New York City for the last stop of his Rokerthon 2 tour, Mr. Roker walked from Grand Central Station to The Today Show studio alongside co-anchor Matt Lauer. As they turned on to 49th Street from Fifth Avenue, they were greeted by the Regiment and Jazz Ensemble (under the leadership of band director Dr. Bill Pace) performing a hearty rendition of Sons of Xavier. Mr. Roker joined in singing the alma mater live on television. During a commercial break, he posed for photos with Xavier students, providing a fitting ending to their morning in the spotlight.

SFC Anthony Adams, who led the Xavier Regiment at the Today Show event, said students and faculty members were thrilled to be a part of Mr. Roker’s celebration.

“I felt honored and proud to represent the Xavier community on a national platform,” SFC Adams said. “I had people throughout social media telling me that they saw my school on TV. I was also amazed by the reputation Xavier has in the City of New York. I was approached by people asking about our students and the enrollment process at our school!”

To view Xavier students on The Today Show, click here. To view photos from the day, visit our Flickr page.