The GSTV studio buzzed with anticipation and excitement as members of Geneseo's student-run television station awaited the arrival of Jenna Wolfe, co-anchor of "The Today Show" Sunday edition.
A masterful recreation of the television show's iconic sunrise graphic hung behind the anchor's seats, a welcome banner for Wolfe and her cameramen. The students waited, hoping that they would be able to witness this professional news anchor read the evening's news for Geneseo's campus.
Wolfe returned to Geneseo to film for a "Today" segment that will feature anchors returning to their alma maters. She attended Geneseo from 1992 to 1995 and then transferred to SUNY Binghamton for her last year of college.
Wolfe spent the day walking the campus of Geneseo, attending classes, stopping by volleyball practice and lastly, arriving at the GSTV studio.
Professional cameramen swirled around Wolfe as she reminisced with current GSTV members about the days when she was an anchor for GSTV. The room filled with laughter when Wolfe presented the comical scripts from which she had to read because GSTV does not own a teleprompter.
Wolfe gladly accepted the invitation to anchor GSTV's first broadcast of the semester. Her voice commanded the attention of the room as she reported on Geneseo's new Zipcar service, the Student Organization Expo and various other events that happened on campus.
After the broadcast, Wolfe sat down with the members of GSTV to discuss her career and how to enter the world of television after graduation. Wolfe regaled the students with tales of exciting experiences she has had while working for "Today," including creating her own flavor of Ben & Jerry's ice cream and living in Beijing for a month during the 2008 Olympics.
Members of GSTV said it was truly inspiring to meet Wolfe. "She always knew what she wanted and she went out and got it," said senior Kate Palumbo, president of GSTV. "GSTV was one of the things that helped her achieve her dream."
Many students who are members of GSTV said they plan to continue working in television after graduating. For them, meeting someone from Geneseo who made it to the pinnacle of television broadcasting was an extraordinary opportunity.
Palumbo said that the most valuable advice Wolfe offered was: "'There is no one road to success in news and television. It is all about taking the right opportunities at the right time and for the people that want it and are willing to work for it, everything will kind of fall into place.'"