Al Roker Shares Rare Photo of Son Nick Roker Heading to College

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Al Roker Reveals What He Really Thinks of Retiring After 30 Years on ‘Today’

There’s a new student in Al Roker’s neck of the woods.

The Today anchor's son Nick Roker is pursing higher learning once again, with Al sharing a photo of the 24-year-old moving into his new college dorm.

"Another drop off for my young man," the 72-year-old wrote in a recent Instagram post. "Gonna miss him but as Al Roker Sr. always said, #cantmissyouifyoudontleave. So very proud of him."

Indeed, this wasn't Al's first time dropping off Nick at a college campus. After all, Nick previously spent three years studying communication at Vermont's Landmark College before graduating with an associate degree in 2025.

“Three years ago, we dropped him off as a first-year college student,” Al captioned photos and video of Nick at his graduation ceremony in May 2025. “Today @nickroker155 has his #associatesdegree in #communications and we could not be prouder of how hard he has worked and is determined to get his #bachelorsdegree."

Al's wife Deborah Roberts—who shares Nick and daughter Leila Roker, 27, with the morning show host—has been equally moved by their son's determination.

"We are bursting with pride after Nick earned his associate’s degree in the Arts," Roberts, 65, wrote on Instagram after his graduation. "More to come on his educational journey. But this milestone was hard won!"

"So very proud of you @nickroker155 and your fellow graduates," the journalist continued at the time. "You’re all living proof that neurodiversity is a value worth honoring and celebrating."

And the couple, who married in 1995, have never been ones to hold back Nick, who Al once described as "somewhere on the spectrum and maybe obsessive-compulsive."

Al Roker/Instagram

"But those labels can be frustrating; they don’t begin to describe who Nick really is," Al explained in a 2019 essay for Guideposts magazine. "He started working with speech, behavioral and occupational therapists, developing strength, conversational skills and mobility."

And, according to the weatherman, Nick "blossomed far more than Deborah or I could have ever expected."

"I can’t begin to take credit for who Nick is and who he might become," added Al, who's also dad to daughter Courtney Roker, 39, with late ex-wife Alice Bell. "All sorts of specialists can tell you about limitations for this and that. Nick never got that message."

To see more celebrity kids returning to school this year, keep reading...

Instagram

Hoda Kotb

The former Today anchor and her ex Joel Schiffman celebrated daughters Haley Joy and Hope Catherine kicking off their studies.

"It’s here! First day of school," she wrote on Instagram Sept. 8. "4th and 2nd grade! Whaaaatttt?"

Adrian DENNIS / POOL / AFP via Getty Images

Kate Middleton & Prince William

Prince George was escorted by his parents to his first day at Eton College on Sept. 8. 

Instagram/Khloe Kardashian

Khloe Kardashian

The Kardashians star kept up with tradition, snapping a photo of son Tatum and daughter True on their first day of school. 

“I canNOT believe Tatum started school today! And my True is in THIRD GRADE!” she wrote on Instagram Sept. 2. “Both of my babies are officially in school and I truly don’t know how we got here.”

LeBron James/Instagram

LeBron James

The NBA icon's daughter Zhuri's first day of sixth grade on Sept. 1 was complete with a Herschel Supply backpack full of books and a ride to school.

Craig Melvin/Instagram

Craig Melvin & Lindsay Czarniak

The Today show anchor and his sports journalist wife sent their kids Sybil and Delano back to school on Aug. 26. 

"So proud of these two," Melvin wrote on Instagram, "and can’t wait to see all they accomplish this year."

Jamie Lynn Spears/Instagram

Jamie Lynn Spears

College 101. The Zoey 101 alum helped her daughter Maddie set up her dorm room at University of Southern Mississippi in mid-August. A few days later, she and her husband Jamie Watson sent their daughter Ivey off to third grade.

As the actress put it in an Aug. 19 Instgram post, "Definitely crying."

Kendra Wilkinson/Instagram

Kendra Wilkinson

On Aug. 19, the Girls Next Door alum shared a dropoff selfie with her daughter Alijah, who she shares with ex-husband Hank Baskett.

"First day of 7th grade and i couldn’t be more proud of Alijah," she captioned the photo. "Made her a chicken quesadilla for lunch lol. Time to fly my love. Good luck my amazing daughter. I love you."

Mia Talerico/Instagram

Mia Talerico

Good luck to the Good Luck Charlie alum, who started her senior year of high school on Aug. 19. 

Richard Blais/Instagram

Richard Blais

The Top Chef: All-Stars winner was served a plate of emotions while sending off his daughter Riley to her freshman year at Indiana University Bloomington, writing on Instagram Aug. 18, "Gonna miss you kiddo."

Trista Sutter/Instagram

Trista Sutter & Ryan Sutter

The longtime Bachelor couple dropped their son Maxwell off at the University of Colorado Boulder, with Trista writing on Instagram Aug. 17, "He’s gonna go so far and we’re definitely not angry. Emotional, yes, but so insanely excited and proud - which is a very strange place to be…caught between 2 drastic emotions."

And if that wasn't already a bittersweet moment, the parents of two also saw their daughter Blakesley off to her senior year of high school.

Sheryl Crow/Instagram

Sheryl Crow

The singer made sure to soak up the sun with her son Wyatt before sending him off to his freshman year of college.

"Where does the time go?" whe wrote in an Aug. 17 Instagram post. "For any parent who just went through this, I know how you are feeling! So proud of the young man he has become, and sure am missing him around here!"

Iman Shumpert/Instagram

Teyana Taylor

On Aug. 13, the Oscar nominee and her ex Iman Shumpert celebrated their daughters Junie Shumpert and Rue Shumpert's "first day" while showing there's one resemblance after another between the actress and her kids.

Giada De Laurentiis/Instagram

Giada De Laurentiis

The Food Network star reunited with her ex Todd Thompson on Aug. 8 at a college send-off party for their daughter Jade.

Tristan Thompson/Instagram

Tristan Thompson

The NBA star escorted his son Prince—who he shares with ex Jordan Craig—to his first day of fourth grade, joking in an Aug. 12 Instagram, "Man I’m getting old."

Melissa Joan Hart/Instagram

Melissa Joan Hart

The Sabrina the Teenage Witch alum enchanted to see her and husband Mark Wilkerson's sons Braydon and Tucker head back to school on Aug. 12.

"Last first day of school for our Brady," she wrote on Instagram. "Senior year for him and 7th grade for Tucker. May God bless and protect all the children as they head back to school!"

Kelly Stafford/Instagram

Kelly Stafford

Matthew Stafford's wife snapped this photo of the NFL quarterback sending their twins Chandler and Sawyer off to their first day of fourth grade. As she captioned the photo on Instagram Aug. 12, "New school, same girls."

Lindsay Arnold/Instagram

Lindsay Arnold

The former Dancing With the Stars pro waltzed her and husband Sam Cusick's daughters Sage and June to class on Aug. 12, writing on her Instagram Story, “I can’t believe they are both starting school now.”

Jana Kramer/Instagram

Jana Kramer

Summer is winding down. The Whine Down podcaster sent her kids Jolie and Jace—who she shares with ex Mike Caussin—as well as her and husband Allan Russell's son Roman off to their first day of school on Aug. 10.

"First day of Pre-K3, 5th grade & 2nd grade," she captioned a photo of their blended family. "So proud of these three and excited for all this school year will bring."

Brittany Aldean/Instagram

Brittany Aldean

Jason Aldean's wife shared photos of their kids Navy and Memphis heading back to school on Aug. 11, calling it an "emotional Tuesday."

DeAnna Pappas/Instagram

DeAnna Pappas

She's going to school for all the right reasons. The Bachelorette alum saw her daughter Addison start seventh grade on Aug. 11.

"You are incredible Tiny," she wrote on Instagram. "Praying for a great year in middle school!"

Taylor Selfridge/Instagram

Taylor Selfridge

The Ex on the Beach alum helped her and Cory Wharton's oldest daughter Mila get ready for elementary school. As she wrote on Instagram Aug. 12, "My little first grader."

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