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From NFL to the Newsroom Vai Sikahema Discusses his Journey

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Vai Sikahema, former NFL running back and current NBC morning news anchor, will present a lecture as an honored alum. The College of Fine Arts and Communications will feature NBC morning news anchor Vai Sikahema on October 11 at 11 a.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall in the Harris Fine Arts Center. His lecture is titled “Denied Admission to Alum of the Year: My BYU Journey”.

Vai Sikahema played football at BYU and graduated in Broadcast Journalism before becoming the first Tongan drafted into the NFL. Sikahema, former running back and kick returner, ranks first among the NFL’s all-time career leaders in number of punt returns and second in return yardage after his time with the Cardinals, Packers and Eagles.

Sikahema has since worked as a morning news anchor at NBC. He has earned three Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards for his work in local television and is featured in the Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneers’ Hall of Fame. Sikahema’s influence in the Philadelphia area was instrumental in helping The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints get the Philadelphia Temple approved.

Date: Thursday, October 11, 2018

Time: 11 a.m.

Location: Madsen Recital Hall HFAC

Admission: Free, open to the public

Read about his lecture here.