Harry Smith Says Goodbye To NBC News After 12 Years: “I Have Nothing But Gratitude”

Harry Smith is moving on. After 12 years at NBC News, veteran correspondent Smith is leaving the network and will begin teaching at his alma mater this fall.

Smith received an emotional farewell send-off Friday from Today show anchors Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin, Sheinelle Jones, Al Roker and Savannah Guthrie. The show played A Look Back video of his work over the years after which he received a standing ovation from his Today show colleagues.

Smith narrated the five-minute video, concluding by saying: “And it all seems like it happened yesterday.”

“I have nothing but gratitude,” Smith said. “Every time I would always come on this show, I was always welcomed so generously. I’ve had just this unbelievable array of phenomenal experiences since coming to NBC, and so I’m really full of nothing but gratitude. Every time I’ve come on, everyone would drop their phones, pay attention to the story and then respond.”

“We only do that for you, Harry,” Guthrie joked.

Smith began his broadcasting career at Denver stations KHOW and KIMN. He also worked for Denver’s public television station, KRMA-TV, He joined CBS News in 1986 and became a correspondent in 1987. Before joining NBC News in 2011, he hosted the CBS News morning shows The Early Show and its predecessor CBS This Morning for 17 years, according to his biography on the NBC News website.

Smith said he plans to return to his alma mater, Central College, in Pella, Iowa, to teach a course “on curiosity” in the fall.

“And I might write a book or two, we’ll see,” he added.

You can watch the farewell video above.