Gary Grumbach ’16 will receive the Elon Top 10 Under 10 Alumni Award for his distinguished career as a Legal Affairs Reporter at NBC News. His impressive journey began right here at Elon University, where he honed his skills at Elon Local News before making his mark in the fast-paced world of journalism.
When Gary Grumbach ’16 first stepped onto Elon University’s campus in the fall of 2012, he decided he wouldn’t wait for classes to begin his journalism career.
“As soon as I finished moving in, I walked over to the McEwen Communications Building and met a guy named Joe Bruno and a woman named Julie Morse, and not 72 hours later, I was in a car on my way to Charlotte, as part of Elon Local News’ (Elon News Network) Democratic National Convention coverage,” he recalled. “Sure, I was carrying a tripod around the streets of Charlotte for one of the senior reporters, but I was there. And that was just the beginning.”
That “beginning” launched a trajectory that would take him from the student-run newsroom of Elon Local News to the heart of the nation’s capital as a reporter for NBC News. Today, Grumbach is a key player in the network’s reporting, covering everything from the Supreme Court to the criminal trials of some of the most important people in American politics.
Grumbach credits his success to the immersive, high-pressure environment of Elon Local News.
“We took ourselves very seriously at Elon Local News. Some might say too seriously,” he said. “But we did that, because we loved it. We loved learning, we loved reporting, we loved breaking news, and we loved the people we did all of that with.”
Over the next four years, Grumbach traveled from Raleigh, North Carolina, to Des Moines, Iowa; from Concord, New Hampshire, to João Pessoa, Brazil, reporting on everything from North Carolina’s controversial bathroom bill to the future of the internet.
Reflecting on the fast-paced newsroom environment at Elon, Grumbach sees how directly those experiences translated to his career today.
“Whether it was 1 a.m. in the edit suites finishing a piece for the morning show, or 5:59 p.m. in the control room trying to load all of the video into the system, the adrenaline kept you going,” he explained. “After graduating, I realized that same feeling crosses the stage with you.”
The hustle and dedication he developed at Elon Local News carried over to national television, where, as Grumbach puts it, “the show goes on the air at its scheduled time, whether or not you’re ready.”
He points to specific mentors, like Professor of Journalism Janna Anderson, whose Reporting for the Public Good class pushed students to find, write and submit stories within hours.
“It was a fast, exhilarating, stressful experience—but so is real-life journalism,” he said.
Grumbach also credits recently retired professor Richard Landesberg, along with faculty members Anthony Hatcher and Staci Saltz, as key influences in shaping him into the journalist he is today. Grumbach knew Elon was the school for him after his first tour, led by a family friend.
“I picked Elon because of the incredible broadcast journalism program,” he said. “From top to bottom, there is no School of Communication like Elon’s. Professors don’t just know about broadcasting—they’ve worked in broadcasting.”
That foundation helped Grumbach transition seamlessly from the classroom to a career at one of the biggest broadcast news organizations in the country.
“At NBC News, millions of viewers and readers rely on you for fast, accurate, and digestible information,” he explained. “Having the opportunity to learn those core tenets through Elon Local News and in the classroom was invaluable.”
Since joining NBC News, Grumbach has been on the front lines of history. He has traveled to 41 states and Canada, covering Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders on the 2020 campaign trail, and as part of the NBC News White House team covering the G-20 Leaders’ Summit in Hiroshima, Japan.
On the trail, his daily life often resembled a one‑man production crew.
“I did it all with a camera, tripod, LiveU satellite backpack, luggage and two phones in my pocket,” he said. “I shot video, logged video, broke news, walked backwards following the candidate in a parade—and that was just before lunch.”
One of Grumbach’s proudest professional moments came during the 2024 Hunter Biden gun charges trial. Inside a federal courthouse where phones and computers were prohibited, Grumbach needed a creative way to beat the competition in reporting the verdict.
“In the media room of the federal courthouse in Wilmington, Delaware, there are windows that look down to the street below,” he explained. “The nice thing about windows is that they work both ways.”
Grumbach and his team devised a plan using color‑coded pieces of paper labeled “G” for “Guilty” and “N” for “Not Guilty.” As the verdict was read, Grumbach held up the papers for each count. By the time the judge finished, three pieces of paper read “G.” NBC News beat every other television network to the story.
“The other networks may still be trying to get out of that building,” he jokes.
Grumbach notes that some of the hardest moments in his job come while covering high‑tension events such as protests. He emphasizes the importance of situational awareness as conditions can change quickly.
“I’m thankful NBC News takes our safety and security in the field seriously and doesn’t take any chances,” he said.
On the technical side, large crowds such as those at protests present additional challenges.
“When tens of thousands of people are streaming, tweeting and texting at the same time, it can be difficult to get a quality live signal,” Grumbach said. That requires creativity and ingenuity.”
Despite the intensity of his career, Grumbach says one of his favorite parts of the job has been connecting with people on the ground.
“What I found most interesting, particularly from covering candidates on the campaign trail, is that from Nevada to Iowa to South Carolina to Vermont, the answers from voters weren’t all that different,” he said. That realization has reinforced his commitment to reporting the truth and helping connect people across the country.
Despite his national success, Grumbach remains deeply connected to his roots. He was recently selected as one of Elon’s Top 10 Under 10 Alumni, a recognition he views with immense gratitude. For him, the “Elon bubble” never truly burst; it just expanded. He now lives and works with fellow alumni and had nearly two dozen of them attend his wedding.
Looking ahead to the next decade in a rapidly changing media landscape, Grumbach’s goal remains simple—to keep the public informed.
“There’s nothing I love more than explaining breaking news to colleagues and viewers—from the latest lawsuit filed to a complicated Supreme Court decision,” he said. “Having the opportunity to tell people something that could truly impact their lives, and making sure that information is easy to understand and fact‑based, will always be important.”
Since 2011, Elon University has honored 10 recipients each year with the Elon Top 10 Under 10 Alumni Award, recognizing their significant professional achievements. This award celebrates accomplished alumni from the last decade who not only excel in their careers but also actively contribute to their communities and serve as dedicated alumni role models.
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