Students and faculty in front of the Lombardi Trophy in 2025.
A dozen SUNY Fredonia students are headed for an experience of a lifetime as the Super Bowl approaches.
Department of Applied Professional Studies Associate Professor Kerry Fischer and Lecturer Ed Croft will accompany the students, all with either Sport Management majors or minors, to Santa Clara, CA, as employees working with On Location on Super Bowl Sunday.
The trip will provide valuable internship credits. It’s the fifth Super Bowl Dr. Fischer has taken SUNY Fredonia students to for a unique opportunity to see how a large sports event is managed. Professor Emeritus Linda Hall also accompanied the students on previous Super Bowl experiences.
The cost to the students is around $1,000 – with approximately half covered by the SUNY Fredonia Provost’s Fund for Experiential Learning, the first time that students have had this substantial support.
The group will leave Tuesday, Feb. 3, returning a week later. Their assignment with On Location, a hospitality partner for the Super Bowl, will be to work the before-the-game shift on game day. They will be paid through an arrangement with the NFL, which again, offsets some of the costs of the trip.
Three Fredonia students are participating in their third Super Bowl experience – Rachel Bayer, Alex Smith and Mason Neale.
Rachel, from Pittsburgh, and a graduate of Chartiers Valley High School, has double majors in Sport Management and Communications-Public Relations. Her first experience was in 2024 in Las Vegas. She worked shifts at the Super Bowl Experience fan convention, held on the days leading up to game day, including physical challenges and obstacle courses. She also worked on game day, serving meals to security staff at the stadium. In 2025, she was in New Orleans, working with a company, Engie, at the Super Bowl Experience, promoting “Going Green” initiatives for the NFL, and talking with fans about composting, recycling, and how the league is looking to being more “green,” in general. She also volunteered at a greeter at the Super Bowl Breakfast, where the Bart Starr Award is presented to a player. On game day, she was part of a group of way finders in the stadium, stationed near the press box to help direct press and other people to their sections.
She noted, “The opportunities I’ve had to intern at such a major event have been life changing. Being able to experience the Super Bowl and be a part of making it happen is something not many people can say, and I’m truly grateful to have had the chance to intern at multiple [Super Bowls].”
“This trip has created unforgettable memories, bonds, and experiences that highlight and give you glimpses into the all-around aspects of working in sports at the most recognized event in the world.” - senior Alex Smith
Alex, a senior from Horseheads, NY, and a graduate of Horseheads High School, is a Sport Management major, with minors in Communication Studies, Athletic Coaching, and Entrepreneurship. During Super Bowl LVIII in 2024, Alex worked at the Super Bowl Experience, and also at the Lombardi Trophy Stage, watching Jerry Rice bringing the trophy to the stage and guiding fans who wanted their photo taken with the coveted trophy. In addition to a networking event with other students, he worked at the NFL Draft Stage, and helped stock food for workers on game day. He noted, “While not the most glamorous of jobs, this shows that not every job in sports is the most fun, however they are still important.” At Super Bowl LIX, he also worked the NFL “Green” program, at the Super Bowl Experience and the Super Bowl Breakfast.
Alex noted, “This trip has created unforgettable memories, bonds, and experiences that highlight and give you glimpses into the all-around aspects of working in sports at the most recognized event in the world.”
The forecast for Super Bowl Sunday calls for sunny, but cool, weather. And no snow.
SUNY Fredonia offers a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Sport Management through its School of Business, as well as a minor in Sport Management. Dr. Fischer has been a member of the SUNY Fredonia faculty since 2019.
