SRU students return from Super Bowl
The 12 sports management students from Slippery Rock University who flew out to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl departed Tuesday afternoon following an action-packed week of working events and assisting with hospitality.
Between a hurried itinerary that included assisting with the Bart Starr Awards Breakfast and the NFL Fan Experience, students explored the Las Vegas Strip, attended networking events and toured athletic facilities.
One student even met retired NBA player Shaquille O’Neal at a restaurant.
The experience was a first for SRU, said Brian Crow, professor and chairman of SRU’s sports management department.
Twenty-five SRU students were initially accepted by the National Football League to assist with the event, but the department narrowed down the list to 12 students through an application process that included an essay, Crow said.
The application prioritized upperclassmen who might not have the opportunity again, Crow said.
Tanner Babeo, Connor Cruise, Kendall Grossman, Zoe Johnson, Aaron McCloskey, Ethan McMaster, Katelyn Mumma, Ryan Naugle, Lia Palermo, Kaylie Pillart, Artie Prioletti and Italia Romano were selected by faculty members, and were joined in Las Vegas by Crow, along with fellow professors Robertha Abney and Robert Zullo.
Crow said his first reaction when he learned of the opportunity was to wonder, “How are we going to pay for all of this?”
To help make the experience possible for students, the Slippery Rock Student Government Association covered students’ flights and lodging at a cost of about $13,000.
“I was generally pretty stoked,” said senior Zoe Johnson, who was able to snag a six-month internship in Colorado Springs thanks to the experience. “It’s not an opportunity you get every day that a person gets to embark on.”
“It was rewarding, learning what all goes into this event, how many people are needed to make it a functional experience,” said senior Connor Cruise.
Every day was different, Crow said. Among other duties, students attended training after training, assisted employees and helped with credentials.
“Something we learned was that there was no standard day, no job that was meaningless or not impactful,” Crow said.
“Working the (NFL Fan Experience) and seeing fans come in was awesome,” said senior Kaylie Pillart. “Until you see it, you don’t realize what this event can do to people and how many people travel for it. It was really nice to see all these little kids’ happy faces.”
While rewarding, students also encountered some challenges.
On Saturday and Sunday, the students and faculty were assigned to the early shift, meaning everyone was on their feet and working in the chilly weather by 4 a.m. with a three-hour time difference to Butler County.
“We were constantly moving, so it was a bit overwhelming with trainings and waking up early, and learning everything (on the spot),” Pillart said. “It was definitely challenging, with lack of sleep and being three hours behind. We were all very tired, but we still walked in with happy faces and did our best.”
The students described the excitement to see one of Pennsylvania’s own — Pittsburgh Steelers’ safety Minkah Fitzpatrick — as the honoree of the Bart Starr Awards Breakfast.
When asked whether they were happy with the outcome of the Super Bowl, Johnson laughed.
“Most of us were upset with the outcome,” she said. “But we don’t play the game — we just run the business.”
