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Super Bowl a training site for NU students

February 5, 2010

The following news is from San Francisco Business News

A group of Niagara University students is learning this week what goes into organizing one of the world's largest sporting events.

Eleven students from Niagara's College of Hospitality and Tourism Management traveled Feb. 2 to Miami to volunteer at the National Football League's Superbowl XLIV, which pits the Indianapolis Colts against the New Orleans Saints in the Feb. 7 matchup.

During the eight-day trip, the students will greet visitors, fill goody bags for Superbowl attendees and work at the Taste of the NFL, an annual pre-game day event that raises money for local and national hunger organizations.

"The purpose is to give these students hands-on experience in terms of what goes into putting together a major sporting event like the Superbowl," said Dexter Davis, assistant professor of sport management who accompanied the students to Florida.

The trip is part of the program's experiential focus, which aims to give students as many first-hand learning opportunities as possible, Davis said. Groups of students go to South Florida each year for Major League Baseball's spring training camps and an upcoming trip to San Antonio, Texas, site of the 2010 NCAA Women's Final Four, is planned.

Networking is key for students, many of whom have landed post-graduation jobs due to the contacts they made during such trips, Davis said.

"It really does boil down to connections and knowing people," he said.

Students underwent a fairly rigorous process to be selected for the trip. Resumes and cover letters were collected and interviews were conducted to determine which students to take, Davis said.

While portions of travel expenses are being paid for with grant money, each student paid about $500 out of pocket to go.

The trip marks the second Superbowl experience in three years for Niagara students. In 2007, a group did similar volunteer work in preparation for the game between the Colts and the Chicago Bears. The Colts won 29-17.