Hospitality Management students were hard at work on Feb. 7 for Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. Prior to the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos kick-off, 40 students worked the VIP Tailgate along with College of Applied Sciences and Arts Dean Mary Schutten and Hospitality Management Professor Kate Sullivan.

Professor Kate Sullivan (left) and Dean Mary Schutten (right) prepare for the Super Bowl 50 VIP Tailgate.

Their jobs consisted of bartenders, servers and bussers for over 1,000 patrons including celebrities. After the big game, students decided to take up the offer to stick around and work extra hours for the after-party event.

Hospitality Management students working the bar at the Super Bowl 50 VIP Tailgate.

Yvette Acosta, fourth year Hospitality Management student, worked as a bartender for the tailgate. She took the opportunity to work a large event and earn some extra cash. Acosta learned that an event of this caliber takes a lot of hard work from beginning to end and experienced how she and others contributed to creating a successful event.

“I got to see what it takes to make a mega event happen. Everything from the setup, equipment and technology used,” said Acosta.

Assistant Professor Faranak Memarzadeh and a group of 16 students participated in the halftime show to represent the department of Hospitality Management. The group practiced long hours prior to Super Bowl 50 where they would play a big part during the performance of Coldplay, Beyoncé and Bruno Mars. Memarzadeh appreciated the opportunity to get to know her students better and work as a team.

Hospitality Management Halftime Show Team.

The Hospitality Management team heading backstage for the Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show.

“Being involved with real case activities can affect a student’s social and professional life,” said Memarzadeh while explaining how this amazing experience led to new friendships for the students.

Hospitality Management team member Shane Kaczmarek snaps a photo of Coldplay during the Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show.

Point of view for the Hospitality Management team before running onto the field at Levi’s Stadium for the Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show

Recent graduates from Hospitality Management were also working hard to ensure a memorable game day experience. They supervised employees in areas of the stadium such as the United Airlines Club, Yahoo Fantasy Football Lounge, and Levi’s 501 Club serving food and beverages, maintaining high levels of cleanliness and customer service, and creating an atmosphere of Super Bowl fun.

Kudos to all the current students and recent graduates for their hard work during one of the world’s biggest games!