Super Bowl
Thirty Cal Poly Students get a Firsthand Experience at Super Bowl 50
Thirty Cal Poly students from the Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration Department got to experience the 50th Super Bowl the best way they know how —ensuring that thousands of visitors had a safe, pleasurable experience.
The students served as greeters for the Super Bowl 50 Host Committee, answering questions about activities and amenities at Super Bowl City centered in Justin Herman Plaza on the Embarcadero at the foot of San Francisco’s renowned Market Street.
In addition to greeting visitors and answering questions, students also assisted with crowd control, took photos for attendees, supported public safety and security, and directed the flow of visitors — ultimately serving as the face of Super Bowl City at entrances and exits.
The goal of Super Bowl City, open free to the public, was to highlight the best of the Bay Area with interactive activities for guests of all ages, as well as to celebrate the Super Bowl.
The Cal Poly students who volunteered played an integral role in making sure it was a success.
Bill Hendricks, head of the Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration Department, facilitated the volunteer experience for students by working directly with various contacts he has in the tourism, event, marketing and sport industries.
Hendricks said the abundant Learn by Doing opportunities allowed students to apply knowledge from their courses in areas such as leadership, event planning, experiential marketing, volunteer motivation, sustainability, sponsorship, tourism, mega event operations, and more.
In all, nine freshmen, nine seniors, and 12 sophomore and junior Cal Poly students were able to gain hands-on experience at the event Feb. 5-6.
The international crowd attending Super Bowl City capped at 15,000 people – the largest event any of the students had played a role in.
Many students described the event as both overwhelming and rewarding — learning quickly what techniques worked and what didn’t.
“The large crowds were a bit intimidating, but we quickly learned to rely on other volunteers to manage them,” said Julia Petit, a senior.
Students wore uniforms that designated them as volunteers and carried “Ask Me” signs.
Professor Keri Schwab, who also attended, said the event was a great experience for students as they apply for jobs.
“It allowed them to gain confidence and taught them the power of working together,” Schwab said.
Senior Cody Koelzer said his courses and work on past projects through Cal Poly trained him to spot problematic crowd control issues. “The volunteer leadership and management classes we have taken helped equip us to lead a group of fellow volunteers effectively,” he said. “Seeing all the puzzle pieces of the planning process come together was exciting. We plan events within our major, but seeing Super Bowl City helped put into perspective the time and manpower it takes to make the event happen.”