A group of 12 Entertainment Management majors got the experience of a lifetime on Sunday, February 2.   The students worked with NFL On Location and M Group Scenic Studios doing pregame and post-game events for the 2014 Super Bowl!  NFL On Location is the National Football League’s official source for event experiences and hospitality.

On the day of the game students worked as directional/hospitality hosts for Pepsi Co., which is the main sponsor for the Super Bowl. “We got to see the ins and outs of planning such a large event. Experiences like this are something that we can’t learn about in a text book. I think that’s what makes our organization, Entertainment Management Association, such a great organization. We provide our members with opportunities to actually work in the industry and learn hands on from professionals. It also allows us to network with potential employers,” states Entertainment Management Association (EMA) President Andrea Taylor. 

Traveling to the Super Bowl has been an annual event for the EMA for several years.  This year, the students worked with M Group Scenic Studios, a large scale national and international events organization, prior to and during the event.  M Group Scenic staff members met with students once they arrived at the Izod Center for a training session and helped them prepare for their game day responsibilities.  “My experience with M Group Scenic was both educational and entertaining.  It really helped me figure out exactly what I want to do when I graduate in May,” states Taylor.

Before volunteering at the game, students spent a day in New York City sightseeing and visiting another large venue, Madison Square Garden (MSG).  The students had a behind-the-scenes tour of MSG and learned some of the ins and outs of large-scale venue and event management.  “I had the amazing opportunity to see the inner workings of what some people consider the mecca of sports venues.  I learned that the venue has very flexible capabilities, lending itself to various types of events including basketball and hockey games, concerts and theatrical performances.  I was able to see firsthand how a venue of that size operates its various staffing entities and the process involved in ensuring the safety and security of the venue itself.  Seeing such a prestigious arena in such a unique and personal setting was a rewarding experience I will not soon forget,” says EMA member Jacob Seidel.

For more information on the Entertainment Management Association or the Entertainment Management program visit http://em.missouristate.edu/ .