A group of UT students and staff will head to Glendale, Arizona, at the end of the month to work behind the scenes at Super Bowl XLIX, one of the largest one-day sporting events in the world.
This year’s game will be Sunday, February 1, between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. The UT team will be on site January 28 to February 2.
This is the ninth year a UT team has worked at the Super Bowl.
Debbie Mackey, a senior lecturer and director of the Human Resource Management master’s program, will lead the team along with Brian Russell, associate director of the Thornton Athletics Student Life Center.
The trip is a valuable experience for students and will assist them in learning about all aspects of business, Mackey said.
Students will work as volunteers with Mgroup and NFL on Location at special events before and during the Super Bowl. They will have the opportunity to meet professional team members as well as a UT alumnus who works with the NFL network. During the game, they will host guests in various venues and possibly take guests to the field. They also will meet with ESPN professionals and learn about how to get started in the professional world.
The team used Volstarter, the university’s crowdfunding site, to raise money for travel, Mackey said. They also have a partnership with Athletics through which they received support.
This year’s team includes four UT student-athletes—Justin Worley, Matt Darr, and Jacob Carter from football, and Allie Sirna from soccer.
Team members are
Molly Gronotte, a senior in recreation and sports management from Indianapolis, Indiana.
Alexandria Hunt, a senior in advertising from Morristown, Tennessee
Brittany Davis, a junior in recreation and sports management from Knoxville
Justin Worley, a graduate student in recreation and sports management from Rock Hill, South Carolina
Ani Williams, a senior in recreation and sports management from Memphis
Matt Darr, a graduate student in human resource management from Bakersville, California
Rae Benton, a senior in hotel, restaurant and tourism management from Yadkinville, North Carolina
Jacob Carter, a graduate student in human resource management from Nashville
Kayla Godfrey, a junior in recreation and sports management from Suffolk, Virginia
Allie Sirna, a senior in business management from Cleveland, Ohio
Will Crockett, a graduate student in recreation and sports management from Lebanon, Tennessee
Leah Scruggs, a senior in recreation and sports management from Knoxville
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CONTACT:
Lola Alapo (865-974-3993, lalapo@utk.edu)
Debbie Mackey (865-974-7014, dmackey@utk.edu)