The Super Bowl won’t just showcase football talent this year — it will also spotlight Ithaca College students working behind the scenes at one of the world’s biggest sporting events.
Fourteen Ithaca College students from the Roy H. Park School of Communications and the School of Business will take part in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. While they won’t be on the field, they’ll play key roles in media coverage, fan engagement, and event operations throughout Super Bowl week.
Reporting from Radio Row
Six students from the Park School will work on Radio Row, the media hub where athletes, celebrities, and journalists converge at the Moscone Convention Center.
Rayahna Tryka ’26, Connor Smith ’26, Keenan Jackson ’26, Colin Martin ’26, Molly Golden ’28, and Devon Jarvis ’27 will serve as working members of the press. Their responsibilities include conducting interviews and producing video, radio, and social media content.
The work will air on student-run outlets WICB radio and ICTV, as well as Ithaca College Athletics Creative Media and the college’s social media channels.
“This opportunity is really gratifying,” said Jarvis, a television and digital media production major. “The lasting impact will come from the connections we make and the opportunities that grow from them.”
The trip was funded through Ithaca College’s Special Opportunities for Students program, which supports hands-on learning experiences beyond the classroom.
Running the Super Bowl operation
Eight students from the School of Business will focus on the massive logistics behind the game itself. All are sport management majors and members of the Class of 2026: Emma Cianchi, Carly Dixon, Jessie Lopez, Charlotte Powell, Riley Donelan, Ryan Galka, Max Marshall, and Jonah San Angelo.
During the week leading up to the game, the students will work as paid staff supporting NFL-sponsored fan events, hospitality programming, and game-day operations. Their duties include assisting with the Super Bowl Experience, supporting VIP events, providing customer service and wayfinding, and observing security, staffing, and sponsor activations.
Faculty say the experience gives students a rare look at the full scale of a global sporting event.
“They tell us that, even if they have this incredibly well-developed resume when they graduate, employers go right to the Super Bowl on their resume,” said Rachel Madsen, associate professor of marketing and sport management. “They say, ‘Tell me about this. How’d you get to do that?’”
A national stage for IC students
For both groups, the Super Bowl offers unmatched networking opportunities, including connections with Ithaca College alumni already working in professional sports and media.
College leaders say the experience highlights the value of Ithaca College’s hands-on approach to education — and gives students a chance to represent the college on a national stage.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].