Living Sport, Las Vegas

Celeste Barclay is a football fan, but the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers weren’t first and foremost on her mind while she was at Super Bowl LVIII, even with the game going into overtime.

“This experience gave me more insight into the operations of the game than the sport itself,” she said.

The Trine University sport management major from LaPorte, Indiana, completed an internship at the Super Bowl through Living Sport, an organization that provides work and study experiences for students interested in a sports career.

Trine students have been part of Super Bowl experiences through Living Sport each year since 2021.

Variety of experiences

Celeste heard about the Living Sport experience through social media and decided to apply to help get a better idea of the career path she would like.

“I figured it would be an experience of a lifetime if I got in and the worst I could get was a no,” she said.

She was one of 50 participants selected through an application and interview process. She was in Las Vegas Feb. 3-13, with the Super Bowl taking place Feb. 11.

Besides the Super Bowl, the experience included business panels with local professionals, a podcast with former college football All-American Adam Breneman, a presentation from three-time Olympic gold medalist LaShawn Merritt, a networking event and the fan experiences leading up to the game.

“My favorite was meeting the other 49 participants,” Celeste said. “We all came from very different backgrounds but still had the same goal at the end of the day. It was interesting to see all the different viewpoints and gain advice from each other on top of the mentors who were there.”

Excitement for the game

Celeste said she felt a mix of nervousness, excitement and focus headed into the big game.

“I was honored to be trusted with this type of event,” she said. “It was also humbling to see that there is so much more detail and staff that is needed to make an event like this happen.”

The interns provided customer service and engagement during the Super Bowl.

“I was stationed around the suites with high-level guests,” Celeste said. “We helped manage traffic, point out directions and answer any questions fans may have had. Many of the questions were quite specific, so you really needed to know your surroundings.”

“My favorite part was watching the fans get excited about the game, especially the kids who were there with their families. It was a really cool opportunity to see how fans take the game so seriously and that it’s not just a big party like it may be represented on TV.”

Celeste said the Living Sport experience taught her how to stand out in a crowd and provided valuable networking opportunities. It also helped boost her confidence.

“Going into this trip I was not one to go introduce myself to anyone,” she said. “I now have an easier time expressing who I am and why I want to talk to a person. This experience has made me more confident in my ability to apply and speak at an interview.”