October 17, 2024
By Paul Welker
Alfred State sport management students are getting real–world work experience through a partnership with the Buffalo Bills. Students work home games and serve in various guest services positions around the stadium.
Sport Business Club President Nick Valentino, a senior from Tonawanda, NY, is in his second year working gamedays for his hometown Bills. “The best part of my job is the enjoyment that I create for the guest. A usual day starts with me working as a ticket taker at one of the seven gates of entry. Once the game starts, I move on to my job as a guest services representative in one of the exclusive clubs, like the M&T Club, for the rest of the game.”
Valentino is one of around seventy students that are registered and eligible to work games, an increase from 29 in the first year. Students board a bus on campus each gameday and head to Orchard Park to work. The group puts skills and lessons learned in the classroom to use.
“The skill I have used the most is being able to problem solve. Using my problem-solving skills has allowed me to navigate tough situations while on the job. This opportunity has helped me understand the behind the scenes of a sporting event and has spiked my interest in pursuing a career in event management.”
Sport Management Professor Tony Aquilina is excited about the opportunity his students receive with the Bills. “I am incredibly grateful for our ongoing collaboration with the Buffalo Bills Guest Relations department. They provide our students with invaluable, hands-on experience.”
Aquilina continued about the growth and the expansion of the program. “We were thrilled to extend this opportunity to all majors, as well as to campus staff and faculty this year. We were able to more than double the number of participants in the program in just two years. A sincere thanks to the campus faculty and administration for their continued support in fostering the growth of this initiative.”
