FSF Intern Shares Super Bowl XLI Experienceship
Tia Huie began her internship with the Florida Sports Foundation, in January, and began working with the Sunshine State Games Events Staff in planning the 2022 Sunshine State Games events. In February, she was among the thousands of events staff at Super Bowl LVI, in Los Angeles, California. She was selected to participate in the NFL Experienceship is a partnership with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) designed to open doors and boost diversity in the league. Tia is a Florida A&M University senior, majoring Health, Fitness and Leisure.
What was the process you followed to be selected to participate in the NFL Experienceship?
The Experinceship was first introduced to me when my professor sent out the application to our class. It included filling out my basic information, short answer questions, and obtaining a letter or recommendation. I received a letter of acceptance and went from there. Come to find out, from the chosen 31 students, all from HBCU’s, currently in the program, we were selected out of hundreds of applications.
What were some of the pre-game events you attended and what were your duties at those events?
On Thursday, I had the opportunity to attend the NFL Honors ceremony at the Youtube Theatre in the Stadium. Friday, I worked and attended the Friday Night Party where I directed guests through the museum to the party and answered any questions they had about the venue or party. Saturday, we traveled to Pasadena for the NFL Consumer Products Brunch where I helped set up the venue, check in guests at the beginning and pass out swag bags at the end. The day of the game, we simply got to attend. Overall, my basic duties were to assist in any aspect that I could.
Who were some of the influential people you met during your networking opportunities?
Some influential people incliuded Kathleen Ikpi and Chikeena Bab, who were our program oversight points of contact. They sent us invitations to workshops, all travel itineraries and information, and were responsible of partnering the participating students with mentors. To finally meet them in person and talk more about the Experinceship opportunities and success, was motivating to know about the programs such as this for HBCU students.
I also met Akil Blout, a FAMU Alumni and former NFL player, who now works for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as a Corporate Outreach Sales Executive. Not only did we talk about what the future held but also the time we enjoyed at FAMU.
What did you do during the Game?
On Sunday for the game, we simply attended. We sat amongst thousands cheering for either the Bengals or the Rams (my team won). Although we did not get the opportunity to shadow operations during the game, we went early to the stadium’s campus to just witness the crowd and check out the stadium’s atmosphere.
What impressed you the most about the NFL Experienceship?
What impressed me the most about the experinceship is the opportunity it provided. To be able to say that I am in a program that provided an all expenses paid trip to the biggest football game in the world, in one of the largest cities in the United States, I was amazed. The events I attended were attended by the commissioner, owners, and celebrities. Overall, at the age of 21 still figuring out my next step, I was in a room worth billions and it was motivating.
Did you have any SoCal moments?
My SoCal moments include walking almost everywhere when it came to going to the store or going out for dinner. At one point passing the gas station, I realized that gas was double that from here in Tallahassee. The palm trees stood tall and the hills were visible from miles away. The best part was the weather. It was constant and comfortable and completed the scenery.