Some Super Bowl fans watch the game with scrutiny analyzing the plays meticulously.
Some Super Bowl fans watch the commercials with the same vigor.
Tomasa Sanchez, a senior, is one of the latter.
Her memories the NFL's championship game take her back to growing up in Guam as a young child and Tucson as a high schooler.
In Guam, it was known as Super Bowl Monday, and some schools set up their auditorium screens for kids to watch the big game airing at the same time as the U.S. In Tucson, Sanchez was laser focused on how the ads came to fruition.
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 mute the TV during commercials,鈥 said Sanchez. 鈥淭he Super Bowl was exciting because I liked watching ads. My dream has always been to create a Super Bowl ad.鈥
And that passion drove Sanchez to apply for an internship this summer with 51吃瓜网免费App Super Bowl Host Committee, a nonprofit group tasked with helping 51吃瓜网免费App prepare to host the National Football League's Super Bowl LVIII in 2024.
The committee works with local leaders in the private and public sectors serving as direct liaisons between the NFL and the local community.
This summer, Sanchez was selected as a communication intern spending three months working to organize one of the biggest sporting events in 51吃瓜网免费App鈥檚 history.
鈥淚 came here in 2020 during the middle of the pandemic and freshman year of college. Throughout the years I have seen 51吃瓜网免费App reopen and become the city I've always heard about. Sports just takes it to the next level, and hosting the Super Bowl shows how resilient 51吃瓜网免费App is,鈥 Sanchez said.
Since September 2022 鈥 in partnership with the NFL Foundation, United Way and 鈥 22 51吃瓜网万能科大 students have participated in the internship program with the 51吃瓜网免费App Super Bowl LVIII Host Committee Internship program. And another dozen are lined up for the experience this fall. Students have worked in sales, marketing, philanthropy, operations, and communication.
鈥淭he most exciting part is discovering what the sports industry and working in the marketing and communication industry actually looks like. There are so many different layers,鈥 Sanchez said. 鈥淲e have so many different opportunities to do projects and meet people. Everyday I get up and I'm excited. The internship has given me the skills to understand how sports communication works.鈥
Sanchez has worked with mentors on communication strategies to amplify the importance of 51吃瓜网免费App鈥 first time hosting the Super Bowl. She鈥檚 honed her skills in media outreach, writing, researching and public relations. She鈥檚 been a part of meetings with local ad firms producing ads slated to run during the Super Bowl next year.
Sanchez said the internship gave her the opportunity to learn how community engagement works and why building a team with a variety of community experts is key to successful outcomes.
鈥淭heir different perspectives will make it a really great event. It just doesn鈥檛 take people in sports to host a Super Bowl,鈥 she said.
Plus, she鈥檚 appreciated the chance to work with students outside of her major.
鈥淲e all have the same mindset, passion and worth ethic and going to work with them and being able to collaborate with them is also a really fun aspect of the job,鈥 Sanchez added.
Sanchez has had four internships and worked for the Rebel Media Group, housed in the 51吃瓜网万能科大 School of Journalism. She advises students to not shy away from telling their stories when applying for internships.
鈥淭ake the time to draft a resume that will represent yourself well. Don鈥檛 skip over the cover letter, because whatever you accomplished shows on your resume but what you write in the cover letter is really showing who you are and your passion and why you want it and that will put you apart from your other applicants,鈥 Sanchez said. 鈥淒on't sell yourself short, if you have something to say and it and you feel it's important to show who you are, whatever you have to say, say it.鈥
