Marist College students engaged in a week-long educational experience during Super Bowl week, participating both on campus and at the event itself. The initiative included involvement in sports journalism, marketing analysis, and networking opportunities.
On campus in Poughkeepsie, Marist students took part for the third year in USA TODAY’s Super Bowl Ad Meter, an online platform that allows users to rate Super Bowl commercials. By rating ads ahead of time, students learned how brands design campaigns for large audiences and gained insight into consumer reactions and creative strategies.
Alice Tirakian ’26 shared her approach: “Honestly, I loved most of them. I thought they were all super well done. When I watch ads, I don’t think about if I like them personally, I think about the target audience and if it would be effective to reach to them.” She added: “I thought it was like a movie watch party. It was really fun.”
Some participants highlighted their favorite commercials. Marina Belllizzi ’26 said: “I liked the Budweiser Free Bird ad because it’s charming story and it featured iconic songs. For me, it encapsulated what the Super Bowl feels like. You got your beer, your American eagle, and your Lynyrd Skynyrd.”
Meanwhile, six students from Marist’s Center for Sports Communication traveled to the San Francisco Bay Area with official NFL media credentials to report from Super Bowl LX. They covered stories including tracking down Seahawks placekicker Jason Myers ’13 prior to his historic appearance as the first Marist Red Fox in a Super Bowl.
Jaylen Rizzo ’27 reflected on his experience: “Last week was an absolute dream. I was able to network with a ton of photographers. My favorite parts of the week were shooting at the Pro Bowl and the Bad Bunny press conference. I think some of the best photos of my career, so far, were taken last week.”
Ben Leeds ’26 described interviewing athletes: “Getting to speak with athletes I grew up watching — not just grabbing a photo, but asking real questions — was incredible,” he said. “I also loved documenting our experiences for Center Field each day. Having that collection of stories to look back on will always remind me how special the week truly was.”
William Rosen ’27 commented on meeting industry professionals: “I loved meeting and interviewing some of my favorite people in the industry, from broadcasters Kevin Harlan and Mike Tirico to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand and even San Francisco’s Mayor Daniel Lurie,” he said. “Connecting with people I usually only see on TV or my phone — and sharing the week with my friends — made the entire experience an all‑timer.”
Students produced stories, interviews, and video content throughout their time at Super Bowl events for Center Field.
More information about their coverage can be found through Center Field’s website.
Additional recognition came as USA TODAY featured Marist students’ participation during Super Bowl week.
