From Fresno to Las Vegas in less than an hour.
Fresno State recreation administration student Samantha Ford once made this flight trek weekly during her internship with the Las Vegas Raiders football team.
As a game-day entertainment representative, Ford’s responsibilities included elevating the pre-game experience for fans through interactive activities, coordinating for the team’s mascot to make sure promos went smoothly, as well as providing unique VIP experiences for entertainment and musical acts performing the national anthem.
Once the game was over and her adrenaline was still flying high, Ford would head back to the airport to catch her one hour flight back to Fresno — all while managing her class assignments due the next day. It was all part of a day’s work for Ford, who was completing the internship while also a full-time student at Fresno State.
“I did a lot of homework and Zoom meetings in the airport,” Ford recalled with a laugh.
After gaining experience for one season, Ford was asked to assist the Raiders’ with the NFL Owners Super Bowl 58 party and after party, which put her head to head with some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment. Prior to that, she was asked to assist with the Pac-12 football championship in Las Vegas.
In conjunction with the Raiders internship, Ford was knee deep in baseball season too, interning as a member of the San Francisco Giants G-Team, interacting with fans and helping to coordinate pre-game and in-game entertainment, and, yes, she regularly traveled for those games, too — about 50 games in all.
Ford said these opportunities would not have been possible without the advice of her professors in the Department of Recreation Administration’s Sports and Entertainment Facility Management program, in which students are encouraged to expand their network with sports and facility industries and build professional connections via LinkedIn. Ford says this is how she came across the internships with the Raiders and Giants.
“In today’s competitive environment, internships and networking are crucial for students seeking to enter into the sports and entertainment facility management, and live events industries,” said Dr. Michael Mahoney, professor in the Department of Recreation Administration at Fresno State. “Networking with industry professionals can lead to wonderful connections, internship and job opportunities. Samantha is a prime example of this.”
The sports and entertainment facility management program prepares students for careers in this field through hands-on experiences and experiential settings that bring academic coursework into the real-world setting. Students are required to complete 200 pre-internship hours with emphasis-specific and industry-related organizations prior to their final 525-hour, semester-long internship.
Ford initially got her start in events and marketing at Fresno State, where she began as a student events coordinator for the University Student Union — a challenging time as the COVID-19 pandemic halted most on-campus events. However, this experience heightened her interest in working within entertainment facilities. This led to her next job as an usher for the Save Mart Center, an experience she loved.
She then turned to Fresno State athletics in August 2022, where she has been interning ever since. She directs other student interns and coordinates game-day promotions and marketing campaigns for each of the various sports teams on campus.
“That was probably one of the best decisions I’ve made over my career because that internship with Fresno State athletics is specifically what helped me get the experience I needed to apply for the San Francisco Giants and Las Vegas Raiders,” Ford said.
“It takes a village to get your degree”
Being a Bulldog was an easy and natural choice for Ford, who essentially grew up on campus. Her mother, Michaela Bojorquez-Ford, has worked in both faculty and administrative roles in the Craig School of Business for over 26 years, while her father and sister are both proud alumni.
Soon, Ford will join the alumni family when she graduates with her bachelor’s degree at the College of Health and Human Services commencement ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 18, at the Save Mart Center.
She said her degree has made all the difference.
“What I learned in the classroom became my foundation,” Ford said. “I may be biased, but I think the recreation administration program is superior. The courses prepare you for a career in the field, gives you a path to get there and helps you gain the experience that you need in order to get hired later on.”
This is especially true for Ford, who is already getting a headstart on her career and staying closely connected to the university she grew up with. She recently began her new job with Bulldog Sports Properties – just two months shy of graduation.
When asked about what being a Bulldog means to her, Ford smiles through grateful tears.
“Oh my gosh, what’s so special about Fresno State is the community support,” Ford said. “Fresno is a city that really strives to help and teach students. It’s the perfect big, little city, and I think that no matter what you want to do, there’s a spot for you in Fresno and there’s a business waiting to hire you because you are from Fresno State. I think that’s so special.”
Fresno State College of Health and Human Services 