Students in Stonehill College’s Sport Management Program are taking the elective of a lifetime working in hospitality roles at Boston Stadium in Foxborough this summer for the FIFA 2026 World Cup. A handful of highly-trained students have worked each of the seven matches at Boston Stadium, supporting guest services and VIP experiences with FIFA and On Location, a hospitality provider which bills itself as a global leader in premium experiences. “This is something that if I were to tell my younger self this, she wouldn’t believe it,” said Lily Newell, a rising senior and soccer player, at Stonehill College. “This is only something someone can dream of.”That dream has come true behind the scenes of the World Cup, as the students learn how to create positive experiences for thousands of people, including several high-profile VIP guests Newell can’t yet reveal. “I’ll keep that to myself!” she said, laughing. Their hard work, and the red polyester power suit they’re required to wear, are taking them to new heights. “It makes me excited to come back and it makes me excited to work in sports because it just pushes me,” said Newell. “And I love that because I feel like it shows the best version of myself.” Newell, and rising senior Jonathan Morency, said providing top-tier experiences for guests has helped them grow into the professionals they aspire to be. “Being the first welcoming face to greet them, help them guide them if they have any questions,” said Morency. “I think that’s the most important thing which helps start the positive experience.” The students are accompanied by Annemarie Farrell, an associate professor and the Chair in Stonehill’s Department of Sport Management. While she has been teaching there for 20 years, she says everyone on site has become an extra professor for her students at this unique learning lab this summer. “It’s about building confidence,” said Farrell. “For a lot of these students, it’s about making them realize that they belong in these rooms.” Farrell said the 15 students were chosen because they’ve proven themselves able to conduct themselves professionally at such a high-level event. The process to bring them here took about a year-and-a-half. Farrell credits connections within the Stonehill College community with opening these doors for her students. “There’s no better classroom for our students than being in the stadium, in the thick of things, in the highest level of VIP hospitality in sport,” she said. Morency confirms for the curious that, no, they are not allowed to watch the match while they’re working. But for him, this experience goes beyond the competition and the entertainment “It’s about connection,” said Morency. “It’s about allowing people to come together to enjoy themselves and overall have a common goal. Whether you’re here to see your team win, or your favorite player, whatever the case may be, we’re all here to have fun and overall just exchange cultures with each other and really understand each other more.” Farrell tells her students this is not a once-in-a-lifetime experience if they do a good job. “For my students this is just the beginning,” said Farrell. “This is maybe just their first World Cup.” Sure enough, some of these very same students also got to work the Super Bowl this year in California. Stonehill College students invited to work Super Bowl Sunday at Levi Stadium:
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. —
Students in Stonehill College’s Sport Management Program are taking the elective of a lifetime working in hospitality roles at Boston Stadium in Foxborough this summer for the FIFA 2026 World Cup.
A handful of highly-trained students have worked each of the seven matches at Boston Stadium, supporting guest services and VIP experiences with FIFA and On Location, a hospitality provider which bills itself as a global leader in premium experiences.
“This is something that if I were to tell my younger self this, she wouldn’t believe it,” said Lily Newell, a rising senior and soccer player, at Stonehill College. “This is only something someone can dream of.”
That dream has come true behind the scenes of the World Cup, as the students learn how to create positive experiences for thousands of people, including several high-profile VIP guests Newell can’t yet reveal.
“I’ll keep that to myself!” she said, laughing.
Hearst Owned
Stonehill College Sport Management students pose inside Boston Stadium where they’re been working in hospitality roles for every match at the FIFA World Cup.
Their hard work, and the red polyester power suit they’re required to wear, are taking them to new heights.
“It makes me excited to come back and it makes me excited to work in sports because it just pushes me,” said Newell. “And I love that because I feel like it shows the best version of myself.”
Newell, and rising senior Jonathan Morency, said providing top-tier experiences for guests has helped them grow into the professionals they aspire to be.
“Being the first welcoming face to greet them, help them guide them if they have any questions,” said Morency. “I think that’s the most important thing which helps start the positive experience.”
The students are accompanied by Annemarie Farrell, an associate professor and the Chair in Stonehill’s Department of Sport Management. While she has been teaching there for 20 years, she says everyone on site has become an extra professor for her students at this unique learning lab this summer.
“It’s about building confidence,” said Farrell. “For a lot of these students, it’s about making them realize that they belong in these rooms.”
Farrell said the 15 students were chosen because they’ve proven themselves able to conduct themselves professionally at such a high-level event. The process to bring them here took about a year-and-a-half. Farrell credits connections within the Stonehill College community with opening these doors for her students.
“There’s no better classroom for our students than being in the stadium, in the thick of things, in the highest level of VIP hospitality in sport,” she said.
Morency confirms for the curious that, no, they are not allowed to watch the match while they’re working. But for him, this experience goes beyond the competition and the entertainment
“It’s about connection,” said Morency. “It’s about allowing people to come together to enjoy themselves and overall have a common goal. Whether you’re here to see your team win, or your favorite player, whatever the case may be, we’re all here to have fun and overall just exchange cultures with each other and really understand each other more.”
Farrell tells her students this is not a once-in-a-lifetime experience if they do a good job.
“For my students this is just the beginning,” said Farrell. “This is maybe just their first World Cup.”
Sure enough, some of these very same students also got to work the Super Bowl this year in California.
Stonehill College students invited to work Super Bowl Sunday at Levi Stadium: