Students in the sports management department at LaGrange College are getting the chance of a lifetime this year.

The college is one of six universities that will help with preparation for the NFL’s Super Bowl LII, which will be played at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota in February. The NFL is a hot topic for other reasons right now, but there’s no denying that the Super Bowl is the biggest annual sporting spectacle in the world.

A total of 172 million people watched last year’s Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons.

The students will volunteer with the Minneapolis host committee for the activities portion of the Super Bowl village and then will help the NFL during the game, according to Dr. Preston James IV, the assistant professor of Sports Management and Law.

Students will also have a chance to meet the major sponsors of the game, such as Visa and McDonalds.

This is an incredible opportunity, and the work is already underway.

The sports management department took part in a Skype session with Super Bowl organizers at the end of September.

James said the sports management department also volunteers to help out at the Peach Bowl and College Football Playoff National Championship at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta this year too. As someone who knew sports as a first love, it’s exciting to learn about the opportunity these students have in front of them.

Last week, Baker Ellis and I had a chance to tour LaGrange College for the first time. I remember driving under the LaGrange College bridge the day I first drove into LaGrange and wondering what I was looking at. It was really the first thing that was labeled “LaGrange,” so at that point, I began taking a closer look at this area.

I remember thinking how impressive the college’s campus looked from the car that day, but last week I had the chance to see it close up.

The campus is beautiful, the facilities are top-notch and from talking to some of the staff there, it’s clear the students are the focus. That’s the way it should be. In my short time in LaGrange, I’ve talked to several people who came to LaGrange just to attend the college, then loved it so much that they stayed here to raise their family.

That proves the positive affect the college is having on this city.