Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about a certain worldwide soccer tournament that’s taking place across the Americas. This summer, Fordham student Samuel Drew is interning at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, making sure all stadium events run smoothly.
A political science major from New Orleans, Drew’s work focuses on site operations, including coordinating fan entrances, supporting security and vendors, managing stadium signage and setup, and assisting with crowd-flow during those internationally televised soccer games.
Drew—a sports fan who has also worked for the US Open—is no stranger to live event management. At Fordham, he serves as president of the Mimes and Mummers theater group, where he designs lighting, sets, and technical elements for student productions.
“Whether it’s a play, a soccer match, or a concert, it’s all live events,” the rising senior said. “It’s the same skillset, just at a much different scale.”
Drew works on-site at the stadium several days a week, gaining hands-on experience during one of the busiest periods in its history. His time at Fordham has helped prepare him for the challenge. He has worked extensively with the University’s athletics department in facilities and event management, supporting game-day operations and logistics across multiple sports. Someday, he’d like to work in operations at a sports venue or with a league.
In the meantime, he’s continuing to hone those skills behind the scenes at that world-famous soccer tournament.
“It’s been great to learn about how major sporting events are put together,” Drew said. “There’s something about that and working with a team that is just so rewarding for me.”
