During football season, while one team of Bulldogs work on the field, another team is working behind the scenes.
Bulldog fans know the best seats in the house are up in the Bulldog Suites, but many students have never been in them-aside from the students who are chosen to be suites ambassadors.
Generally, around 24 guests spend the game in each suite. The suites look almost like hotel rooms with huge, retractable windows that provide a view of the game.
They also have a lounge, a living area, a kitchen area with refrigerator and a private restroom. Visitors order catered meals from prepared menus for each game.
Several businesses own skyboxes, as well as families and prominent MSU personalities like Coach Sylvester Croom’s family and MSU President Charles Lee.
“I’ve been an ambassador for three years and have had the opportunity to meet Haley Barbour and Ronnie Musgrove during their election, and also Jackie Sheryl’s wife,” senior accounting student Andrea Crouther said. “So if you’re a people person, it’s the job for you.”
Below the suites is the club level. There are three main lounges with big screen televisions, several smaller televisions, tables, chairs and couches. In the club level ambassadors are responsible for assisting visitors and ensuring they each have wristbands.
“This is a great way to be involved in athletics at MSU and an easy way to make contacts,” suites director Robyn Felton said. “It allows you to build relationships with alumni and put time and energy into the school.”
The job consists of three different positions; a suite ambassador, responsible for attending to assigned skyboxes and acting as a liaison between suite guests and management staff; a host ambassador, who controls access to suite and club levels; and a floater, who will primarily substitute for team members on break.
“Being an ambassador is a lot of fun because the people are always very nice,” junior communication major Sarah Smith said. “During one game, I was offered a babysitting position as well, so this is a good way to meet people who can help me in other ways.”
Each home game day, the job lasts about eight hours. The gates open two hours before kickoff, and games usually last three to four hours. Afterward, the skyboxes stay open for about an hour and an half.
The Bulldog Suites Ambassador program is hiring students interested in working at this fall’s MSU home football games. There are 40 available positions at $7 an hour.
Those interested can visit the office in Humphrey’s Coliseum near the old ticket windows to schedule an interview.
Training is required August 25, which includes a three-hour ambassador orientation.