As the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics came to a close, a group of George Washington University students made their way back to Foggy Bottom, energized by the once-in-a-lifetime experience. The students spent an incredible two weeks taking in the excitement of one of the world’s largest sporting events, learning, exploring and making new connections along the way.
Since 1992, Lisa Delpy Neirotti, the director of the M.S. in Sport Management Program at GW Business and an associate professor of sport management, has been taking GW students to the Olympic Games. The program gives students a rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse into how a major international sporting event is organized.
While in Italy, the GW students volunteered with the Milano Cortina Olympic Organizing Committee (MiCo) and gained valuable, hands-on experience in event management and hospitality.
They assisted at events including ice hockey, figure skating, and speed skating, helping to prepare athlete locker rooms, access control to field of play, ticketing and supporting guests.
Students also conducted surveys with attendees to collect valuable spectator data, which will be shared with the International Olympic Committee and the Future Host Organizing Committees.
The GW students had the chance to meet with Olympic officials, athletes and connected with GW alumni who were at the games.
Below are reflections from students as they describe what they gained from this one-of-a-kind opportunity.
To learn more about the students’ experience, visit their blog.
Sophia Volvovsky, M.S. International Business
“Now that I’ve returned home and gone back to my normal routines (save for my sleep schedule, of course), I have been reflecting on the program and how it has changed my path. I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to explore and experience the Olympics, and I have a deep appreciation for how much this experience expanded my sense of what I am capable of. Being part of the MiCo environment was energizing, not just because of the scale of the games, but also because of how natural it felt to move through it. This program challenged me to be adaptable, observant and proactive, and I am happy to be leaving knowing I met those challenges with confidence.
One of the most meaningful takeaways I gained from this program was learning to be present within an experience, rather than stressing about what I was missing or trying to define the experience while it was happening. Despite the quick pace of the games, when I look back on my time as a volunteer, my time in Milan feels full and distinct. I have realized how valuable it is to allow experiences to happen without constantly evaluating them and just letting them occur as they do and teach me what they will. This program has left me feeling energized, purely because of the ways it expanded my perspectives. The Olympics are no longer something I simply watch on TV, talk about in casual conversations or admire from afar. They have become a part of my lived experience, and this change has given me a sense of excitement and assurance for the games ahead. Not only will I forever hold onto this experience as something special and once-in-a-lifetime, but I have also learned that I can step into unfamiliar environments and make them feel like my own. Overall, this program has helped me develop holistically, and I will forever be grateful for all that it has brought me.”
Samir Rahman, M.S. Sports Management
“I had an amazing experience during my two-week journey to the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Games. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to witness the Games, for the new insights and knowledge I gained about the Olympics, for the people I met and for the peers with whom I had the pleasure of sharing this journey.
I had the opportunity to meet many different people, including guest speakers, volunteers, spectators and locals. It was amazing to learn about the places they came from and what brought them to the Olympics, expanding my understanding not only of Olympic motivations but also of the different cultures and places around the world people represent. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime, eye-opening experience to travel and be part of a prominent global mega-event.”
Liam Coffey, M.S. Sports Management
“Now that the trip has come to an end, I have had a couple days to reflect on my experience. This trip was truly a once in a lifetime experience. Being able to meet so many different people involved in the Olympics at so many different levels and organizations has broadened my horizons even more to all the potential avenues I can find myself in the sports world.
I have learned that the Olympics are so much larger than what you see on the TV or when you are in the stands, so many people are involved in planning and executing this massive sporting event. Plus, getting the chance to explore Milan was amazing too, it is such a beautiful city. This trip is something I don’t think I will ever forget, and I am super grateful that I got to be a part of it.”
Claudia Sanz, M.S. Sport Management
“I had the opportunity to volunteer at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games alongside a cohort of fellow George Washington University students. During my two weeks in Milan, I served as a timing volunteer for multiple women’s and men’s ice hockey games at Rho Arena, where I was responsible for recording time on ice and tracking line changes. Being entrusted with such an important role — one that requires precision and focus — at the Olympic level is something I will cherish forever. Sitting at the stats bench with the rest of the team, knowing the accuracy and meticulousness of our work truly mattered, was exhilarating, albeit incredibly stressful. As my bench manager often reminded us, ‘Timing in hockey is not just a background role. It is part of the game.’ I also had the chance to work alongside an incredible timing team, all of whom share a passion for ice hockey. It was especially meaningful to meet the women on my team, whose experiences ranged from former national team players to NCAA Division I athletes to current high school players. Many came from countries such as Italy, France and Japan — places where ice hockey, particularly women’s hockey, is not as well established as it is in Canada or the United States.
After each game, the arena DJ played Stompin’ Tom Connors’ 1973 hit, “The Hockey Song.” As the arena sang along, I am not ashamed to admit I teared up more than once. At Rho, there was a genuine sense of community, even among rival countries, and I began to fully understand the meaning of the Olympic spirit. It was also inspiring to see thousands of fans from competing nations show up day after day to support their women’s teams. Witnessing that support made me hopeful for the continued growth of ice hockey for women and girls around the world. It was a powerful example of how the Olympic Games bring people together through sport. Many of us also volunteered at the Winter House, the closed hospitality venue for the USA figure skating, speed skating and ice hockey federations, which hosted athletes, their families, friends and sponsors. There, I assisted with guest check-in and credential verification. I also had the opportunity to meet several of my ice hockey heroes, including Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, Kendall Coyne, Mike Eruzione and Dave Christian. I am incredibly grateful for these experiences with the Winter Olympic Games, the IIHF and the broader ice hockey community, and I will treasure these memories for years to come."
Zoe Jagher, B.S. Marketing
“We started the day at the Duomo, exploring inside before climbing the stairs to the rooftop. The views over Milan were incredible. From the top, we could see NBC set up on a nearby rooftop overlooking the Duomo, and we watched them interview Madison Chock and Evan Bates. Because it was a free day, we spent the afternoon getting lunch and doing some shopping around Milan. That night was easily one of the best experiences of the trip. After months of searching, I found 30 euro “obstructed view” tickets to the USA vs. Latvia men’s hockey game earlier in the week. Somehow, the seats ended up being in the first row, directly behind the USA bench. Hearing the players, watching line changes up close, and feeling the energy from that spot made it one of the best sporting events I’ve ever attended.
The next day, I returned to short track speed skating. My role was opening the gate onto the ice during practice, which meant standing just feet away from the athletes as they trained. Later in the week, during my final shift, I worked a medal event and saw the Netherlands win the 1,500 meters. My role for that shift was to ensure no fans entered the noncompeting athlete section of the stands. It was amazing to see athletes watching and cheering on their teammates.We also visited the Alibaba showcase and experienced its AI and VR activation. It is always interesting to see the creative ways sponsors activate on the ground in Milan. From cathedral rooftops to front-row hockey to medal moments on the field of play, this stretch of days perfectly captured how special the Olympics truly are.”
David Zinneman, M.S. Sports Management
“As the program comes to an end, it is hard to fully put into words what this experience has meant to me. The past days have been filled with moments that felt surreal, exciting, educational and, at times, overwhelming in the best possible way. From walking through the Duomo during the Opening Ceremony to working ice hockey at Santa Giulia, from exploring hospitality houses to listening to Olympic executives speak about future Games, every day offered something new.
What stands out most is how layered the Olympic Games truly are. On the surface, they are about sport and competition. But being here showed me how much more there is. The sponsorship activations, transportation planning, athlete services operations, volunteer coordination, hospitality strategy and global branding all work together to create what the world sees on television. Watching it unfold in real time made everything we study feel tangible and alive. Volunteering was especially meaningful. Being in athlete services and seeing how much preparation goes into supporting teams gave me a new appreciation for the behind the scenes work that makes competition possible. The athletes may be the stars, but thousands of people work quietly to ensure everything runs smoothly. Beyond the professional insight, this experience was personal. Watching the Super Bowl in Milan, meeting fellow New Jersey natives halfway across the world, trying new foods and having conversations with people from different countries reminded me how powerful global events can be. The Olympics truly shrink the world. You realize quickly how connected we all are. If there is one takeaway from this program, it is that the Olympic Games are not just an event. They are a platform—a platform for sport, for culture, for business, for diplomacy and for personal growth. I arrived excited and curious. I leave inspired and even more motivated to be part of this industry in the future. This trip was more than I expected, and it is one I will carry with me for a long time.”
Mya Lesley-Drakeford, M.S. Sport Management
“On Tuesday, Feb. 17, I said my goodbyes to Milan, Italy. It’s wild how quickly this time has flown by. As I fly back to Washington, D.C., reflecting on my experience, I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of this cohort and to volunteer at the 2026 Winter Olympics. I came into this experience without expectations and without knowing what to expect from volunteering, and I’m glad I did. Having an open mindset allowed me to take everything in with gratitude. This was a unique experience that went beyond traditional volunteering and city exploration.
I learned about the behind the scenes operations of the Olympics from marketing executives, IOC members, TOP sponsors, the chief executive officer of LA28, GW alumni and many others. Because of this experience, I now view the Olympics from a different perspective and have expanded my understanding of what it means to work in sports. I want to thank Dr. Lisa Delpy-Neirotti for the opportunity to be part of this class and trip. It is a memory I will cherish forever.”
Sam Taylor, M.S. Sports Management
“I am currently sitting in the Milan airport, reflecting on the incredible experience I just had and trying to organize my thoughts, so I don’t miss highlighting anything. I’ve loved the Olympics growing up, and it was surreal not only to experience one firsthand but also to work behind the scenes glimpse and see all the logistical pieces that come with it. I met people from around the world who share my love of sport and competition. I was lucky enough to get direct access to the speed skaters, witnessing how much training, skill and precision go into their sport. I also heard from renowned speakers Professor Neirotti organized, who highlighted many different aspects of the Olympics and the sports industry. Every day brought something new, and while it felt like a whirlwind at times, I wouldn’t change a second of it.
Having never been to Italy, the country exceeded my expectations. I ate better than I ever have (something my bank account might not have appreciated, but hey, I’m only at the Italian Olympics once, right?) and was able to experience much of what Milan had to offer. I would come back to Italy in a second and visit as many of its cities as I could. I have nothing but good things to say about the country."