Authored by: Aditya Jagdale, Wi-Fi Coach & WTAMU Student 

This year has been great for West Texas A&M University! As the university continues to strive for developing the next generation of leaders by fostering students with its exceptional academic and athletic programs, they have implemented a technology initiative to elevate the student experience to the next level.  

The new Buffalo Stadium at WTAMU features a state-of-the-art Wi-Fi 6 network – one of the fastest and the most advanced in the United States – for WTAMU’s football fans and students to enjoy uninterrupted entertainment during the games. This past year, I had the privilege of being a Wi-Fi Coach at the new stadium. 

As a Wi-Fi Coach, I learned how to interact with customers onsite and provide first-class service in any situation.  

During our training, we learned about Extreme Networks and their success in stadiums and across the NFL. We also practiced how to handle various types of situations as well as how to analyze any problem and ultimately solve them. As a group, we also defined the different types of fans in attendance at each game to better prepare for how to appropriately help them as per their distinct needs. 

It was an incredible opportunity to participate in conversations with the fans utilizing the network after every game. From this, I learned that our users in the student section mostly value being able to post to social media during the game, while fans in the VIP area value being able to replay plays, access emails, and streaming content. However, one thing was common across all stadium visitors – their reactions when I explained Wi-Fi 6 and its significance, especially for WTAMU; all were left in awe.   

Overall, the Wi-Fi Coach program was a great learning experience. I am blessed to have worked with an amazing team all season long, with great leadership and in partnership with Extreme Networks. I’m exceptionally excited that the journey is continuing as I was lucky enough to be one of the students selected to attend Super Bowl LIV as an Extreme Networks Certified Wi-Fi Coach.