“If the San Francisco 49ers were a car, what kind of car would they be?"

Students in Professor Bidisha Burman's 8 a.m. Marketing Research class didn’t expect that question from their guest speaker. But for Noah Hammerman, manager of design for the San Francisco 49ers, that was exactly the point.

"When you think of the 49ers, what do you smell?" he asked next. "Fresh-cut grass? Smoke from tailgates?" 

The unusual exercise wasn’t about football—it was about branding. Hammerman's visit was one of four guest lectures held this spring through Pacific's partnership with the San Francisco 49ers, bringing professionals from across the organization into the classroom to show students how the concepts they study at Pacific can apply to careers in professional sports and beyond.

Hammerman explained that questions like these were part of an initiative designed to uncover how fans connect with the 49ers. The responses, gathered through fan surveys and captured in 27 pages of data, became the foundation for a design sprint that helped reshape the organization's brand and visual identity. 

For Pacific students, it was a rare glimpse into the creative process behind one of the NFL's most iconic brands. 

In Professor Price Burlington's Career Development Seminar, Emily Bird, the 49ers' senior director of people operations, shared advice for building a standout resume, networking, preparing for interviews and negotiating salary. 

"I would encourage you to start reaching out to the organizations that you want to be a part of,” she said. “A lot of times people think 'I'm not good at networking,’ or ‘I'm not good at small talk.' Maybe you're an introvert and you feel like that's not where your skill set lies. I would say that networking is a learnable skill. The more reps you get, the better you're going to be at it."

Students left Bird's session with practical strategies they could put into practice right away.

"What stood out to me the most in her lecture was the key advice to follow up after a networking interaction and schedule a 10- or 15-minute call with the person,” said Jesus Gonzalez-Sandoval ’27, who is double majoring in finance and business analytics. “I appreciate how impactful and foundational these lectures can truly be to help set us up for success.”

Other sessions highlighted the many roles that keep a professional sports franchise running outside of game day. Nate Racela, manager of partnership sales, visited Professor Qingwen Dong's Intercultural Communications class, sharing how strategic partnerships help organizations amplify their message and build lasting relationships with brands and communities alike.

“Nate’s visit opened our students’ eyes to how the sports industry operates and reinforced an important lesson from Intercultural Communication,” Dong said. “We should approach people, learning and career opportunities with curiosity and an open mind. He helped students see that intercultural communication is not merely a classroom concept—it is an essential skill in building relationships, navigating organizations and pursuing meaningful careers.”

For students in Pacific’s College Corps program, the conversation focused on corporate responsibility and community impact.

Christina Jefferson, the 49ers' senior director of inclusion and culture, joined First Lady Jean Callahan and Dr. Mohamed Jalloh, director of health equity at Partnership HealthPlan of California, for a panel discussion about the role organizations play in strengthening the communities they serve.

"It's innate at the 49ers. We are the community, so we need to support the community,” Jefferson said. “It shows in several ways, part of which is the partnership with University of the Pacific. Not only do you see our players giving back but our employees are doing the same thing behind the scenes."

Her message resonated with Alyssa Pham ’27, a pre-pharmacy major in the College Corps program.

"I thought it was really cool how the team uplifts the community through service and that really shows how much the 49ers care about those around them. They believe that to have a supportive fanbase means giving back to the fans as well," she said.

The guest lecture series is one of many ways Pacific's partnership with the San Francisco 49ers is enriching the student experience. Additional guest speakers, internships, viewing parties and programming are planned for the new academic year, creating more opportunities for students to engage with the organization. 

Learn more at Pacific.edu/49ers.