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Daniella Alvarez, a UTPB transfer specialist, was selected as one of 6,000 volunteers in Dallas for FIFA World Cup 2026 after more than 1 million people applied. (Photo via UTPB Facebook page)
Daniella Alvarez is putting her lifelong passion for sports into action by volunteering for the FIFA World Cup.
The World Cup runs from June 11-July 19. It is the first World Cup to be co-hosted across three countries and features 48 teams.
Alvarez’s spot is in Dallas. The University of Texas Permian Basin transfer specialist initially applied in August when the applications opened. She didn’t hear anything back until late October when she was invited for a volunteer tryout.
“In November I went to my tryout in Dallas, so that basically entailed them giving us more information about the World Cup and the different roles of the volunteers. Then we have one-on-one get to know you sessions with a what they call startup volunteer. Those volunteers were the people running the one-on-one interviews,” Alvarez said.
After that, there was about a three-month break until notifications were made. Alvarez said she heard she was chosen at the beginning of March.
“I was offered the volunteer position of Host City Ambassador for the FIFA Fan Festival,” she said.
The fan festival is a free event with different vendors like Coca-Cola, Michelob Ultra and Bank of America.
“It’s kind of like a mini festival for the fans who can’t get tickets or afford to go to games. There are different types of screens and activities to make that vibe of the stadium,” Alvarez said.
More than 1 million people applied to volunteer for the World Cup and 15,000 got invited to the Dallas volunteer tryouts, she said.
After that, 6,000 were chosen to be volunteers throughout the entirety of the Dallas portion portion of the World Cup, “so they really push the saying you’re truly one in a million.”
Alvarez noted that the volunteers are of all ages and backgrounds and come from different places.
“It’s such a happy, fun vibe that no matter what you’re doing as a volunteer. It’s fun. The entire process has been so much fun,” she added.
Ultimately, Alvarez wants to volunteer for the softball portion of the Olympics because she’s a big softball fan.
“I thought … this is like an Olympics. Even though it’s one sport, this would be a great opportunity, and I have always had a passion for sports, so any way that I can get involved, I want to do that because I work part-time with athletics here, whether it’s promotion or doing broadcasting for them. I also work part-time for the Midland RockHounds as their promotions game day team lead, so that’s been a fun way to stay involved in sports,” Alvarez said.
“I thought, hey, I’ll apply. The worst thing that they could do was not respond or say no, but at least I tried. I was very excited to hear back and have the opportunity,” she added.
Alvarez said she’s a big fan of the Mexico national soccer team.
She has put in two shifts so far and volunteers are required to work eight shifts total. Alvarez arranged her shifts for holidays and weekends so she wouldn’t miss work.
“It was awesome. I think the most fun part about it was meeting people from around the world. I got to meet a lot of fans from Japan because they’re playing there, as well as Holland,” Alvarez said.
Volunteers are assigned to certain spots. She was assigned to the festival, but there are five different areas she can work in.
“I did guest operations my first shift, and then I helped with the playground activations my second shift, so I got to learn two different aspects of the fan festival from the five, so I hope throughout the rest of my shifts I get the opportunity to work in each of those areas to really get the full experience,” Alvarez said.
A Fort Stockton native, she’s a first-generation Mexican-American. She has family in the Dallas area so she’s able to stay with them when she volunteers.
Alvarez said she feels this experience will help her professionally.
“My dream in my life has always been to work for a professional sports team, so to even have this opportunity to play a little part within the FIFA World Cup and have my name like attached to that in some way has been exciting. I hope it helps elevate me to reach my goals of working for a professional sports team in the future,” she said.
Alvarez earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and a master’s degree in education and coaching and sports administration.
She has been at UTPB since July 2022.
“I’ve had a lot of encouragement and messages from my fellow co-workers, as well as my supervisors, and just even being recognized by the university itself has been nice, because they see us outside of what we do within UTPB,” Alvarez said.
Her job at UTPB involves working directly with local community colleges like Midland College to make a seamless transfer for students who want to come to a four-year institution from a community college.
“Besides working with Midland College, we just signed a partnership with Amarillo College, and that’s one of my new schools that I’ll be taking on. I also go around and recruit throughout the entire state of Texas, along with some community colleges on the Texas-New Mexico border,” Alvarez said.
The post UTPB official volunteers at World Cup appeared first on Odessa American.
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Daniella Alvarez is putting her lifelong passion for sports into action by volunteering for the FIFA World Cup.
The World Cup runs from June 11-July 19. It is the first World Cup to be co-hosted across three countries and features 48 teams.
Alvarez’s spot is in Dallas. The University of Texas Permian Basin transfer specialist initially applied in August when the applications opened. She didn’t hear anything back until late October when she was invited for a volunteer tryout.
“In November I went to my tryout in Dallas, so that basically entailed them giving us more information about the World Cup and the different roles of the volunteers. Then we have one-on-one get to know you sessions with a what they call startup volunteer. Those volunteers were the people running the one-on-one interviews,” Alvarez said.
After that, there was about a three-month break until notifications were made. Alvarez said she heard she was chosen at the beginning of March.
“I was offered the volunteer position of Host City Ambassador for the FIFA Fan Festival,” she said.
The fan festival is a free event with different vendors like Coca-Cola, Michelob Ultra and Bank of America.
“It’s kind of like a mini festival for the fans who can’t get tickets or afford to go to games. There are different types of screens and activities to make that vibe of the stadium,” Alvarez said.
More than 1 million people applied to volunteer for the World Cup and 15,000 got invited to the Dallas volunteer tryouts, she said.
After that, 6,000 were chosen to be volunteers throughout the entirety of the Dallas portion portion of the World Cup, “so they really push the saying you’re truly one in a million.”
Alvarez noted that the volunteers are of all ages and backgrounds and come from different places.
“It’s such a happy, fun vibe that no matter what you’re doing as a volunteer. It’s fun. The entire process has been so much fun,” she added.
Ultimately, Alvarez wants to volunteer for the softball portion of the Olympics because she’s a big softball fan.
“I thought … this is like an Olympics. Even though it’s one sport, this would be a great opportunity, and I have always had a passion for sports, so any way that I can get involved, I want to do that because I work part-time with athletics here, whether it’s promotion or doing broadcasting for them. I also work part-time for the Midland RockHounds as their promotions game day team lead, so that’s been a fun way to stay involved in sports,” Alvarez said.
“I thought, hey, I’ll apply. The worst thing that they could do was not respond or say no, but at least I tried. I was very excited to hear back and have the opportunity,” she added.
Alvarez said she’s a big fan of the Mexico national soccer team.
She has put in two shifts so far and volunteers are required to work eight shifts total. Alvarez arranged her shifts for holidays and weekends so she wouldn’t miss work.
“It was awesome. I think the most fun part about it was meeting people from around the world. I got to meet a lot of fans from Japan because they’re playing there, as well as Holland,” Alvarez said.
Volunteers are assigned to certain spots. She was assigned to the festival, but there are five different areas she can work in.
“I did guest operations my first shift, and then I helped with the playground activations my second shift, so I got to learn two different aspects of the fan festival from the five, so I hope throughout the rest of my shifts I get the opportunity to work in each of those areas to really get the full experience,” Alvarez said.
A Fort Stockton native, she’s a first-generation Mexican-American. She has family in the Dallas area so she’s able to stay with them when she volunteers.
Alvarez said she feels this experience will help her professionally.
“My dream in my life has always been to work for a professional sports team, so to even have this opportunity to play a little part within the FIFA World Cup and have my name like attached to that in some way has been exciting. I hope it helps elevate me to reach my goals of working for a professional sports team in the future,” she said.
Alvarez earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and a master’s degree in education and coaching and sports administration.
She has been at UTPB since July 2022.
“I’ve had a lot of encouragement and messages from my fellow co-workers, as well as my supervisors, and just even being recognized by the university itself has been nice, because they see us outside of what we do within UTPB,” Alvarez said.
Her job at UTPB involves working directly with local community colleges like Midland College to make a seamless transfer for students who want to come to a four-year institution from a community college.
“Besides working with Midland College, we just signed a partnership with Amarillo College, and that’s one of my new schools that I’ll be taking on. I also go around and recruit throughout the entire state of Texas, along with some community colleges on the Texas-New Mexico border,” Alvarez said.
The post UTPB official volunteers at World Cup appeared first on Odessa American.
Continue reading...
