Major-league access
Insightful.
That’s how Bhumi Bajracharya described her visit to Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers.
Bajracharya was one of 10 students from The University of Texas at Arlington’s “Mavs in the Metro” program who recently toured Globe Life Field, getting a behind-the-scenes look at how the ballpark operates and hearing career advice from Rangers executives on navigating the workforce and building successful careers.
“It was really insightful,” said Bajracharya, a junior studying aerospace engineering. “I didn’t realize how much goes on behind the scenes to make a game successful. They also shared a lot of good advice. One thing that really stuck with me was the idea of chasing good people, good community and good culture.”
The trip to Globe Life Field marked another memorable moment for the Mavs in the Metro program, an initiative launched by UT Arlington’s Honors College in partnership with the city of Arlington earlier this year. Through the program, students from all majors earn class credits while engaged in a part-time internship with the city.
The students were treated to a Q&A session with Rangers executives, including Rob Matwick, executive vice president of public affairs; Nick Richardson, vice president of ticket retention and new business development; Katie Morgan, vice president of business analytics and ticket strategy; and Reynaldo Casas, a UTA alumnus who serves as senior director of community impact.
One of the many pieces of advice the students received was to keep an open mind when entering the workforce. All of the Rangers executives took different paths to their current roles, such as Casas, who worked in politics in Washington, D.C., before returning to the Dallas–Fort Worth area to join the Rangers.
Bajracharya said hearing the executives describe their professional journeys was especially reassuring.
“We're all in a very early stage of our careers," she said. "It was encouraging to hear how many different paths can lead to opportunities you might never expect.”
After the Q&A session, Matwick led the students on a behind-the-scenes tour few people get to experience. One highlight came during a visit to the field-level suites: A batting-practice foul ball landed nearby, and engineering student Linh Dang came away with the souvenir.
The students then stepped onto the field as the Seattle Mariners, the Rangers’ opponent that night, took batting practice. Beneath the stands, they were shown a wall featuring home plates signed by various artists who have performed concerts at Globe Life Field. Elton John and Shakira were among those on the wall, but the photo op students craved came in front of the plate signed by K-pop group Stray Kids.
The day concluded with a visit to the office of public address announcer Chuck Morgan, located behind home plate. Morgan answered questions about his career, including his time at the Grand Ole Opry before joining the Rangers. Morgan even signed Dang’s foul ball.
“Today was amazing," said Dang, a senior majoring in engineering. "Hearing what recruiters look for, what I can improve and what I should be more curious about was really valuable. Learning what went into creating the stadium from the ground up was also fascinating.”
The Rangers visit was one of several experiences designed to help students better understand Arlington, its institutions and the people who help shape the city.
“I really like the concept of learning about the place where we're living. Before this program, I didn't really know Arlington,” said Syed Nashwan Chowdhury, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering. “I thought it was much more individualistic here, but it's actually more community-oriented. People care about each other more than we realize.”
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of Dallas-Fort Worth. With a student body of over 42,700, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 300,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.