Ana Sanchez Alfaro, a senior Information Technology major and student worker, has proven to be an invaluable member of the Office of Advancement. During this new era of physical distancing, Ana continues to perform important work from home during the COVID-19 crisis.

She is taking on research-based projects, among other efforts, to help coordinate and organize the office as all team members are working remotely.

“It was quite easy to set up a working station from home,” Ana said. “I knew that there would be a possibility that I would not have access to some files that were only in the office, but I worked around that. I tried to utilize all of the Microsoft applications that were available to us. When it came to accessing information, it was easy.”

Many UNT Dallas student workers were given opportunities to work from home, as they perform vital roles in numerous departments. It’s helpful for students to maintain financial stability during these critical times when the university is closed and Dallas County is under a stay-at-home order. Working from home can certainly take some getting used to because of a variety of distractions that just aren’t applicable in an office setting, including the furry, four-legged kind.

“One of those distractions is my dog,” Ana confided. “He is always barking at the noises that come from outside. I learned that I have to keep him on my lap while I work in order to keep him from barking.”

The university is thankful to Ana and all of the student workers who are successfully balancing classwork and office work, virtually. We will continue to share stories of our student workers, student body, faculty and staff as we all adjust to the new normal of virtual learning and working from home.