Major: Business
Fernando Alvarado was exposed to soccer at an early age.
“I grew up in a Mexican-American household and started playing soccer when I was 10 years old,” he said. “After a season, I began playing travel soccer and have been passionate about the sport since then.”
Alvarado initially attended Northern Illinois University, where he competed on the soccer team during his freshmen year. Then he transferred to College of DuPage to study business, and during this time he began to coach.
“I became as passionate about it as playing competitively and began going through my coaching education,” he said.
E2 Emerging Entrepreneurs at COD
It was during the 2018 Maker Market at COD that Alvarado began to develop his entrepreneurial spirit and saw a way to combine this with soccer.
“I was actually motivated by Professor Peter James when I took his entrepreneurial course and sold official soccer jerseys and cleats during the Maker Market,” he said. “My father collects both items and grew into habitually looking for better alternatives to acquire this official merchandise at a lower cost. After participating in the Maker Market, I realized I should pursue my passion of soccer training and apparel.”
Alvarado launched Fernando Soccer Shop, which currently focuses on individualized and small-group training sessions as well as collaborating with local sponsors to organize high school winter camps and events for players in the DuPage County area. He collaborated with local businesses and launched the Fernando Soccer Shop men’s indoor soccer team. He also sells official soccer merchandise, primarily soccer jerseys and cleats, to consumers directly through his website and social media platforms.
In addition to running his business, he finished his Associate in Applied Science degree and the Consumer Marketing certificate at COD and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Texas. He returned to COD to complete coursework that helped him pass his real estate license exam and become a real estate agent. He is now completing a master’s degree in management at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and plans to enroll in the iMBA program at UIUC. He is also completing the FINRA SIE exam for a career in wealth management.
Alvarado is glad that he enrolled at COD and discovered a way to turn his passion for soccer into a career. He encourages students to take courses in the Business/Management/Marketing program.
“Have an open mind to new ideas and beliefs because COD is an opportunity for individuals to grow and gain experience and confidence.”
Pictured: Fernando Alvarado (right) with Colombian professional soccer player James Rodriguez
Learn more about the Business/Management/Marketing program at College of DuPage