by Britney Nikles
Disney College Program Campus Representative, St. Petersburg College
Ever imagine what it’d be like to be a Disney Cast Member? When you work at Disney you’re more then just an employee you are part of the show! Being able to help bring the magic to life has been one of the most rewarding journeys I’ve embarked when I applied for the Disney College Program. I had a amazing on-the-job experiences. Took courses I received college credit for only offered by Disney. And made some pretty amazing professional connections through their networking opportunities I found.
The Disney College Program is an entry-level internship at Walt Disney World or Disney Land. It’s a paid position and they provide available housing for your program length. All that’s required is you are actively enrolled for at least one college course when you apply. Everyone’s experience is difference, its all what you make it.
I applied to the Disney College Program as something to do to help me determine what I really want do professionally. I was offered a position for seven months as a lifeguard, and of course I most eagerly accepted it. I remained a fulltime student through online courses (not required), and took one of Disney’s college credit courses they offered.
On my free time I found myself making lots of memories. I had roommates, and we always found something fun to do. Oh… Yeah, you get to visit the theme parks as much as you want when you’re a Cast Member on your days off! So if you can dream it, we did it… Disney style!
I met tons of inspirational Cast Members who shared their stories and experiences, and helped pave a path for me. The Corporate communications course I took with Disney showed me the professional side of a huge corporation. I decided it would be best to go home and work towards a degree in Business and Marketing for Public Communications.
When I was in my final months of my program, I applied to extend for another five months. I was accepted, and cross-trained into Recreation for children’s activities. Once I completed my additional time, I choose to go seasonal. You can only be on the College Program for twelve months maximum at a time. I took a seasonal status to remain a current Cast Member. After one year of being seasonal and sharing my story so many times… I transferred to a Disney College Program Representative so I could share the magic even more.