Walt Disney once said, “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”
Stephanie LaRussa, a St. Petersburg College student in the Hospitality and Tourism program, had a dream to intern for the Walt Disney Company. She achieved this dream and this is the story of her once in a lifetime experience.
“There are so many things I can say about the Disney College Program. For me personally, this internship has been more than just a semester-long full time job. To point out the obvious, I learned the true meaning of guest service from the world’s best hospitality corporation. But what I didn’t know, was how much it would teach me about life.”
“The Disney College Program is growing up. Surprisingly, in the place where your inner child is set free, I learned to be an adult. I learned to depend on myself, as this was my first time leaving home. I learned that I am capable of so much more than I give myself credit for. I learned how to look at things from a positive prospective, and how to make a negative situation a good one.”
“The Disney College Program is learning to love yourself. It’s adventure – late nights at IHOP, hanging out on Main Street until they kick you out, and taking chances you never thought you would. I won’t lie; the Disney College Program is stress. It’s closing your shop at 2 AM, dealing with people whose first language isn’t English, running on little to no sleep, a grueling 12-hour shift on one of the busiest days of the season, and swallowing your pride. But, the Disney College Program is magic that YOU create. It’s watching a mother and a child cry together when they see Wishes for the first time. It’s pin trading with a child and watching their face light up when you’re the reason that they’ve completed their pin set. It’s a simple birthday wish, or a “Happy Anniversary!” that you tell your guest. It’s calling a little girl “Princess”, and having her believe it. It’s making magic, and for once, believing in it- it’s believing in YOU.”
“The Disney College Program is something I would relive if I could. The late nights, the tears, the 65-hour work week during Christmas, the not getting into bed until almost 4 am, sleeping all day and working all night. I’d do it all over again. The Disney College Program is, to put it simply, worth it.”
If you have a dream to intern for the Walt Disney Co., click here for more information, or you can call the internship office at 727-341-3102. March 28th is the deadline to apply for a Fall 2014 Disney College Program internship.
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