Disney coming to campus

By Shannon Milliken
The Collegian

Students who want to play Tinkerbell for a semester and still earn academic credit can learn how at this week’s Disney College Program information sessions.

The two sessions, held Wednesday and Thursday will outline the program, which runs during the spring semester and is an internship program where students earn academic credit and get paid to work at Walt Disney World.

The Disney College Program is all-inclusive for students who are chosen. They are provided with housing in Florida, transportation, free admission to Disney World, discounts on Disney merchandise and a paying job fulfilling one of Disney World’s 7,000 different types of roles.

These roles range from engineering to entertainment performers, from chefs to event planners.

Students have the chance to job shadow a professional in any available field they choose at Disney World.

The recruiter for Fresno State, Julie Couret, is an alumna of the Disney College Program. She began working in Downtown Disney at Pleasure Island, but was quickly promoted to management of transportation operations.

Couret said Business Weekly named the program the “number one place to launch your career,” because of the creativity it encourages. The article in Business Weekly also said cynics needn’t apply, and Couret agrees.

“I’m looking for students who have a positive attitude that have a passion to work for Disney,” Couret said. “I want people looking to gain from the experience in terms of professional or self-development.”

In addition to working in the theme park, students involved will take classes ranging from effective communication skills to hospitality management, and they’ll earn units at Fresno State for the classes.
Couret said the combination of the role the student plays and the classes they take will establish “really foundational skills that are necessary for any job.”

Students of all majors are allowed to apply, even those planning to graduate this December.

Couret will be recruiting for students to be in either the January-May session or the January-August session. Around 4000 college students participate in the Disney College Program every semester and they make-up the future of the company.

The informational presentations will be held Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the University Business Center and Thursday at 11 a.m. in University Student Union 317. Students should bring a completed online application, which can be found at www.disneycollegeprogram.com.

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