NEWS

Stephanie Glynn and Cailyn Branton, Slidell natives who are sophomores in Biology at Louisiana Tech University, will be able to explore a new work environment while gaining valuable insights into working for the Fortune 500 company, the Walt Disney Company, through the Disney College Program.

Glynn and Branton will participate in the program after Winter Quarter, and their time with Disney will end in August.

The Disney College Program is an exciting internship that gives college students the opportunity to work for a world-renowned company while gaining valuable insights into their professional development. This is a competitive program with a 20 percent acceptance rate from the 15,000 applicants per year.

Both students are excited for this new opportunity that will allow them to reach outside of their comfort zones and spend some time in the Walt Disney World Parks while doing so.

“I have always loved Disney and if I was going to step outside of my comfort zone for anything, it would be this program,” Glynn said.

The application process for potential participants can be a long and stressful part of the experience. Applicants complete a standard application that covers education, work experience and different question about the applicant’s background. After this first step, some applicants are sent straight to a web-based interview.

“The web-based interview was probably the most stressful part of the application process,” Branton said. “I was so worried that my answers were not what Disney wanted. I definitely had to trust the process.”

College program participants work in a wide variety of roles including attractions, merchandising and character attendant. The skills learned in these roles can provide a new perspective on hospitality and customer service.

Kelly Cole, a senior in Communication, is an alumna of the Disney College Program. She participated in the program during her freshman year at Louisiana Tech, and her role during her program was as a Food and Beverage Quick Service Hostess.

“Quick Service was not my first choice, but it was a welcome challenge,” Cole said. “I was just thankful to be working for my dream company so early in my college career.”

Program participants not only gain valuable skills, they also begin networking with other Disney cast members. These connections can benefit a participant’s professional development and give them confidence in their career field.

“My program opened so many doors for me here at Louisiana Tech and beyond,” Cole said. “The connections I made it clear that my career ambitions were achievable and that I already had the skills to succeed.”

Branton has always loved visiting the Walt Disney World Parks. She shared her excitement at the opportunity to work and learn in the most magical place on Earth.

“My family and I have been going to Disney since I was seven,” Branton said. “I knew that I owed it to myself to give it a try and apply, to make my childhood dreams come true.”

This story was written by Communication major Kelly Cole.