The Disney College Program offers Mississippi State University  students the opportunity to spend time interning at “The Happiest Place on Earth.”
Every year, a representative from Disney comes to MSU. With the help of Disney campus representatives and the Career Center, he or she encourages students to apply for the Disney College Program. This year, presentations will be held on Feb. 23 at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. in McCool Hall to recruit students for Disney’s 2012 internship program.
Caragh Boyles, senior coordinator for the Career Center, said the Disney College Program is quite competitive and usually a large number of applications are received by Disney.
Boyles said the Career Center plays a big role in supporting the Disney representatives by offering students information about the program and helping throughout the application process. The Career Center helps students maintain their status as full-time students so they do not have to face any difficulty with issues such as insurance and taking classes upon readmission.
“We help set up presentations, advertise it and communicate with Disney campus representatives. While students are away doing their internship at Disney we enroll them in an internship class that keeps them in the MSU system as a full-time student,” Boyles said.
Jennifer Riley, senior special education major and now a campus representative for Disney, said information tables will be set up in the Union and the Drill Field where Disney campus representatives will answer any questions applicants might have.
“People seem to be kind of shy about asking, but we love to answer questions. We really want people to come by the tables because that’s where you will get the most personal information,” Riley said.
Meghan Schultz, graduate landscape architecture student, worked in an area for Disney that was directly related to her field of study. Because she was a horticulture major as an undergrad, she worked in a greenhouse in Epcot.
Schultz said it is understood that most students do not have experience working for big companies, so the most important quality to get an acceptance letter from Disney is the eagerness to participate in the program.
“A lot of it is the openness and willingness to try something new, get over any fear you have and meet new people,” she said.
She said student work ranges from being a lifeguard and janitor to working at the front desk of gift shops or restaurants. Some participants may even get to dress up as a character, but they will need to audition first in Nashville or Atlanta.
Schultz said she enjoyed working for Disney so much that she felt compelled to recruit other students from MSU for the program.
“Working for Disney definitely contributed to my career, and I enjoyed working for the company so much I became a campus representative, which allows me to stay with the Walt Disney company,” she said.
Schultz said she hopes to work for Disney again after graduation.
Riley said MSU students, regardless of their major, should apply for the Disney College Program because it provides a vast array of experiences and teaches students necessary skills required for future jobs.
“The Walt Disney Company has a big part in many different companies and is a company that promotes from within, so working as a college program participant is a great way to get your foot in the door,” Riley said.
Trish Pohlhaus, senior special education and psychology major, is also a campus representative for Disney. She said working for Disney helped her choose her major and plan her career. She said she started out with an undeclared major, but after the Disney internship during her sophomore year working with kids with special needs made her realize she wanted to help kids in the future.
“At first it was hard for me to make eye contact with the kids, but, eventually, I realized I really liked working with people with disabilities, and my heart just opened to them,” Pohlhaus said. “That’s when I decided to become a special education major.”
Boyles said the Disney internship program is appealing to students because it is open to students of all classes and majors. First-year students must complete at least one semester in order to apply.
Boyles said the program also has no GPA requirement, but students must be in good academic standing. By working for such a well-known company students gain skills such as leadership and teamwork, which can be easily transferred to their future jobs after graduation.