Students said “I do” to their invitation to a position at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. 

Harmony Russ, a sophomore modern languages major, was one of few granted the opportunity to intern at Disney. The West Monroe Native applied for the intern position in October 2013.

Russ heard about the program from a friend who’d been recently been accepted at the time.

“I knew almost nothing about the program at the time”, said Russ. “I knew that working for Disney was definitely something I wanted to experience.”

Prospective interns must be at least 18 years old and currently enrolled as a college student to apply.

Disney World is known to most as where “dreams come true.” While most students grew up watching their favorite Disney movies on repeat, many could only dream of a chance to be in the presence of those characters.

“I have always had a big imagination, but I had never even dreamed that the possibility of working for Disney could become a reality,” Russ said.

Though Disney World seems to be a magical wonderland, interns also benefit academically and professionally from the program. Russ said that Disney tremendously “changed her life” from January to May 2014. 

“The opportunity to work with a company with such integrity and high expectations taught me to always exceed the expectation and to never stop looking for ways to improve,” Russ said.

The Disney intern met people from all across the world and was able to work with diverse groups of people. The internship gave Russ an “edge in the competitive job market,” having worked with one of the world’s top companies.

The intern program ranges anywhere from four to six months or extends to even a year or more, giving students the opportunity to work at either Walt Disney World Resort in Florida or Disneyland in California. Internships can include working in hospitality, merchandise and recreation, etc. 

The internship gives students stipends, paid housing and meals. Positions for interns vary for each Disney College Program student.

“When I was there, I was a lifeguard at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park,” Russ said.

Despite the opportunity for fun, Disney doesn’t allow their interns to slack in the classroom. Disney also provides a great opportunity to earn college credit while working. Classes are generally geared toward majors such as marketing or business.

The Disney College Program offers students from all walks of life the opportunity to gain positive experiences and further their education.

Morgan Evans, a junior business management major, recently found out she was accepted to the Disney College Program.

“The thing that I am looking forward to the most is getting to experience all of the different people that come to Disney World,” Evans said.

Evans said she hopes it enhances her skills in the hospitality industry.