Program offers college students 'magical' internships

The Walt Disney World College Program offers opportunities for students who have always dreamed of working in the "happiest place on earth."\nThe program held interviews for IU students in Rawles Hall Thursday night. It offers paid internships in which students from every country represented in Disney's Epcot Center earn real-world experience and the necessary skills for their future career.\n"Our internship is unique," said Sharon Hoagg, the WDW College Recruiter. "No matter what your interest is, you'll gain something out of it."\nThe program provides three components: Earning experience, learning experience and living experience.\nHoagg said the earning experience is the job each intern -- or cast member, as Disney calls them -- does. These roles include recreation, food and beverage and merchandise. \nThe learning experience provides six educational courses for cast members. Some of these courses include the Disney Communications Course, which, according to the program's pamphlet, "focuses on the concepts inherent in business communication and … how to apply them in the workplace." The Disney Organizational Leadership Course is another class, which "presents leadership theory and how to apply it in a diverse work environment."\nHoagg said the living experience is the company-sponsored housing. The program provides three apartment complexes with one to four bedroom apartments. Andrea Conrad, a WDW College Program representative, said rent comes directly out of students' paychecks and the apartments are cleaned regularly. Conrad added that the program offers transportation to anywhere students might need to go along with 24-hour security, pools, volleyball, tennis and a clubhouse.\n"(It's) any college student's ideal living spot," she said. "It caters to college students." \nAlthough the learning experience formally teaches students about business and communication, they learn informally from their interactions with each other and the guests at the park.\nCourtney Williams, another college program representative, said the internship starts with teaching the cast members about basic company history and the original ideas of Walt Disney. They are then taught what being a cast member is about and given a behind-the-scenes tour of the area where they will work. Next, cast members have a week-long training program where they learn how to perform their roles.\nDisney also offers advanced internships geared directly towards students' majors. Often, students have to be college program alumni to apply. The advanced internships include accounting and finance, communication, journalism and education. Advanced internships that do not require past Disney experience include information technology, horticulture and various sciences. \nUnfortunately, students cannot gain credit at IU through this internship. But Hoagg said cast members can participate in the program through career services, which will keep them enrolled in school.\nAlthough students cannot gain credit through this program, Hoagg said the program is still very popular at IU, and currently there are between 10 and 15 IU students at Disney.\n"The Walt Disney World College Program was one of the best things I have ever done and I would recommend it to everyone," Williams said. "In the future, I would like to get a permanent job with the company and continue living the magic." \n-- Contact staff writer Stephanie Susman at ssusman@indiana.edu.