If you would have told me two years ago that I was going to get into my dream program on a complete whim and have it end due to a global pandemic, I would have called you a liar. And yet, here I am writing before you to say that I am an alumni of The Disney College Program, and yes, I was in Walt Disney World when the world shut down.
The Disney College Program, the DCP, is a semester-long experience where you apply to work in a typical job in Walt Disney World or Disneyland. For example, some of the people who serve guests their food, check them into their hotel, or operate the attractions are Disney College Program participants, or CPs. It is a fantastic resume builder and a great way to meet new friends from all over the world. Being a person who loves Disney, it has been my plan to apply since I knew about it.
One day in September 2019, I decided to apply for the program as a test run. It has a very low acceptance rate, and most people I knew who got in had applied multiple times, so I was not anticipating getting close at all. Through some pixie dust, wishes upon a star, whatever you want to call it, I was accepted.
I moved to Orlando in January 2020 to work as a lifeguard at The Polynesian Village Resort. I went through weeks of training and finally earned my ears! I met so many people from all over the world, and I was learning so many new and different skills. I was absolutely exhausted most of the time from all the hours I was working, but I was having the time of my life.
But, like all things in 2020, it came to a very sudden and jarring end. As COVID-19 began to sweep through the United States and the world, Walt Disney World had plans to shut down. I lived in a dorm style housing through Disney, so they decided to send us all home. It was absolutely heartbreaking to see something I loved come to a sudden end, to leave my friends to go to our homes across the country, and to have to come to terms that my life would be altered by this pandemic.
I promise this story has a happy ending, but stick with me here.
You might be wondering why an English major with the goal of being a teacher would leave her university for a semester to go work for a mouse. That’s a fair question and certainly doing what I did is not for everyone, but I did learn a lot in the month and a half I was there. The first skill I refined was my teamwork skills. As a lifeguard, you have to be able to trust your team that they have your back and you have theirs. In addition, you must know your life saving skills so your team can rely on you. I also learned how to communicate cross-culturally to help families from around the world to have a magical vacation. I am not sure one can learn these skills inside a classroom as well as I learned them at Disney. In the education system, we have to acknowledge not all learning comes from the classroom, and what seems to be the oddest choice can be the one that teaches you the most.
There is also something to be said for being able to do the things you love while you still can. I did the Disney College Program because I loved Disney and it was my dream to work there. I had a limited window of time in my life to do this, so I had a chance, and I took it. Part of the beauty of attending a place like the College of Arts and Letters at Michigan State University is that openness to each student’s dream and the people who help them pursue it.
Here is the happy ending I promised: I believe that doing the Disney College Program was as essential to my learning experience as any college class. My hope is that I can take these skills that I learned and match them with what I am learning in Citizen Scholars and MSU as a whole. My hope is that future students see how the Citizen Scholars program can help them find and reach their dream. You don’t have just a dream about it, you have the people here and the skills to do it.