Disney internship sets student on path to new experiences

Feb. 19, 2007 - One good thing really can lead to another, and another. That's what Megan Stallings, a senior in business management, discovered through her Disney College Program internship in Spring of 2005.

"Since returning from Orlando, I have been empowered to pursue even more opportunities," she said recently. "I have completed Study Abroad programs in Manchester, England, and Lima, Peru," she said, and will graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in business management, with a finance concentration and a minor in Spanish.

"The Disney College Program was definitely a resume booster; prospective employees were always interested in my experiences in the College Program," she said. "Business Week magazine has ranked Walt Disney World as the number one company to launch a career, a fact that was not lost on the companies that I interviewed with. The Disney College Program gave me a definite edge when interviewing," she said. Stallings has accepted a job offer with Sageworks, Inc., a Raleigh based firm that owns and sells ProfitCents software.

Since fall 2005, she has worked as a Disney College Program campus representative, and wanted to tell students about the Disney College Program's upcoming recruiting sessions. They will be held March 20, 6 p.m., in 2405 Nelson Hall, and March 21, 3 p.m., in 304 Mann Hall. The semester-long paid internship is open to all students and all majors, she said.

The Disney College Program is a semester-long paid internship open to all students and all majors, she said. It includes various work assignments as well as classes.

During her internship, Stallings worked in two locations - EPCOT and Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex.

"At EPCOT, I was in the Outdoor Foods Division, which encompasses all outdoor vendors in Future World and on World Showcase Plaza.  I filled various roles there, everything from a cart vendor to a relief (worked the carts while the regular vendor took their break) to a stocker.  Mostly I worked as a stocker, which was my favorite role as it allowed me to walk through the park many times during the day and have constant guest interaction. For the month of March, I signed up for cross-utilization and got the opportunity to work at the Wide World of Sports Complex in Cracker Jack Stadium for the Atlanta Braves Spring training. I worked in various locations throughout the complex, all involving food vending," she said.

"While working at Disney, I lived Chatham Square, one of the three apartment complexes where Disney houses their interns. Vista Way and Chatham Square house College Program interns, and The Commons are for International students. The complexes have 24-hour security, many amenities, and social events. Grocery bingo and Night of Stars are especially popular among interns.

The third component of the College Program Internship are the classes offered by the program, she said. "Students may elect to take classes in three areas: Collegiate Courses (communications, experiential learning, human resources, hospitality management, Marketing You, organizational leadership, and a practicum course, all of which are recommended for credit by the American Council for Education (ACE), Leadership Development Series in Engineering, Entertainment, Finance and Security, and the Disney Exploration Series, which are experiential-based courses in marketing, communications, people management, guest services and leadership," she said.

"During my program, I took a hospitality management course taught by a Disney Hospitality manager. To add to the class room learning, I was able to network and spend a day job shadowing Danny Rogerson, a manager at the Grand Floridian Resort, Walt Disney World’s flagship resort," she said.

"Participating in the Disney College Program has had a profound influence on my college experience. The friends I made while on the Program are among my closest and most meaningful relationships. My managers have kept in contact, and have been happy to help me during my job search, serving as references and mentors. My classroom experience, while not directly related to my major, has given me a solid knowledge of hospitality and guest services, which will serve me well in my future career."