By Rachel Tyler Special to the Chronicle
If you are searching for internships, have you thought about taking part in the Disney College Program? The Disney College Program is an incredible opportunity to advance your strengths and interests, meet guests and cast members from around the world and take part in educational opportunities with other students. This internship is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to network with leaders, take part in personal and career development classes and build transferable skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, guest service and effective communication.
How to Apply.
The application portion for the Disney College Program is simple. Visit the website to fill out the initial application. The application consists of basic background information like education, previous jobs and interests. If the application is strong, there is a two-step interview process. The first step is a web-based interview. Disney will give you a scenario and you simply have to reply with how you would react. After the web-based interview comes the phone interview. The phone interview goes into more detail on the information you put on the application. An additional step would be the audition process, for anyone looking to be a Disney performer. Overall, the entire interview process takes about three weeks.
Congratulations you’ve been accepted!
When accepting an offer with Disney, you will be provided both a website with information, as well as a large packet that includes a ton of additional information. The package will include a contract (most of the time you will be committing to six months of work), information on what day you need to check in, where to check in, what to bring and a questionnaire regarding what size room you wish to have. All that is left to do is wait for the magic to begin.
What about Hofstra?
Hofstra does offer Disney College Program participants the option of receiving credit, but it is not easy. Staying in constant contact with your advisors is key. When I participated in the program, obtaining credit was tricky, so I decided to take the semester off. When working for Disney you will be working a lot of hours – sometimes up to 60 a week – plus Disney classes. It would be difficult to find time to work on class work for Hofstra. When you return to campus the advisers are great with making sure you stay on track and will help you find future internships that relate to Disney.
The Disney College Program is a great learning experience that you will never forget. If you are looking for a fun experience and the opportunity to work in the most magical place on earth, this is the internship for you.