{"id":54,"date":"2025-01-17T15:23:32","date_gmt":"2025-01-17T15:23:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2025-volume-6-issue-1\/disney-internship-proves-magical-for-alumna\/"},"modified":"2025-02-18T19:37:34","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T19:37:34","slug":"disney-internship-proves-magical-for-alumna","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2025-volume-6-issue-1\/disney-internship-proves-magical-for-alumna\/","title":{"rendered":"Disney internship proves magical for alumna"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Alyssa Ferrell was accepted into the Disney College Program, she got more than she bargained for as a business major.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ferrell first enrolled at San Jacinto College in fall 2022 and graduated in spring 2024 with an associate degree in business<\/a><\/span>. She discovered the Disney program during her last semester, and she knew right away it was something she could not pass up<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe application process involved completing paperwork, then waiting to hear back,\u201d Ferrell said. \u201cI\u2019d say the scariest part was the live phone interview with a Disney recruiter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"San

<\/span> Photo courtesy of Alyssa Ferrell<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

The news of her acceptance came quicker than she expected.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDuring my interview, the recruiter told me I would hear back from them in about two weeks, and three days later, I got an email saying I\u2019d been accepted into the program,\u201d Ferrell said. \u201cI was jumping up and down with excitement when I got the email.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ferrell was a student in Dr. Jeff Jackson\u2019s accounting class at the Central Campus when the Disney venture began.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlyssa had already been accepted into the program before I talked about the importance of internships or other related work in the class,\u201d Jackson said.\u202f\u201cSo I asked her to tell the class about it.\u202fCollege academic programs don\u2019t always require an internship as part of the academic requirements, so students have to take it upon themselves to find them and apply.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A lifelong inspiration and dream come true<\/span><\/h3>\n

Ferrell started the internship in fall 2024, but this was not her first time at Disney World as her family has vacationed there many times.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDisney has inspired me with many things in my life, such as my love for filmmaking and wanting to run my own business someday,\u201d she said. \u201cI also love the way Disney can immerse their guests into such a happy and magical environment. I wanted to be a part of this program to not only learn from the company that has inspired me throughout my life but to also be a part of creating those memorable experiences and putting a smile on people\u2019s faces.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

During her time there, Ferrell learned how the company operates and manages its employees. Disney provided lodging for the program, allowing participants to live in an apartment complex on Disney property.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWorking in Epcot\u2019s Food and Wine Festival is a lot of hard work that can be challenging at times but beneficial in the end,\u201d she said. \u201cThis role has taught me a lot about customer service. I am learning how to offer the best quality service to a guest during any situation. My communication and problem-solving skills have improved drastically since I\u2019ve been here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ferrell cherishes moments where she can make a guest\u2019s day brighter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSome of my favorite moments are when I can tell I have added a little extra magic to a guest\u2019s day, either by having a good helpful conversation or simply making them smile,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

She also values the friendships she made during the program.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnother thing I love about the college program is the number of friends I have made, she said. \u201cMost of the people I work with are my age and in the college program. I have made so many good friendships that I feel will last forever.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Planning the future<\/span><\/h3>\n

After completing the program, Ferrell plans to transfer to the University of Texas at Austin to pursue her bachelor\u2019s degree in film.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOnce I finish my degree, I am hoping to return to Disney through a professional internship,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

By Neesha Hosein<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When Alyssa Ferrell was accepted into the Disney College Program, she got more than she bargained for as a business major. Ferrell first enrolled at San Jacinto College in fall 2022 and graduated in spring 2024 with an associate degree in business. She discovered the Disney program during her last semester, and she knew right… read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":96,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,1],"tags":[],"article_type":[],"class_list":["post-54","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spotlights","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nDisney internship proves magical for alumna - Spring 2025, Volume 6 \u2013 Issue 1<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2025-volume-6-issue-1\/disney-internship-proves-magical-for-alumna\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Disney internship proves magical for alumna\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When Alyssa Ferrell was accepted into the Disney College Program, she got more than she bargained for as a business major. Ferrell first enrolled at San Jacinto College in fall 2022 and graduated in spring 2024 with an associate degree in business. 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