Students share Disney College Program experiences


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Abbie Robinson | Staff Photographer Lee Cockerell, former Executive Vice President of Operations at Walt Disney World, discusses leadership with Central Michigan University staff and students during a presentation in McGuirk Arena on Sept. 30.

When alumni of Central Michigan University’s Disney College Program stood outside McGuirk Arena to promote the internship program, it wasn’t because Disney told them to; they simply wanted to promote it.

During Lee Cockerell's service excellence and leadership development presentations, the former executive vice president of operations at Walt Disney World said it’s important to create a company culture where people do things because they want to, not because they’re required to.

Gladstone senior Jason Thompson was one of the students who stood outside McGuirk Arena. He said he tried to pick up extra shifts while working as a lifeguard at Disney because he enjoyed his job and became good friends with the people he worked with.

Cockerell visited CMU on Sept. 30 to give presentations on topics related to Disney Great Leader Strategies. Nearly 20 groups sponsored Cockerell’s appearance.

Cockerell said at any company, there’s nothing more important than who you hire. For many students at CMU, he said Disney has offered a desirable place to work. The Disney College Program allows undergraduate students to spend a semester working entry-level jobs as "cast members" — the name employees go by at Disney.

Jackson junior Brooke Schuster, who worked in outdoor vending and recently returned from a weekend trip to Disney World, said most people see Disney as a magical, happy place, but face challenges when they arrive.

Though Schuster said her job itself wasn’t glamorous, the positive aspects of her experience outweighed the negatives.

Director of Center for Leisure Services Dean Wallin said part of his job is to honest about the Disney experience to students. He said students who participate in the program will see the side of Disney they love, but also the side people don’t usually see.

Thompson is generally a happy person, he said, but on some days, it was difficult to smile all the time, like he was expected to when working at Disney.

Cockerell joked during the presentation that “Disney the happiest place on earth or else” because customer service is so important to the company.

While Thompson struggled with this, on some days, his experience was the opposite.

“There were other days too where I had people look at me like, ‘why are you smiling?’ and I’m like, ‘I don’t know, I’m just happy to be at work,’” he said.

Senior Ryan Timmer, who participated in the College Program and did a professional internship at Disney, said some people romanticize the College Program, not realizing how much work it actually is.

“It’s not a vacation,” he said. “A lot of times, people think it’s just a semester off. But if you’re motivated and you’re networking and open to new experiences, you’ll come back with knowledge that will put you ahead of other people.”

Cockerell emphasized the importance of being a disciplined and empathetic leader, scheduling your priorities in life, reflecting and being the best you can be.

The Disney College program can teach students a variety of skills, regardless of their major, Wallin said, including problem solving, communication, confidence, leadership and networking.

However, he said it’s also important for students to think about what they hope to gain from the experience, because they might not be able to receive valuable credit.

“The college program really taught me a lot about accountability,” Timmer said. “You were treated as an adult in the working world with no excuses for being a student.” 

He said working at Disney is something he’d do ten times again.

Thompson said the College Program helped him grow up and become more independent. He learned a lot about culture from meeting people from all over the world and living with five roommates from different backgrounds.

The three students all said they now have friends from all over.

Timmer worked at Expedition Everest, which involved climbing 17 flights of stairs two or three times per day and helping people off the rollercoaster.

“It can be intimidating,” he said. “But they really train you to the best of their ability. They’re really going to leave you with the tools to handle any situation you come across.”

Cockerell emphasized that sometimes, people have to challenge themselves.

“What’s the main reason people don’t do hard things? Because it’s hard," he said. "But when you do hard things, life gets easier.”

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