Should All Colleges and Universities Accredit the Disney College Program?
- Apr 24, 2023
- 4 min read
They Disney College Program is a huge networking internship that gives students the opportunity to work at the parks and even take classes. So why aren't some colleges accrediting the program?
Gabrielle Sewade
Q-News
Every year, 50,000 students apply to become an intern at "the happiest place on earth", Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida or at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. With a 20% acceptance rate, this program has become one of the hardest internship programs to get into. Students work at the parks doing jobs like entertainment, retail, operations, recreation, or logistics. Not only is the program a paid internship, but students can also get college credit.
Getting credit for the program can be difficult based on what school you go to. The Disney College Program is partnered with over 400 colleges and universities that promote the program. But for other schools, they make it a little more difficult for students to partake in the program.
Brigida Saia
Brigida Saia, a 20-year-old, who first heard about the program freshman year of high school, recently just graduated from the program. Saia attends Ocean County College in New Jersey and this is one school that is not partnered with the DCP.
Although the school is not partnered with the program Saia explains that "the [application] process went smooth [...] and there were no complications from the school". She explains that she had to meet with her advisor and "make sure the program wouldn't interfere with [her] academic goals and plans" because she was going to have to take a leave of absence.
In a survey that was completed, it was found that 66% of students, denied their acceptance to the program because they were going to have to take a leave of absence and not be able to receive credit for the program. This means that they would have to stay an extra semester in college or try and make up the lost time and take online or summer classes. This put a lot of strain and pressure on students when deciding if they want to partake in the program.
When asked about her experience with the program, Saia exclaims that "it is truly a one of a kind experience that not many students have the opportunity to partake in, [...] and you are given the chance to work at a wonderful company and truly prove yourself in many different ways"
Lauren Schena
Lauren Schena is a freshman at High Point University, and is anxiously awaiting her arrival to Orlando in August for the program. High Point University is also a school that does not accredit the program, which has made the process difficult for Schena.
Even though Schena is a freshman, she is a junior in credits and has the time to partake in the program without it affecting her academics. This was one of the reasons she chose to do the program. She knew that even without the accreditation from the school, she wouldn't need to worry about
courses because she is already ahead.
One of her biggest worries is the lack of attention and response from the school. She says she "feels like there hasn't been enough communication and reassurance from the school considering [she'll] be gone for an entire semester".
While the DCP does offer classes, a lot of students are starting to opt of them because if they don't count for anything when they go back to school, students don't see the reason to take time out off their work schedule, especially when they are making money to take classes that don't count for anything.
When asked about the DCP classes Schena explains that "it is a great aspect of the program and if more colleges and universities saw that, maybe more students would participate in the classes". She also says that if HPU would accredit the program, she would've signed up for classes and stayed mentally engaged for the 6 months she is at the program.
Blaire Edwards
For Blaire Edwards, a rising senior at High Point University, being a cast member at Disney is her entire life currently. Her school advisor has always know the DCP was something she wanted to do and was very supportive of her.
When she found out that the program was not going to be accredited, she was confused as to why. "It is a major learning experience, especially for a university like HPU, where their motto thing is learning life skills. This program does exactly that".
Blaire has made several Tiktok's about her days at a Disney Cast Member!
On YouTube, Disney Programs has made a video explaining all their different learning opportunities.
Edwards has taken classes like social media, marketing, as well as doing backstage tours around the different parks.
A View From the Other Side
For High Point University, in order for a student to receive credit for an internship, the company at which is internship is with has to sign an agreement paper from HPU saying that they will send in a form to the school halfway through the internship stating that the student is completing all the requirements.
According to Dominque Jones, who works at HPU's Career and Professional Development, she says that Disney will not sign those papers. She believes that this could be because "there are so many students from all over different schools who partake in the program and Disney doesn't have enough time and resources to handle every individual student".
Jones, also states that if Disney ever does sign the papers, students would be able to receive the college credit for partaking in the program.
Comments