Jun 18, 2015

Vancouver, BC - Later this month, four Langara College students are on their way to "The Most Magical Place On Earth". Needless to say, at this week’s pre-departure information meeting, the room was teeming with excitement. Kristen Landels, Aimee Good, Nicole Sumaculub, and Veronica Jane De Villa are the fifth group of students accepted into the Disney World Field School.

The program is a partnership between Langara College, Disney International Programs, and the University of California, Riverside (UCR). It offers a unique opportunity for students to gain valuable international work experience at the Walt Disney World® Resort in Orlando, Florida. Students enroll in two weeks of academic coursework at UCR, and then embark on six months of supervised, paid training at the resort.

For the successful applicants, all of whom are lifelong Disney fans, the chance to work at Disney is an incredible opportunity. Their positions at the resort range from food & beverage, merchandise, attractions, and lifeguarding.

Veronica, a recent graduate of the Design Formation program, hopes to gain work experience and networking skills, and perhaps eventually work at Disney or its affiliates in a design-related capacity.

For Aimee, when a classmate mentioned previously participating in the program, she took to the idea immediately. “This is the perfect way for me to gain independence and grow both personally and professionally. Having just completed the Recreation Leadership diploma at Langara, it is also the ideal way for me to explore my options and decide what I want to do next.”

Chris Coulson, a current Langara student who participated in the field school in 2014, fervently shared positive feedback and advice with the new enrollees.

“The program was essentially life-changing,” said Coulson. “I made so many friends and connections, and having previously struggled in my studies and otherwise, the time away at the field school helped me find myself and my path again.”

Through hands-on work and courses (that transfer back into Langara), students gain invaluable skills and experience for today's competitive job market. They also develop maturity and new perspectives in leadership, diversity and personal and professional development. When students successfully complete the program, they receive a UCR certificate in either Management or Hospitality & Tourism Management.

For second-year student Nicole, who has known about this program since grade ten and keeps a Disney-related blog, this really is a dream come true. “One day, I hope to write for Disney.”

Safe travels to all the students participating in this year's program!

For more information about the next intake of applications for the Disney World Field School, contact Sean Padley at spadley@langara.bc.ca or visit Langara College Co-operative Education.

About Langara
Located in beautiful Vancouver, BC, Canada, Langara College provides Post-degree, University, Career, and Continuing Studies education to more than 21,000 students annually. With more than 1,700 courses and 130 programs, Langara's expansive academic breadth and depth allows students of all ages, backgrounds, and life stages to choose their own educational path.

Media Contact:
Pearl Lam
Communications Officer
Langara College
604.323.5672  |  plam@langara.bc.ca