Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it’s off to work she goes, thanks to an internship in Orlando, Fla. with the Walt Disney Company.
Mount Saint Mary College student Kaitlyn Corrigan of North Massapequa, N.Y., an Information Technology major on the Elementary Education track, spent her summer as a guide at the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction in Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World.
When Corrigan applied to the Disney College Program in October of 2021, she wasn’t sure if she would be selected – there’s a tough competition from all over the country. However, after a series of online interviews, Corrigan got the news she had dreamed of since her middle school days: she had been accepted.
Among many other duties, Corrigan’s main job was to drive a truck through Kilimanjaro Safaris, leading parkgoers on 20-minute tours that meander through about 40 different species of African animals. With up to three dozen passengers aboard each tour, she gave the lowdown on all the giraffes, hippos, lions, and baby rhinos they encountered along the way.
“I learned how to be comfortable in a fast-paced environment while focusing on multiple aspects at once, to ensure a successful and entertaining operation,” Corrigan explained. “I also learned how to be able to comfortably speak to very large groups of people.”
It wasn’t just sun and safaris for Corrigan: The program offers long-term courses on a variety of subjects to help participants grow personally and academically. Corrigan selected classes on leadership and networking.
“I learned a lot, but the main purpose of the classes is to provide dedication, confidence, compassion, advocacy, and of course to create happiness anywhere you hold a leadership position,” she explained.
While Corrigan’s leadership classes taught her how to harness her dedication and skill, her time as a Disney tour guide allowed her to educate thousands of Disney guests “about things I am passionate about, creating happiness for them,” she said. Those are two traits she plans to carry into her career as an elementary school teacher.
“In my classroom, I want to do the same thing: Create happiness, inspire imagination and wonder, and do the impossible,” she said. “I want to teach my students all about the possibilities they can accomplish.”
To that end, Corrigan has some advice for students who dream big: Don’t just wish upon a star, take a risk and become one.
“Disney was where I wanted to be; maybe you have another place in mind,” she said. “Regardless of what your dream is, my advice for anyone considering any type of internship is to go for it. The best way to predict the future is to create it. An internship in college will help bring you clarity to what your future may look like. Internships will help you find out if you’re on the right path for what you want your future to become.”