One Participant’s Journey to Earning 200 Learning Hours
As Benny began his Disney College Program, he made one thing clear – that learning would be the heart of his entire journey. When the Disney Programs learning team introduced a new achievement called the Sorcerer’s List, this unlocked a new goal for Benny.
The Sorcerer’s List is an achievement for participants who have truly gone above and beyond with the learning aspect of their program – to earn it, you must attend 200 hours of learning offerings. Recently, the Disney Programs learning team celebrated Benny as one of the first recipients of this achievement.
From his very first day, Benny made it a priority to seek out every possible learning opportunity, immersing himself in the offerings that would shape his path, sharpen his goals and guide his dream of creating magical experiences for others. While Benny was eager to reach this new status, his first priority was truly to experience a wide variety of learning offerings. “Although I wanted to get to that 200-hour mark, I was extremely appreciative [to have these opportunities]. There aren’t many other ways to truly learn about so many departments within this company,” says Benny.
Reaching this milestone was not done by accident. Benny stayed highly organized while balancing full-time classes at University of Central Florida (UCF), a busy work schedule at Magic Kingdom Watercraft and numerous weekly learning sessions. To reach this achievement, he created color-coded calendars that organized his weekly schedule, including details about each session and tracking for his learning hours.
“If you can find a love and passion for everything you do, you can accomplish anything,” states Benny.
Despite his busy schedule, Benny was still able to make time for his friends and softball league. “Whenever I had a gap of space, I would reach out to people I know and plan some sort of outing,” Benny explained. “Although I was always busy, I enjoyed every moment of the past 12 months.”
To Benny, one of the most meaningful parts of his journey was the encouragement that came from the Disney Programs learning team. “Not only were they supportive when it came to the learning offerings, but they were supportive when it came to life,” says Benny. “They were always asking how I was doing and how close I was to different goals.” As Benny was sitting in one of his final sessions of his Disney Program, it was interrupted by Ryan, the Sr. Manager of Academic Experience & Career Advancement for Disney Programs, who entered the room dressed as Sorcerer Mickey. Benny was taken aback when he realized this celebration was for him. “I always focus on other people and how I can impact someone else’s day, so to be put in the spotlight for this achievement meant a lot for me,” Benny mentioned.
Looking back, Benny wouldn’t change much about his Disney Programs learning journey – except to add more hours into the day just to attend more sessions. Prioritizing the topics you’re most passionate about, tracking your hours carefully and never underestimating the value of each offering is just some of the advice Benny would share with other participants wanting to reach this goal.
Benny’s story is proof that when passion meets purpose (and an organized planner!) magical things can happen on your Disney Program. “I learned so much about myself and the company, and made amazing friends and connections that I appreciate very much.”
Are you interested in learning more about how you can make the most of your Disney Program? Check out the Disney Programs Learning Catalog here to see all of the learning offerings you can attend on a Disney Program.
