How the Disney College Program Led to a Career in Social Media – Season Seven, Episode One
ON THIS EPISODE OF THE DISNEY COLLEGE PROGRAM PODCAST
Welcome to a brand new season of the Disney College Program Podcast! In our premiere episode, meet Bronwyn, a social media producer for Disney Experiences. Bronwyn shares her journey that started with completing three Disney College Programs — where she found a place to belong with peers who loved going to the parks or blasting Disney music as much as she did.
She discusses how her original career aspirations shifted over her time on the Disney College Program, and how it’s okay for plans to change! Bronwyn kept a YouTube vlog of her time on the Disney College Program, which led her to discover a passion for creating social media content.
Welcome to season seven of The Disney College Program Podcast, where we explore all things life on the Disney College Program! For more than 40 years, this one-of-a-kind internship has brought students and recent grads from across the country to Walt Disney World® Resort—and many go on to build lasting careers with The Walt Disney Company.
NOW PLAYING:
ABOUT OUR GUEST:
Bronwyn is from Greenville, North Carolina, and is a graduate of Appalachian State University, where she earned degrees in commercial photography and dance studies. Her Disney journey began on the Disney College Program in 2017, and she went on to complete three programs, working in PhotoPass, merchandise and the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.
After being affected by company layoffs, Bronwyn stepped away from Disney to pursue a career in content creation. In 2023, she returned to Disney as a social media content coordinator and was promoted to social media producer just a few months later.
Today, Bronwyn creates social video content for @DisneyParks across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms. Her role has taken her around the world, where she's collaborated with teams across the company, including Disney Cruise Line, D23, Disney Live Entertainment, Walt Disney Imagineering and many more.
Bronwyn is passionate about sharing her career journey with Disney College Program participants and hopes to inspire the next generation to dream big and never underestimate where the Disney College Program can take them.
5 HELPFUL HINTS FROM BRONWYN
Whether you’re a college student looking to get involved in the Disney College Program, a current participant who wants to stay with Disney long-term, or still unsure about what path to take — Bronwyn has experienced it all!
She offered up some advice she wishes she knew during her three programs.
1. Don’t put too much pressure on getting your “dream job”
Bronwyn grew up coming to Walt Disney World with her family and said from ages 4-12, she dreamed of becoming an Imagineer. That was until she realized an Imagineer was an engineer — something she couldn’t see her adult self doing.
While Bronwyn started to discover things she enjoyed on her Disney College Programs, she didn’t want pick one specific career goal and miss out on other opportunities because of it.
“Maybe I get to that dream, and I realize ‘this actually isn’t for me,’” Bronwyn said. “And now what do I do? I spent my whole life working towards this. So, I really try to take opportunities as they come.”
2. There’s no right or wrong time to start a professional career
After keeping a vlog of her time on the Disney College Program, Bronwyn saw a social media coordinator position open with Disney. She figured, she’s been doing personal social media content for years — why not apply?
She didn’t make it to the interview stage and was discouraged seeing many of her friends get “big girl jobs” right out of college. After leaving Disney to get more experience and reapplying three years later, she got the job.
“I started my quote-on-quote professional career when I was 26,” Bronwyn said. “It’s never too late to try and figure out what you want to do. Who’s to say what the next 10 years will look like.”
3. Expect a balance of work and fun on your Disney College Program
Not every day on the Disney College Program will be a park day, and that’s okay!
“People are kind of shocked when they're like get their first 12-hour day,” Bronwyn said. “And I think it all balances out. You have you will get time off; you're not working 24/7.”
Bronwyn recommends Disney College Program participants should enjoy this unique work experience where you create happiness for guests every day.
4. Focus on building relationships
Bronwyn said she recently received an email from someone she met on her Disney College Program who stayed with the company and wanted to meet up for a chat. She never realized how far the relationships she made on her Disney College Program would extend.
“You have no idea where you are going to be, where they're going to be and how you can help each other out literally 10 years later,” Bronwyn said.
5. Don’t give up after a “no”
Everyone faces rejection in the job searching process.
Bronwyn didn’t get accepted into the Disney College Program on her first attempt, and said a friend offered reassurance that kept her going.
“If Walt stopped the first time he got a ‘no,’ none of this would exist,” Bronwyn said. “’No’ doesn't mean that you're going to have ‘no’s’ for the rest of your life. It just means that that opportunity isn't right for you in that moment.”
Share this blog post:
More Like This:
