As a member of the SCNG Features team, he also writes about entertainment, travel, pop culture, music, restaurants and craft beer. A range of program types, from skilled trades to master's degree programs. Growing up, the first-generation Mexican-American worked for his fathers electrical business. Disney Aspire Adds California State University, Fullerton and Fullerton Garcias father passed away in 2016 and his family lost the electrician business. Disney Aspire has not only given me the financial tools to complete this goal, but also the extra motivation of knowing that the company I work for is investing in me, McKenna said in an email interview. Since launching in 2018, the program has set a new standard for workplace-funded education initiatives. He dreamed of college but couldnt fathom taking on the financial debt. Earn your bachelor's degree, master's degree or certificate at UMass Global, a regionally accredited university. Guild's Education Benefits Platform provides technology that makes offering education benefits and tuition reimbursement an easy choice for leading companies, helping HR leaders turn their education cost centers into a positive ROI. For more than a century, weve been preparing our students for success, said Dr. Monte Perez, interim president at Fullerton College. ORLANDO, Fla. Union members with the Services Trade Council voted to approve a contract with Disney that would raise the starting wage to $18 an hour on Wednesday. In California alone, more than 29,500 of our employees are eligible to enroll. 3 most innovative regional university in the West by U.S. News & World Report. Interested in accelerated bachelor's to master's option? As some Disney workers lose their jobs, their free college education Corporate Communications Disney Aspire is an educational investment andcareerdevelopment program for eligible hourly Full-Time and Part-Time cast members and employees of The Walt Disney Company opening up opportunities for them through education and continuing to invest in them after graduation to truly help them get to where they want to go, whether at Disney or beyond. Ever since we introduced the program in 2018, we . Hes covered the theme park industry for more than 25 years. She enrolled in Fullerton College to study kinesiology, but a Christmas Eve car accident in 2014 injured her neck and altered her plans. McKenna believes earning a masters degree through the Disney Aspire program will change his life and hopefully set him up for a career in project management in the Disney theme park division. My parents had a third grade education from Mexico, so college was never a thought for them, Garcia said during an interview at Disneyland. Disneyland has added California State University Fullerton and Fullerton College to its network of schools that offer free in-person education to Disneyland hourly employees through Disneys Aspire program. Weve heard from many employees based in California that when they make the decision to return to school, they want it to be somewhere near and dear to their heartsand homes. Tuition Upon a Star: Fullerton College Latest to Join Disney's Aspire Disney Aspire Participants Join in on The Worlds Most Magical Celebration, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. UMass Global puts education excellence within your reach at competitive undergraduate and graduate tuition rates. Now they will be able to take in-person classes at Cal State Fullerton and Fullerton College. By submitting this form, you are granting Disney Parks Blog permission to email you. Eligible hourly employees and cast members have the opportunity to pursue their education goals and put their career dreams within reach. 2, LA Metro survey: About 600 homeless riders exit nightly when train service ends, Willie Nelsons Hollywood Bowl 90th birthday celebration is star-studded event, Cold, drizzly week ahead for Southern California, Stagecoach 2023: Chris Stapleton, Brooks & Dunn and Diplo wrap up the fest, Notre Dame baseball earns No. Disney Aspire is the most comprehensive education investment program of its kind, offering 125+ programs at a network of educational institutions nationwide. POSITIONCOMPONENT: BHT Take it from me. The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries, is a diversified worldwide entertainment company with operations in four business segments: Media Networks, Studio Entertainment, Direct-to-Consumer and International; and Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products. 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He writes about Disney, Universal, Six Flags, SeaWorld, Cedar Fair and Legoland parks in Southern California, across the United States and around the world. "The Disney Aspire program gave me the opportunity to continue my education and put myself in a better place in society today," Lume says. Starbucks provides full tuition coverage for employees pursuing a bachelors degree at Arizona State Universitys online program. Its also the number one feeder of transfer students to Cal State Fullerton. The training helped her transition from a merchandise . It personally took me seven years to graduate. The $150 million Disney Aspire program that has allowed thousands of Disneyland employees to get a free college education while taking courses online now offers something new: In-person classes. Working at Disneyland comes with a few perks such as free admission to the Anaheim theme park and exclusive previews of new attractions, but none of the benefits are as valuable as the tuition assistance that covers the cost of college and other schooling. We are constantly looking at ways to help people realize their ambitions and fulfill their dreams, and, as part of that, we are proud to offer Disney Aspire, the most comprehensive program of its kind.. COLUMN: How I got an education through Disney Aspire If you aren't familiar with Disney Aspire, it's Disney's education investment and career development program that offers 100% paid tuition up front for hourly full-time and part-time employees and cast members across a network of schools, now including these two new additions. Director, News Media Services Brady MacDonald is a theme park reporter for the Orange County Register and the Southern California News Group. We hope one of them will be your perfect fit for putting your education and career #DreamsWithinReach. This email address is not for general employment inquiries or correspondence. The Disney Aspire program covers 100 percent of tuition, fees and books at network schools for full-time and part-time hourly Disneyland cast members, Disney-speak for employees. As the first California community college to join Aspire, Fullerton delivers 70 new, easy-to-access programs, affording Disney's student-employees more options than ever. The State of California strongly recommends that all Guests complete their primary vaccination series or obtain a negative COVID-19 test prior to entering the Disneyland . California State University, Fullerton is the largest campus within the California State University system and is a catalyst for social mobility as the number-one university in California in graduating . Through Disney Aspire, tuition is 100% covered by Disney. BURBANK, Calif., July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Disney Aspire, The Walt Disney Company's education investment and career development program that offers 100% tuition paid upfront for hourly . Thats exactly why were excited to introduce two new schools to our ever-growing network of learning partners:California State University, FullertonandFullertonCollege. [See below for the full list of degree offerings.] Welcoming New California Schools to the Disney Aspire Network, https://d23.com/app/uploads/2022/07/DLR_20220718_Aspire-OC-Schools-Announcement_V1.5_Captioned.mp4, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Returning to school as a working adult is no easy feat, and weve heard from our employees time and time again how important it is that, when they make that decision, they want it to be at a place they already know and love, said Chris Trout, vice president of learning and development at The Walt Disney Company. Because our employees and cast members are at the heart of everything we do, Disney offers a competitive total rewards package that includes pay, health and savings benefits, time-off programs, educational opportunities and more. Other large corporations have similar tuition assistance programs like Disney Aspire. All Rights Reserved. But with the encouragement of my professors, I did it. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. It changes your entire life.. In California alone, more than 29,500 of our employees are . Please enter a valid zip code to proceed. Disney has invested $150 million in the Aspire free education program for 90,000 of the companys cast members, Disney-speak for employees. 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Disneyland employee Willy McKennas job in Star Wars: Galaxys Edge will save him 40,000 galactic credits on his masters degree in a galaxy far, far away. With our Disney Aspire program, eligible hourly Cast Members receive 100% of tuition paid upfront for partner institutions! Theres no way I wouldve ever been able to afford it.. Now, Disneyland is in the process of with California State University Fullerton and Fullerton College to offer free in-person education to Disneyland hourly employees through Disneys Aspire program. Brandman University, a leading Southern California-based career-oriented education institution is working with The Walt Disney Company to provide Disney employees access to online undergraduate and masters degree programs, including the universitys self-paced Competency-Based Education modality Brandman MyPath. Disneyland currently has 4,000 employees enrolled in the Aspire program. Disney Aspire covers the cost of 200 college degrees at the associate, bachelors and masters levels and 80 certificates in learning and trade programs. bruce.lam@disney.com, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Covering 100% of tuition upfront, as well as reimbursements for required books and fees, Offering an enhanced program and degree catalog that aligns with predicted future of work trends, Providing individual student success coaching from start to finish through Guild, Enabling students to prepare for career mobility through the Disney Aspire Alumni Association and other extensive post-graduate support. There are more than 29,500 hourly employees eligible to participate in Disney Aspire in the state of California, thousands of whom are already enrolled. Disney Aspire offers a wide variety of programs at more than 10 in-network schools, including high school diplomas, certificates, undergraduate degrees and master's degrees.Eligible hourly employees and cast members have the opportunity to pursue their education goals and put their career dreams within reach. IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 25, 2018 Brandman University is once again working with a leading employer to expand access for adult working students to high quality bachelors degrees. It put our family in a huge, dire financial situation, said Garcia, 35, of Watts. About Guild Education: Brady MacDonald is a theme park reporter for the Orange County Register and the Southern California News Group. Just visit aspire.disney.com today to get started. This is an opportunity of a lifetime, Garcia said. He writes about Disney, Universal, Six Flags, SeaWorld, Cedar Fair and Legoland parks in Southern California, across the United States and around the world. Cast Life by Aaron Genove, Digital Employee Communications Specialist. Other large corporations have programs similar to Disney Aspire. ), nothing can possibly make me happier than what I am about to share today. UCF Adds 38 Degree Programs to Disney Aspire, Expands Nationally Michael H. Von Burlefinger on LinkedIn: Employee and Cast Member In partnership with Guild, Disney Aspire removes barriers to education and contributes to the Companys strong pipeline of talent by: For more information about Disney Aspire, visit Aspire.Disney.com. As a proud Cal State Fullerton alum (Class of 88go Titans! Disneyland guest relations host Alexis Ramdhani had dreams of becoming a chiropractor. https://sites.disney.com/app/uploads/sites/57/2022/07/DLR_20220718_Aspire-OC-Schools-Announcement_V1.5_Captioned_NoAudio.mp4, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. SEE ALSO: Disneyland brings back Royal Theatre live shows. 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