By: Brittney Wargo

Recruiters are returning to The University of Akron to encourage students to intern for the Disney College Program.

“We will only be recruiting for a short amount of time, so make sure to join others and be a part of the Disney story,” recruiter Marcie Lemke said.

This internship allows students to work at Disney theme parks and resorts. Nearly 100,000 college students from around the world have completed internships through the program, which is available at both Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California. Students will learn skills that are especially applicable to careers in hospitality, management and communications.

Students are also able to enroll in nine credited courses during the internship, which can then be transferred to home universities. While participation in these courses is optional at Disney World, participation is required at Disneyland.

The internships available through the program are paid. Students are provided with apartment-style dormitories and transportation to and from the park. Disney also offers free admission to friends and family members of interns.

“Whenever I turn in my resume, everyone kept asking about Disney,” Lemke said.

Students must be currently enrolled at an accredited college or university in the US, have completed at least one semester of college and be 18 or older at the time the program begins. Participants are also expected to maintain “The Disney Look,” which bans visible tattoos, all piercings during work hours except traditional earrings for women, and unnatural hair color.

Students who are interested are encouraged to apply or find out more information online at www.disneycollegeprogram.com. While internships are also available for summer and fall, Disney is currently looking to recruit students for the spring 2012 semester.