Career Spotlight: Chris Hanson ’15

MCA major Chris Hanson (Class of 2015) talks about his experience with the Disney College Program.

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Home State: California

Current Residence: New York, NY

Current Employer: The Walt Disney Company

Describe your company/organization and give a brief description of your responsibilities:

As a Resort Greeter, my job is not a corporate role– which is a distinct change for me compared to other internships on my resume. My day begins very early, at 6:30 AM, with a team meeting of all Greeters in our property-wide operation at twenty of the Walt Disney World Resort hotels. From there, we’re dispatched to each resort. On my job, I interact with hundreds of guests a day and provide all kinds of trivia, facts, and directions to them as they vacation at Walt Disney World. It’s front-line, on-the-ground kind of work and entirely new, different, and exciting for me as a student and worker. The Walt Disney Company is a service-driven, guest first organization. A Greeter may be one of the first Cast Members a guest of Walt Disney World encounters in the morning, so it’s important that I represent myself and my company with the proper courtesy and quality the Walt Disney name has come to stand for.

What are some highlights of this internship?

The Disney College Program is half work and half study. On my program, I not only work with the operations team of the country’s largest vacation playground, but I also study with a broad view of how a company like Disney operates. The College Program offers fully-accredited college courses in a variety of topics, and there are two I’m taking in Florida this semester. One is “Corporate Analysis”, which is a complete overview of every operating unit of The Walt Disney Company. This reflects my Business minor well in that I can see how an entertainment giant like Disney is segmented. The other is “Creativity and Innovation: Gaining the Edge” which looks at how people and organizations through history have solved problems using creative minds and innovative ideas. This course reflects my MCA major, and I’m very happy to take it as it’s an entirely new experience in exercising those creative muscles I don’t always push as much as I should. And I mustn’t forget one important highlight: seeing Walt Disney World from a whole new perspective.

How has King’s education prepared you for this role?

Learning business skills in classes like Principles of Management and Organization and Human Resource Management has allowed me to understand the workings of a large company like Disney. It’s nice to have background-knowledge of the structures of such a company. Plus the compassionate attitude of a Christ-centered education makes it easy for me to interact with guests of all kinds of backgrounds, which is something I do every day on the job.

What past internships have you had?

In the summer of 2013 I worked for The Human Life Review and in fall 2013, I interned with Viacom Media Networks for their Nickelodeon Ad Sales team.

What are your plans after graduation?

As an MCA major, working for an organization like the Walt Disney Company is right up my alley– I’d like to work for a corporation which provides products and services that I can really stand behind, and Disney is one such group. To have the chance to learn and study in Orlando for a semester a real thrill, and an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. The work is challenging and entirely different than anything now on my resume. Since I want to pursue an advertising sales career, interaction with clients is a must. At the Walt Disney World Resort, our guests are our clients. Having this experience in the Disney College Program is entirely unique, and continues to prove my abilities as a personable, outgoing, and person-centered individual.

Favorite Books:

Some of my favorite authors include Jules Verne, Rudyard Kipling and E.F. Benson

Surprising fact about yourself:

I drink my coffee black, I prefer onions to olives in my martinis, and I generally don’t surprise very much.


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