By Lisa McPheron and James Wiseman

Fullerton College is the only community college in California in partnership with Disney and Guild to provide in-person education to Disney employees.

It felt as if pixie dust blew north from Anaheim when Fullerton College received the call to be the first and only community college in California to provide in-person instruction to Disney cast members and employees through Disney Aspire, the company’s education investment and career development program that offers 100 percent tuition paid upfront for eligible hourly cast members and employees.

It may have come via email and not as a gilded invitation, but it was better than any invitation to attend a ball. Fullerton College’s top partner in transfers, California State University, Fullerton, received the same call, creating a life-changing opportunity for eligible cast members and employees to obtain a free education while building a meaningful career with Disney in their backyards.

“We’ve heard from our cast members and employees that when they make a decision as big as choosing to return to school as a working adult, they want it to be somewhere they already know and love,” said Chris Trout, vice president of enterprise learning and development for The Walt Disney Company.

“The early response to adding Fullerton College to our growing network has been overwhelmingly positive. They help us deliver on our promise to cast members and employees that Disney Aspire is truly designed with them in mind.”

While proximity made the addition of Fullerton College a no-brainer, its local reputation and capacity for fast, focused programs sealed the deal. As the first California community college to join Disney Aspire, Fullerton College delivers 20+ new, easy-to-access programs, affording Disney’s student-employees more options than ever. The opportunity to return to college spoke to Juan Munoz Silverio, and he rejoined the Hornet family this past fall to finish his Associate of Arts in Communications.

“I live nearby, and I’ve been interested in going back to school,” the Disneyland Resort cast member said. “I am the first of my six siblings to graduate high school and the first in my family to come to college. This degree would mean a lot to my family.”

Munoz Silverio began working at Disneyland Resort after graduating from Anaheim High School in 2018. He also enrolled at Fullerton College as an Anaheim Pledge student. At the time, all first-time college freshmen from Anaheim Union High Schools could attend for free for one year. After his first year at Fullerton College, Munoz Silverio found himself pulling away when the cost of tuition became a barrier.

When it was announced Fullerton College would join the Disney Aspire network in 2022, Munoz Silverio was among the first to show interest in returning to school. A natural leader and extrovert, Munoz Silverio is even exploring the possibility of starting a Disney Aspire club at Fullerton College. He’s found the program to be more than a way to save money. He values the community and support from his employer to be a successful college student.

“I plan to be at Disney for a long time, and when I do get my degree, I can use it to advance at Disney.”

Disney Aspire includes many online four-year university programs, but Munoz Silverio plans to transfer to Cal State Fullerton because he thrives with in-person instruction.

The addition of Fullerton College to the Disney Aspire catalog represents an ongoing collaboration between Disney and the school, which has been training theme park technicians and machinists for years. According to Trout, the addition of Fullerton College to Disney Aspire fulfills the need to cultivate a consistent pathway for cast members and employees to develop cutting-edge skills and evolve their careers alongside the industry.

“The programs we offer in our catalog are strategically aligned with anticipated future-of-work trends, helping to set our graduates up for more tangible career outcomes,” Trout said.

The Aspen Institute’s Economic Opportunities Program highlighted the partnership in a recent white paper titled Local College Partnerships in Education Benefit Programs. According to the white paper, “The Disney team prioritizes several key factors in selecting institutional partners. In addition to connecting with locally respected institutions, the company seeks alignment with key business needs, such as hospitality, a mix of accessible and cost-effective partners, and minority-serving institutions.”

As a versatile two-year institution with a reputation for responding to workforce demands, Fullerton College offered Disney Aspire a benefit far beyond convenience. With proven pathways in business, technology, media and more, Disney Aspire students can specialize in any aspect of the career they choose, from business to technology and even horticulture.

“Regional academic partners, such as Fullerton College, are important to the Disney Aspire model,” said Tonya Cornileus, senior vice president of learning and talent solutions for The Walt Disney Company. “This program is built to change the lives of our hourly cast members and employees across the U.S., a large portion of whom work and live in Southern California, making it easier than ever to put their professional dreams within reach.”

That promise includes a broad variety of programs from high school completion to a master’s degree, all 100 percent tuition paid upfront and fully accessible after 90 days of employment, with the cost of books and fees reimbursed. Cast members and employees are also not held to a minimum of years of service they must complete upon graduation, so they don’t need to stay with Disney if they don’t want to.

Launched in 2018, Disney Aspire promises more than just access. Thanks to a partnership with Guild, students are guided and supported at every step, from program exploration to graduation, via a network of coaches. Especially valuable is the “Coach” aspect, which connects students to one-on-one assistance with time management, motivation, study habits and more. That unique resource can be a game-changer for many adults just dipping their toe into higher education for the first time.

“Oftentimes, working adults are balancing far more life commitments than meets the eye,” explains Jonathan Marek, senior vice president of employer partnerships at Guild. “Coaching is important to ensure working adult learners have wrap-around support from enrollment through graduation.”

For Trout, a Monroe Community College and Johnson and Wales University graduate, the opportunity to spread the college dream to more Southern Californians is personal.

“I attended a community college and have felt the strong impact every day since graduation in both my personal and professional life,” he reflects. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without the education I received. Being able to offer something similar to cast members and employees is so rewarding.”

A story previously published in the California Community College’s CCC Outlook Newsletter contributed to this article.