UF Online will become a place “where dreams come true” for Walt Disney Company employees.
They will be eligible for online degrees because of a partnership, which was announced Tuesday, with the company and university. Those accepted by UF would be able to start during Spring 2019 with 100 percent of their tuition covered by Disney, said Evangeline Cummings, the assistant provost and director of UF Online.
Applications are open until Oct. 1, said Cummings.
“We were delighted to hear that Disney was interested in not only working with the University of Florida Online, but expanding the programs that were available to their workforce,” Cummings said.
This is the latest addition to Disney Aspire, an education benefits program that focuses on the academic and career development of Disney employees, Cummings said.
A $50 million investment from the company was placed into the education investment program, according to The Walt Disney Company’s website. More than 80,000 employees are eligible to apply to UF.
UF will use the same standards they use for all applicants, in which they will consider more than academics and test scores during the application process, Cummings said. The program will accept applicants three times a year for Spring, Summer and Fall semesters.
The partnership with UF Online allows for Disney employees to have the flexibility to both work and do their classwork, Cummings said.
Disney declined to give a direct comment to the Alligator.
In June, UF worked with both WalMart and Guild Education, an educational coaching company, to provide a reduced price UF Online program for WalMart employees. Guild Education will also assist with the Disney partnership, Cummings said.
Programs similar to this will allow high school students to take an alternative route in earning a college degree while avoiding financial barriers, said Zachary Rowe, the director of strategic partnerships at Guild Education.
“Universities (are) interested in receiving innovative work and helping Americans access higher education and access the skills, the credentials and the degrees they need to advance their career,” Rowe said.
Ryan Jackson, a 30-year-old service technician living in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, and Walt Disney World regular, said he was excited to hear about the collaboration with UF Online.
College was financially difficult for Jackson. He said having access to a program like this would have been a huge help for him.
“I think it’s a fantastic idea,” Jackson said. “Higher education can only help people and not hurt people.”
Contact Dana Cassidy at dcassidy@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @danacassidy_
