My Signature Project was an internship. This internship was with the Walt Disney Company out in California. During my project as an engineering intern, I assisted with safety audits around the world. This opportunity was only possible with the help of my amazing team. I admire their passion towards safety and the company.

My entire life was based in Ohio. I grew up in a small town and now attend Ohio State. When I received the offer to move two-thousand miles from home, I hopped on that opportunity. Not only was I moving across the country, but I was also entering my first real office job with a company I had only dreamed of working for. My perspective on myself and the world changed.

Before joining my team, I had no expectations. As soon as I walked in the door, I was thrown into our first audit on Hotels and Horticulture. This first month was constant work. From fieldwork to documentation reviews to PowerPoint building. But as the audit wrapped up, the work slowed down. Our next audit would not be for a few months. With this downtime, I learned a lot about myself. Although I enjoyed the job, I realized I could not sit at a desk all day, every day. 

As an engineer, desk work is expected of us. Sitting, working with AutoCAD and other programs is part of an engineer’s daily routine. A small piece of me knew that was not what I wanted to do. My month of field work and constant tasks really grabbed my attention. 

I began to explore other options of where my engineering degree can take me. Throughout my internship, I set up one-on-one meetings with different departments. This not only built my network but made me realize I was not alone. These new connections led me to more connections with people who have the same frame of mind as I do. With their help, I found departments around the resort/company that piqued my interest, giving me a step towards my future.

Since becoming a Cast Member (someone who is an employee of Disney), my world view has changed. People come to Disney to escape and create memories.

This opportunity to be a Cast Member changed my worldview. In orientation we learn the value of our job backstage and onstage. Families from all over the world come to Disney parks to live in the fantasy of their dreams. I have learned during my time at Disney, that we are the magic. My office lives behind Disneyland Park. If I forget our magic, I can walk into the park and watch these magical moments happen. This opportunity re-sparked a dream inside of me. Every day it inspires me to keep our parks safe, one of my main goals of my internship. 

My job is not only to perform safety audits to also guarantee the safety of our guests and cast, but also to re-spark the magic in every person that steps through our gates. 

This self-change is significant for my future because now I know what direction I want to go. Before, I was lost and going through the motions of school. Now I have an idea of where I want to be. This will spark passion for the final two semesters of my degree and my focus to find a career. I am thankful for direction and guidance from my peers, mentors , and managers to get to this realization.

My inspiration for the parks and the people enjoying them impacts my life because it provides a different perspective on theme parks. A perspective that drives me to continue in the industry of happiness. I will continue to make magic whether I am in the parks as a guest, Cast Member or an employee of a different company. I found my passion that led me into this industry, and that same passion that drives my future towards my goals.