TOMBALL (May 13, 2025) – Destiny Rodriguez and Kali “Smiley” Thompson, students and graduates of the LSC-Tomball Disney Innovations and Leadership Academy at Lone Star College–Tomball, have accepted invitations to participate in the Disney College Program at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

The Disney College Program is a paid internship and career development program offered by The Walt Disney Company. It allows college students to live and work at Walt Disney World Resort, providing a unique combination of paid work, immersive Disney learning experiences, and personal growth opportunities.

Rodriguez and Thompson learned about the opportunity during their 7-day trip to Disney as participants in the LSC-Tomball Disney Innovations and Leadership Academy. Inspired by the Disney employees they encountered, both were motivated to apply and eager to further explore leadership, communication, and personal growth through the unique Disney perspective.

“The Disney workers made the entire experience brilliant,” said Thompson. “Surge from Toy Story stayed in character all day, which was amazing. And Dana, our leadership advisor, gave us a truly impactful experience, passionately teaching us about the Five Keys of Disney: safety, courtesy, inclusion, show, and efficiency. She helped us explore different leadership styles, reflect on our own, and consider what we want to experience in our future workplaces.”

“My favorite part of Disney was getting to talk to the employees,” said Rodriguez. “We met a student from the University of St. Thomas in Downtown Houston. She was in the Disney College Program, and her role was in custodial services. Even though her job involved cleaning bathrooms, she told us the program was the best experience she’d ever had. Her attitude was amazing. I was so impressed by her positivity and passion.” 

When Thompson received her congratulatory acceptance email, she was surrounded by friends. The first person she called was her mother, her biggest encourager. Thompson cried tears of joy and said the acceptance was “completely unexpected.”

Rodriguez received her congratulatory acceptance email while on the treadmill at the LSC-Tomball Fitness Center. Excited, she went straight to the office of Lisa Gutierrez, LSC-Tomball’s Student Engagement Manager, to share the news. Rodriguez hadn’t told anyone she applied, knowing the acceptance rate was only 20% and unsure if she’d be selected. “I’m so glad I got the news while I was at school,” she said, “because LSC-Tomball is where my love for Disney first took root.”

The decision to accept the invitation was not easy for either student. Financial constraints and commitments, family ties, jobs, leaving their lives, even for only a period, were weighty choices for both.

“My family is everything to me,” Thompson said. “And the friendships and bonds I’ve made at LSC-Tomball are hard to leave.” Rodriguez also struggled with the choice. “I will miss my family, but the hardest part was deciding to leave my four dogs. I sleep with one of them every night. I’ll miss them so much.”

With the encouragement of their families, friends, and support from LSC-Tomball, both students ultimately decided to go. Thompson will attend from May 2025 through January 2026, while Rodriguez will begin her journey in September 2025 and return in January 2026.

While participating in the Disney College Program, they will live in Winter Garden, Florida, at Flamingo Crossings Village, which offers housing for program participants. Neither student will know their assigned role until two weeks before their departure. But they're both okay with the uncertainty and say they’re going to make the most of this incredible opportunity.

“My hope for the Disney College Program is to learn more about myself,” said Rodriguez. “I want to grow as a leader, connect with people, and gain a deeper understanding of how large corporations operate.”

“I’m excited about the opportunity to continue developing my communication skills,” said Thompson. “I look forward to working with people from diverse backgrounds and learning how different personality styles can collaborate effectively. I want to explore my leadership style and understand how to help a team reach its goals, even when not everyone agrees.”

After completing the Disney College Program, Rodriguez and Thompson will return to LSC-Tomball to finish their associate degrees before transferring to four-year universities, carrying their leadership journeys at LSC-Tomball and a deeper understanding of how Disney develops leaders and creates magical experiences.

Lone Star College-Tomball is located at 30555 Tomball Parkway in Tomball between Zion Road and Baker Road. For more information about the college, call 281.351.3300 or visit LoneStar.edu/Tomball.

Lone Star College System enrolls over 90,000 students each semester providing high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education. LSCS is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Mario K. Castillo, J.D., serves as Chancellor of LSCS, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and has been named a 2024 Great Colleges to Work For® institution by the Chronicle of Higher Education. LSCS consists of eight colleges, seven centers, eight Workforce Centers of Excellence and Lone Star Corporate College. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.Centers of Excellence and Lone Star Corporate College. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.

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