Cal State Fullerton is in its first academic year of partnering with Disney Aspire, The Walt Disney Co.’s education investment and career development program. The program provides 100% coverage of required tuition, fees and book expenses for full-time and part-time hourly cast members (Disney employees) across the U.S. at a college or university that is part of the Disney Aspire network.

In 2023, CSUF along with Fullerton College, the university’s primary community college feeder school, became the first brick-and-mortar locations for the Disney Aspire program, allowing local employees to not only meet their career goals but to engage in an on-campus college experience.

Since its launch last year, CSUF has admitted 645 Titan students through the Disney Aspire program, and as of last month, the university has received nearly 140 applications for the Fall 2024 term.

CSUF graduate student Bradley Tumbleson began working at the Disneyland Resort in March 2019 as a lifeguard at the Grand Californian Hotel, a great fit for his swim and water polo background. After graduating from UCI in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in English, Tumbleson took a gap year and went abroad to Spain to teach English.

Upon his return to the States, Tumbleson was rehired by Disney and is back on the pool deck. While exploring the pursuit of a master’s degree to help launch his career, he heard about the Disney Aspire program from some of his fellow employees.

After looking into CSUF’s program options, he came across the master of science in education option with a concentration and certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, offered through CSUF’s Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. It was exactly what Tumbleson was looking for in a graduate program, and he took it as a sign to apply to Disney Aspire.

Tumbleson was accepted by both CSUF and Disney Aspire and began the pursuit of his master’s degree last fall. Disney Aspire has covered the cost of his tuition, fees and books in their entirety and provides support through the program’s facilitating vendor, Guild Education.

“They’re very helpful,” Tumbleson said. “You get a Guild coach that will visit with you pretty frequently if you need the help, which is great. And for the process, you apply as a student regularly without kind of any other added steps.”

Tumbleson remains a full-time hourly employee at Disney while attending CSUF full time, which keeps him busy, but he is finding the TESOL program to be a perfect fit. He is on schedule to graduate in spring 2025 and is considering returning abroad to teach English or stay locally as an adult noncredit ESL instructor.

“The program itself is awesome,” Tumbleson said. “We’re a small group of students all doing this, and it’s quite specific to teaching English to speakers of other languages in Southern California. I’m learning a lot.”

CSUF Titan Natalie Fontanet was hired by the Disneyland Resort in November of 2021. She began working in merchandise and is now an attractions cast member in Fantasyland. After graduating from North High School in Torrance in 2019, she went on to El Camino College and earned an associate’s degree in psychology with the intent of transferring to a four-year university.

Her mother learned of Disney Aspire and seeing that the program aligned with her desired next steps in higher education, Fontanet applied and was accepted. While continuing to work part time at Disneyland, she is majoring in psychology and has an interest in becoming a behavioral analyst for correctional facilities.

“Becoming a Titan has been really fun, and they make me feel like I’m in a welcoming community,” Fontanet said. “I was able to make some friends from some classes … including a friend who also works at Disney. We’re able to lean on each other and have a good support system with one another. So far it’s been a good experience.”

As a first generation college student, Fontanet is grateful for the opportunity to see her goals to fruition. Her younger sister is currently a high school senior and also plans to apply for the Disney Aspire program at CSUF to complete her bachelor’s degree, which is a big financial help to her parents.

“I’m first gen, so everything is really new, and I haven’t had any help from my parents,” Fontanet said. “I’m really happy that I don’t have to lean on loans or lean on my parents to help me pay for schooling. I’m just really excited to be able to complete this on my own with the help of Disney.”

Both Fontanet and Tumbleson encourage fellow employees who are considering applying to the Disney Aspire program at CSUF to not hesitate and take that step forward.

“I would recommend not to sit on these thoughts,” Tumbleson said. “I think a lot of people might be saving it for later … but the reality is a lot of cast members do it. I’m doing it. So take it seriously. It’s been good.”

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