2022-2023 Disneyland Resort Ambassador Nataly Guzman became the first Disney Ambassador to earn a degree through Disney Aspire earlier this year when she graduated with a degree in communications from Wilmington University. See how Disney Aspire helped put Nataly’s dreams within reach.

What led to you join Disney Aspire?

Finances were probably the biggest draw. [Disney Aspire] launched at the most perfect time in my life; right when I was exploring different schools to attend for my bachelor’s degree.

What was application process like?

It was easy. I was a first–generation student. My parents were from rural Mexico … their highest education was up to middle school. Although they knew about college and how important it was, they had no idea how to help me … they didn’t know what SATs were or what financial aid was. It felt like such an impossible task just to get in, let alone finish it all. With Aspire, it was significantly easier than what I had to go through back in high school, due to the help I received with navigating through everything.

Was there any sense of community with other Aspire students?

It was fun to connect with cast mem-bers from Aulani to Walt Disney World; that was one of the most fascinating things. There was always this little sense of community, especially seen with things like online discussion posts that touched on working in this company.

What would you say to someone interested in joining Disney Aspire?

For someone who wants to pursue more education, I would remind them that this is an incredible opportunity to take advantage of that is genuinely no strings attached.

Now that you have graduated from Disney Aspire, what do you aspire to do next?

I landed a role [as a Disney Ambassador] that covers every discipline of communication, which is such a unique opportunity. Since I won’t be in this for-ever, it’s a little scary to think about what is possible in the future. In high school, the thought of a master’s was just, “absolutely not; there’s no way I can ever finish anything like that.” And now, I can do that, which is pretty cool. What I do know is I want to stay in storytelling. I want to stay in messaging. And I want to stay in this company.