Dakota Williams

Interior Design

Walt Disney Imagineering

How has your internship helped build skills and clarify your career goals?

Through my internship at Walt Disney Imagineering I was able to better my drawing, space planning, and technical skills. While doing the work I have done for Disney, I have felt that I have chosen the correct career path for myself. Every day I went to work excited to work on the project that I was on for the company.

How do you apply your Liberal Arts skills in your internship?

I've applied my Liberal Arts skills in my internship by going into my internship knowing that there's always more to something than it usually seems. I've used writing, drawing, language, time management, and teamwork skills all while working for Walt Disney Imagineering. All thanks to my Liberal Arts education.

Describe your typical day as an intern.  

My typical day as an intern would be different every day depending on the work that I had to do, but a day would kind of go like this:

I would go into work at 8am and work on projects that were given to me until lunch time. At lunch I would try to eat with different Imagineers every day so I could hear about as many people's stories as possible. After lunch I would usually continue to work on my projects I had been given.

What was the most challenging aspect of your internship?  

The most challenging part of my internship was using programs I hadn't used in a while and switching from one program to another to be able to communicate the designs being done.

What was the most exciting thing about your role? 

The most exciting part about my internship was that I was able to be apart of creating the magic that guests who visit Disney Parks, and resorts, every single day see and experience!

What surprised you most about your internship? 

What surprised me the most about my internship was that I was more prepared for it than I thought I was. I was able to hop into my project team and help them as much as they needed me. It was nice to not really have to be trained on what I was trying to do for the company.

Describe the most meaningful experience you had as an intern.

The most meaningful experience that I had as an intern was being able to go on an overnight operations tour of Disneyland. This tour allowed me to see backstage of rides, attractions, and shows that are in Disneyland. Through the tour we were able to see how the magic is created for the guests and what the cast members work with every day at the park.

How did you learn about your internship?

I learned about my internship through one of my professors, who was contacted by the company.