It may be the quote in her Instagram bio, but for the past academic year, sophomore Kelci Armstead has been living her dream by serving in the Disney College Program.
“I found out about the Disney College Program when I was in middle school, and ever since then, I have always wanted to do the program,” Kelci said.
Sixteen years from her first visit, she found herself “earning her ears” in August 2025.
Kelci works in food service at her favorite Disney resort, Art of Animation. As a College Program participant, she’s also gaining valuable professional experience while meeting people from around the world and creating lasting friendships and memories.
“My time at Marshall has shown me how to open up to other people,” Kelci said. “I learned how to create friendships with others at my workplace because of the friendships that I made at Marshall.”
And she’s been opening up and chatting with guests including those from West Virginia and people who have heard of Marshall.
“The most exciting part of my job is getting to talk to guests that share the same interests as me. I’ve talked to many guests about the Disney parks and their favorite ride or park snack,” Kelci said.
Working for a large-scale operation like Walt Disney World Resort requires strong teamwork, constant communication and a deep commitment to customer service—skills Kelci is already learning how to manage.
“I have learned that communication is so important when it comes to my job. We always have to be communicating with one another, so we make sure that each guest is being helped and that we are doing our job safely,” Kelci said.
These are skills Kelci will use as a teacher, whether she’s working with other educators, communicating with parents or making sure students feel supported in the classroom.
Kelci is studying elementary education at Marshall, with hopes to teach third or fourth grade upon graduation. She’s following in her mom’s footsteps—a Marshall alumna, elementary school teacher and Disney fanatic.
While the program is a dream come true, balancing her online courses and work hasn’t come without its challenges.
“The most challenging part has been the long hours. As someone in the College Program, I am usually given closing shifts, which means that on some nights, I leave work after midnight,” Kelci said.
Despite the demanding hours, the program has brought Kelci new connections.
“What surprised me the most was that there are a lot of people my age that were doing the program. Usually, people do the program after they’ve graduated college, so they don’t have to worry about schoolwork. But I’ve become friends with a lot of people my age,” Kelci said.
If she’s not working or studying for class, Kelci’s out exploring the four theme parks with her new friends.
Her favorite ride in all the parks? You’ll find it in Epcot, Guardians of the Galaxy. She says she’s probably ridden it at least 50 times by now.
When she realized she could complete her second semester of courses online, extending her time in the Disney College program was a no-brainer.
And her hard work is being recognized—at the beginning of the spring semester, Kelci was promoted to a trainer.
While she’d love to continue the program, she’s excited to come home at the end of the semester and reconnect with friends and family.
“I hope this experience helps me achieve my goals at Marshall. Doing the Disney College Program has shown me that if I work hard, I can do anything,” Kelci said.
