Besides being able to say they work at one of the most magical places on Earth, Disney employees are also eligible for a free college education. Disney announced today that they are adding two more online universities to their tuition reimbursement program, Purdue University Global and Southern New Hampshire University. Both of these institutions offer flexible degree programs that may be completed online.
The Disney Aspire program, which began in August 2018 with a $150 million investment, gives 100% paid tuition for eligible hourly employees and Cast Members. The benefit also includes reimbursements for application fees and other educational expenses like buying textbooks and course materials. Employees may enroll in educational programs that are in English or Spanish, and are at the undergraduate or graduate level, or that grant skilled trade diplomas. To quality for the program, employees must have served at least 90 days. According to the Disney Aspire website, more than 94,000 workers are eligible for the program and over 500 have completed their degrees.
The new additions bring the total number of institutions participating in the program to 13, which offer more than 400 degree, certificate, and diploma programs combined. The University of Central Florida, an Orlando area institution that partnered with Disney last year, will raise the number of degree programs they offer to Disney employees to 72 this spring, with hundreds of student enrollments. Other universities that enroll Disney employees include University of Arizona, Valencia College, Brandman University, and University of Florida Online.
Although the Disney Aspire program is funded by Disney, it is administered by Guild Education. This female-led company, founded by Rachel Romer Carlson and Brittany Stich, has a valuation of about $1 billion and works with other large companies like Walmart, Lowes, Chipotle, and Taco Bell. The company has had success with using education as a benefit and boasts a 95% retention rate of students at the 6 month mark.
Disney isn’t the only theme park in the Orlando area that is trying to educate its workforce. Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando also offer tuition reimbursement for qualifying part-time employees.