ECL is taking Lydia Thompson to the Happiest Place on Earth, other than Greenlaw Hall! Not only is Lydia a great student, one of the 2018-2019 “Top Ten Scholar Athletes,” but she is also now an intern at Walt Disney World!
Lydia started out in the Media and Journalism (MEJO) School, but thought something was missing. She reflects, “I realized that analyzing literature was what I loved—I missed the close reading, interpreting, and conveying those thoughts with others that the English department offered.” Wanting to be part of that world, she decided to go the distance over to Greenlaw with a dreamy far off look and her nose stuck in a book. Her favorite memory from her whole new world? “Working closely with the Rare Book Collection in Wilson Library. What an incredible experience we get, and yet so many students do not capitalize on it!”
For Lydia, ECL was an open door. After learning about The Disney College Program through friends and colleagues, she got down to business to defeat the application process, using skills taught in ECL. Lydia reflects, “The application process really assessed my critical thinking abilities and my communication skills that I know were cultivated through the English program.”
Now she just can’t wait to get started! “I hope to continue to better my communication skills through working with people from all walks of life and from places all over the world. I cannot wait to impact the lives of the future generations by sharing a little bit of Disney magic every day!”
For anyone wishing on a star for an internship, Lydia’s got some advice: “Go to office hours.” She continues, “Professors have so many connections and are truly so willing to help their students succeed. It’s because of an advisor that I interned with the UNC Press last summer, and had it not been for her willingness to get me connected, I would never have had that opportunity. Professors and advisors are here for a reason–don’t take them for granted!” After all, you’ve got a friend in ECL!
We can’t wait to see how far Lydia’ll go!
