Brick Ingle ’19
This spring break, eight Hampden-Sydney students and two professors traveled to Orlando to take part in a Disney Institute workshop. Through the generosity of Hampden-Sydney Trustee Robert Citrone ’87, his wife Cindy, and their family foundation, the Hampden-Sydney men gained a truly remarkable experience by learning from one of the most successful companies in the world.
In preparation for the workshop, students took part in a one-credit-hour professional development course headed by Dr. Ivo Gyurovski '09 and Dr. Sean Gleason. The course included discussions about organizational memory, business leadership, as well as simulations of an interview process and strategy meeting.
Down in Florida, the four-day workshop focused on Disney’s approach to quality service. Participants discussed common service-related problems, analyzed and brainstormed possible solutions, and learned the ways that Disney theme parks confront a variety of issues. Discussions centered around service philosophy, intentionality, on-stage vs. backstage presentation, processes and policies, and team cohesion. The week also included daily field expeditions to the parks where participants observed the principles and practices they discussed in class; one field expedition even took attendees to the rumored tunnel system that runs under the Magic Kingdom.
The Hampden-Sydney Tigers were not the only participants in this training. Large groups from several companies—including a budget hotel chain in the United Kingdom and an IT company based out of the Midwest—attended the Disney Institute course. In fact, the Tigers agreed that one of the most valuable aspects of this experience was the opportunity to discuss the challenges faced by professionals from various industries. Not only were the students excited to interact with business professionals, but the other attendees regularly spoke to how impressed they were by the intelligence and deportment of the Hampden-Sydney men.
Cindy Citrone kindly hosted the student group in her Orlando home, where they could relax after a full day of workshops and, more importantly, meet with their professors and evaluate the information they had gathered over the course of the day.
The group will spend the remainder of the semester discussing the lessons gained from their experience at the Disney Institute and crafting individual projects to be presented at the Hampden-Sydney Student Research Symposium the week of April 15.
Both students and professors alike extend a sincere thank you to the Citrone family for their generosity that allowed our young men such a valuable opportunity.