The interns who stayed.

DisneyExaminer doesn’t necessarily run on magic. It exists because there’s a talented group of young professionals behind it who love the magic of Disney.

For a little over a year, we’ve had the opportunity to discover and work with even more new young pros in their respective fields with the help of the our internship program. We recently invited 5 more people to join us for the semester as interns who’ll help us and then move on to the next best thing…

Little did we know that many of the interns who joined us would stay with us past their required time and help us grow.

I wanted to have some of those people share in their own words on what it was like being an intern and perhaps why they decided to stay and now grow the next generation of #TeamDisneyExaminer.

From what they had to say below, it may have not needed any magic, but the mere fact that DisneyExaminer has such a talented group behind it is nothing short of magical.

Vannyda Thach

I’ve been a fan of DisneyExaminer for as long as I could remember. Being a fan was one thing, but being an intern and part of the team was beyond my expectations. This internship had to be one of the best decisions I’ve made thus far. I remember nervously walking into my first pitch meeting with the staff, not knowing what to expect. But I was very excited to meet the people who have been bringing magic to life in the website that I’ve been following for years. There was no surprise that everybody would be extremely welcoming!

During my internship I was able to grow my skills in writing, social media, campaigns, and more. I also had the opportunity to help cover Disneyland’s 59th Anniversary Celebration, review El Capitan Theatre’s ‘Dinner and a Movie’ program, and interview the man who has visited Disneyland over 1,000 consecutive days. However, my favorite experience would have to be working on the red carpet for the “Big Hero 6” Hollywood Premiere where I had hands-on experience and learned how to manage social media during a fast-paced event. It was an honor to be a DisneyExaminer intern and work with an awesome team who shares the same passion for Disney. Thank you, #TeamDisneyExaminer for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Falak Jandga

A huge part of interning with DE was the rest of the crew. I still remember meeting all of them for the first time at the Starbucks in Downtown Disney. Everyone was really nice and very welcoming. We even had a Disney-related icebreaker and shared our childhood photos at Disneyland. There, I pitched my first idea, which also became my first story. I wrote an article about having a Disney wedding. It was so much fun to research and write and of course, very magical!

Throughout my internship, I gained a lot of knowledge and experience as a writer. My favorite part about it was my coverage with “Big Hero 6”. I had the opportunity of going to the Walt Disney Studios for an early screening, attending the press junket, and going to the premiere. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life! It even inspired me to potentially go into entertainment journalism. I am forever grateful for DisneyExaminer and the doors that it has opened for me. It has been a great stepping-stone and a huge blessing.

Kevin Chiu

While in college, the DisneyExaminer team came and did a presentation for my school’s communication college event. I was inspired by the amazing things that they were able to achieve, and the wonderful people they were able to connect with. Immediately, I knew I had to work with them. I applied, and was blessed with a role as a writer and PR intern.

I was able to work on a variety of different projects. On the PR side, I drew from previous internship experience to help with the existing social media efforts. Due to a combined team effort, we were able to grow DisneyExaminer’s social media presence exponentially. On the writing side, I was entrusted with pitching and writing varying stories on a subject I absolutely have a passion for: Disney.

Perhaps the most important takeaway from my internship experience with DisneyExaminer was my personal and professional growth. We are like a family, looking out and caring for each other. At the end of the day, this internship has given me an experience that not many people are able to have. It continues my passion and dream for Disney.

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If you’re eager to become a DisneyExaminer intern and a part of the team, be sure to check back later this year for news on when we begin searching for our next group of interns! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and our other social networks to be the first to know when that’ll happen.

Do you have what it takes to become a DisneyExaminer? Sound off below with why below!