Where Dreams Come True: From JU to Disney, Student Lands Design Internship

For Skye Tiedemann ' 26, Disney is more than a theme park, it's a standard she's been designing toward for years. Growing up in Altamonte Springs, Florida, Tiedemann has a childhood full of memories at Walt Disney World, where she noticed something most visitors overlook. "The one thing that always stood out to me going to the parks was not just the rides or attractions, but how happy the experience made everyone," she said. "Disney is extremely intentional with all of their design choices to let people escape from reality, even if just for a day. That same impact is what I strive for in my own work."

This spring, Tiedemann turned that aspiration into reality. The Jacksonville University senior has been selected as a graphic design intern for Disney's Cast Activities, Recognition, and Experience team. The interview process included a rigorous two-month timeline featuring an AI-powered interview, a one-on-one video interview with a hiring manager, and a follow-up conversation with an associate graphic designer in California. Tiedemann credits her preparation and professors with providing her the confidence to land the job.

"My extensive education on branding made me feel extremely comfortable talking about the topic and led to the hiring manager building trust in my skillset for the position," said Tiedemann. "And the great thing about going to a private university is that I was able to build real relationships with my professors, who wrote me personalized recommendation letters."

Those relationships were built through experiences that went well beyond the classroom. Tiedemann served as lead designer for the Aquarian, Jacksonville University's literary arts magazine, where she oversaw the design of the 90-page publication from cover to cover. In her senior thesis, she created a full brand identity for Painted Pup, a creative pet grooming company, which became a centerpiece of her Disney interview when the hiring manager asked her to walk through her design process from start to finish.

"The best design education happens when students are working through real problems for real clients, learning to balance their own creative voice with someone else's vision," said JU Chair of Fine Arts, Tiffany Leach.

Her enrollment in Creative Entrepreneurship, taught by Professor Katie Webber, also proved pivotal. The course, which Webber redesigned this semester to focus on helping students land creative jobs, challenged Tiedemann to develop her personal brand and prepared her to market herself to potential clients and employers. Tiedemann is one of a handful of students who has used the curriculum in Webber's class to apply for and secure dream internships.

"As designers, you are essentially selling yourself and your creative identity to potential employers," Webber said. "I wanted to build a course that teaches that skill directly."

For Tiedemann, the internship is both a destination and a starting point. Her long-term goal is to join Disney full-time as an associate graphic designer and to continue telling stories, one design at a time.