My name is Ciara and I currently live in the Orlando area, home to Walt Disney World, Universal and SeaWorld. My love for Disney is what brought me to this city in 2018 when I completed an internship with Disney at Magic Kingdom theme park in their Outdoor Foods department. It also influenced my decision to pursue a bachelor’s degree in hospitality and tourism management from the University of Central Florida.
In 2020 when the pandemic shut down the world, I was let go from my internship in the Guest Service Department at Disney and found the company I currently work for, Paylocity. Paylocity is a cutting-edge HR and payroll tech company that offers Software as a Service (To learn more click here). I spent a little over 2 years in the client service department as an account manager and team lead. In February of 2023 I transitioned to our implementation team as a team lead helping onboard our new clients.
I am currently pursuing a master’s in information technology. This is my second semester and I anticipate graduating in fall of this year. In my free time I like to hang out with my husband and our German Shepard, Athena. We enjoy going to all the theme parks that are surrounding us. I am looking forward to attending EPCOT’s International Festival of the Arts within the next month to try some new food/drinks and see all the art on display. If you’re local, I recommend checking it out here.
Hi Ciara,
Your internship sounded amazing, I have always enjoyed going to Disney, my mom lives in Orlando and we used to be passholders. I’m so sorry it got cut short due to the pandemic. During undergrad I minored in Hospitality, I absolutely loved all the classes I got to take. I am also two semesters into getting my Masters in IT and hoping to graduate next Spring. My family and I love going to the festivals EPCOT puts on, especially the Food and Wine Festival. Your dog Athena is so adorable!
Hi Ciara,
totally agree with Kaitlyn about how cool your internship is! Would absolutely love to hear about what a day in your life is like in a work setting like that, You working at DIsney and having an adorable dog named Athena makes me think that you might be a PJO fan! Have you seen the new series? Read the newest book?
Hi Ciara,
I did the Disney College Program too! *Shout out to All-Star Movies Resort.* My journey didn’t end up as cool as your’s though, and my program ended early. However, I still love Disney and I’m actually making a trip down there in May!
Reading your post, I actually sense that your personality is perfect for hospitality and payroll. It seems like you do a great job and that you’re skilled in all of the areas needed for those positions. Was that a difficult transition for you – from the realm of Disney and hospitality to payroll?
It seems like we have a lot in common, so I’m super excited to work with you again this semester. Best of luck in all of your coursework!
Hi Ciara! I thought you did a wonderful job on Media Lab 01 (Blogging)! What stood out to me the most was the organization of your blog. When we were completing this assignment, I was not aware of the depth at which you can edit the format and photo shapes on WordPress. I really love that you utilized the rounding feature for the photos. It looks great aesthetically and it allows your writing to be the true star of the show. In other words, I thought your photos’ subject matter and formatting added to your blog without taking anything away from it.
Additionally, I grew up in Orlando but have only been to Disney twice. I loved reading your blog because I enjoy hearing about others’ experiences in Orlando and what brought them to live there. It’s amazing to me how many different things and different lives you can live in one city! I also absolutely adore your dog. Thank you for including a photo of her!
Have a great semester!