Oxford-area student lands 2026 Disney College Program, earns college credit

A summer spent at the Oxford City Pool helped Jeffrey “Stoney” Gooden build the résumé that carried him into the 2026 Disney College Program, a paid internship at Walt Disney World Resort that will also count toward his bachelor’s degree at Alcorn State University.

Coahoma Community College announced Gooden’s selection on Feb. 25, 2026, and the Clarksdale native’s path has been built step by step. He is a business administration major, a member of the 2025-2026 Tiger Baseball Team and a 2025 graduate of Clarksdale High School. He started at Coahoma through dual enrollment while still in high school and is on track to finish an Associate of Arts degree this fall while participating in the Disney program.

The selection is more than a résumé line. Gooden’s route included a lifeguard recertification class at the University of Mississippi on May 18, 2025, at Turner Center Natatorium and Turner Center Room 113. The eight-hour class ran from noon to 8 p.m. and cost $125. To renew a lifeguard credential for another two years, the American Red Cross requires final skill assessments, plus CPR, AED and first aid components. The swim test itself is demanding: a 300-yard continuous swim, a timed brick retrieval and a two-minute tread.

Gooden already had lifeguarding certification from Delta State University and holds deep-water lifeguarding, CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and first aid credentials. After recertifying, he worked as a lifeguard at the Oxford City Pool and also taught swimming lessons, turning a local summer job into daily proof of discipline, customer service and responsibility.

That local work connected directly to Oxford. Gooden stayed with family members who work in the Oxford School District, adding another layer to a story rooted in the community rather than in a distant internship office. For Lafayette County students and parents weighing what matters most in a college application or job search, his path shows how dual enrollment, certifications and steady part-time work can stack into something larger.

Disney says the College Program is designed for students and recent graduates who live, learn and earn at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. Participants can spend four to eight months in the program, with some stays extended up to a full year, and may live at Flamingo Crossings Village, receive complimentary transportation, cast-exclusive discounts and theme park admission after two weeks of employment. Disney also recommends the program for college credit through the American Council on Education.

For Gooden, the outcome is clear: a student from Clarksdale, trained in Oxford, is headed to one of the country’s most recognizable employers with academic credit attached and a career path widened before his degree is even complete.