With a business portfolio that extends far beyond theme parks, the Walt Disney Company is a multi-billion-dollar corporation with job opportunities across most fields. For at least two Tech alumni, the company was an important stepping stone on their journeys to the most magical place on earth — a fulfilling career.
Sound Design is Wild in the Animal Kingdom
Satbir Mangat graduated from Michigan Tech with a bachelor’s degree in sound design and an associate of arts in humanities in 2024, and is now an entertainment technician at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Mangat says Tech helped him “get comfortable with being uncomfortable.” Moving up to campus from downstate Utica, Michigan meant moving several hours away from his home, friends, and loved ones for the first time. Making the leap built resilience and tenacity, traits that would serve him well as he pursued an internship with the Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) in West Virginia in the summer of 2022 and continue to help him thrive in his current job at Disney.
“With my field, I am constantly seeing new places with people I’ve never met,” said Mangat, who recommends that his fellow Huskies tap into the resources available to make connections as both students during their time at Tech and young professionals post-graduation.
Mangat found his way to Disney by networking through conferences including the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival and the United States Institute for Theatre Technology. His connections with other Tech alumni who spoke well of him helped get his foot in the door at Disney. His CATF internship fostered a friendship with another audio technologist who now works at The Magic Kingdom.
Though Mangat primarily works in the Animal Kingdom, the variety of skills and strong audio background he offers keep him on the move from stage to stage across the park.
“My day-to-day changes,” said Mangat. “I could be fixing the festival of the Lion King or Finding Nemo, or working with the in-park live bands.”
Mangat’s work has also given him valuable exposure to skills and experience outside his niche. He works at wedding-related events, runDisney marathons, and national cheerleading competitions in the parks. He’s even trained and authorized to load and fire pyrotechnics across the property.
“The biggest challenge is sometimes the hours. The longest week I’ve had was 77 hours of work, but I love every second of it,” said Mangat. “My goal was to become the best live audio mixer I can be, and this company is a great stepping stone.”
Mangat also wants Huskies preparing for their careers to fearlessly “ask the dumb questions.”
“I was always scared to ask questions for fear of looking like an idiot, but none of us know anything until we are taught. People would rather you ask and know what you are doing than fake it,” said Mangat.
ESL Teacher Learns Firsthand: It’s a Small World After All
Adam Tanielian graduated from Tech with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a minor in psychology in 2004, with no idea that his career would take him on a magical journey to far-off places. He went on to earn his master’s degree in management and a doctorate in international law from the Institute of International Studies at Ramkhamhaeng University in Bangkok, Thailand. During his time in Thailand, Tanielian taught English and math, sparking his passion for education.
That passion and skill set opened the door to yet another far, far away land: China, where he worked teaching English as a second language for The Walt Disney Company from 2013 to 2014. Tanielian first heard about the job through a message from a LinkedIn recruiter.
“I wasn’t planning on moving to China, but I was growing dissatisfied with the future at my then-current Thai public high school job, so it was a good opportunity for the time,” said Tenielian, “Disney was very helpful with visa processing for my wife, with flights, accommodation during training, and other business services.”
The Disney English project was a synergetic effort alongside the construction of Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Shanghai, designed to both market the Disney brand and create customer relationships through education. Tanielian’s job was to teach English learners ages two to 12 using original Disney content.
“Chinese families spend more on education out of pocket than any other people in the world. There are several brands of private language institutes throughout China. English is an essential skill to be a competitive candidate in the job market, and children often start learning English as early as they start learning any language,” said Tanielian. His love of education didn’t end with his Disney experience. He now teaches math at public schools in Mississippi.
Tanielian said that the diversity of Michigan Tech’s students, faculty, and staff had a huge hand in preparing him to teach in another country. Because most of the families he worked with highly value engineering and hard science skills, his exposure to engineering and other STEM disciplines at Tech helped him to understand his students’ career goals and tailor educational strategies accordingly.
“I was familiar with the type of thinking among physicists, chemists, mathematicians, and other empiricists because of my time at Tech, and it helped me connect with students’ families and their priorities,” said Tanielian.
About the College of Sciences and Arts
The College of Sciences and Arts is a global center of academic excellence in the sciences, humanities, and arts for a technological world. Our teacher-scholar model is a foundation for experiential learning, innovative research and scholarship, and civic leadership. The College offers 33 bachelor’s degrees in biological sciences, chemistry, humanities, kinesiology and Integrative physiology, mathematical sciences, physics, psychology and human factors, social sciences, and visual and performing arts. We are home to Michigan Tech’s pre-health professions and ROTC programs. The College offers 25 graduate degrees and certificates. We conduct approximately $12 million in externally funded research in health and wellness, sustainability and resiliency, and the human-technology frontier.
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