Bowie Aitken: Comparative Cultural Studies, Class of 2027
Could you briefly describe who you are and what you do?
My name is Bowie Aitken. Right now, I am currently a representative for the Disney College Program, so that means I get to table, and go do engagements on campus that tell people my story and why I think people should do the Disney College Program.
What motivated you to enroll at NAU?
I really liked NAU because of the location. I’m from Tucson, so it felt like a nice distance away from home and it was a different climate than I was used to in Tucson because it’s a lot colder here. It was a way to challenge myself and get out of my comfort zone.
Why and how did you select your major and minor at NAU?
I just recently changed my major to Comparative Cultural Studies and it was because I have a huge fascination with art history. I think it’s one of the most interesting ways to learn about how art influences and echoes culture. I was really interested in CCS because they have a lot of classes concerning that and you can’t do art history without a greater understanding of other cultures in the world.
What campus activities do you participate in?
I recently joined rugby this semester, so I’m going to stick with that. I also work at the Academic Success Center so I get to talk to students and help them with study skills and other things like that.
Can you tell me about your internship?
The Disney College Program was a fall semester opportunity for me. I went there in September and I came back in January. I worked at the Intermission Food Court at All-Star Music, which is one of the value resorts on the property. I got to work in the resort as opposed to the parks. Basically, I was working 30 to 35 hours a week getting to create that magic that Disney is so well known for.
What was your favorite part about the internship?
My favorite part was definitely all of the people that I met. You work with so many different people, and at my location, there were at least 100 people working there, so I got to interact with people from all over the United States and all over the world which was really cool.
How did NAU prepare you for this internship?
The distance away from home helped prepare me. I was slowly inching away, and then moved all the way over to Florida. That independence piece is definitely huge because, with the College Program, I had a lot more independence than I had even at college. I got a little preparation for that at NAU. Also, time management. Here, I think it’s the opposite problem, where you maybe have too much time on your hands and you have to figure out how to manage that, but during my internship, I didn’t have a ton of time on my hands because of work and I was trying to figure out how to utilize the time I did have.
What are your career goals in the future?
Right now, I am leaning towards museum curation, making those exhibits that you go to see. I also have had an interest in art history education, whether that be in the classroom or as an educator in a museum that stands around and tells people what all the different things they’re looking at mean.
What could NAU have done better to prepare you for the workforce?
This is probably more of a personal situation, where I didn’t involve myself too much during my Freshman year. If there are people who are thinking about doing this, I would advise them to get more involved, even if that’s just going to a cycling class once a week. Having some kind of commitment that you have to plan around is a really good practice, not only for this internship but just for real life too.
What were the steps you took in order to get your internship?
The applications are currently open and they close May 5th. You just submit an application, and then there is a phone interview process. Once you do the phone interview, you’ll find out if you get in and then you can accept the offer. The steps kind of follow from there and you end up in Florida! The phone interview was definitely nerve-wracking because I had never done one before, but it’s a pretty straightforward application process.
Do you have any advice for students interested in the humanities?
I would say to find that niche that you’re really interested in because there are so many different topics out there that you can explore. Finding that niche in something that you’re really passionate about, even if it’s just something you learned about briefly in class, is something that can be really helpful, not only for your professional life, but just very satisfying and fulfilling to learn about something that you’re interested in.
Is there anything else you want to add?
The Disney College Program is a really good opportunity for people of all majors and there are a lot of skills that I learned from it that apply not just to my major, but to real life and career development. If anyone sees this and they don’t know if their major aligns with the College Program, the skills that you learn there are transferable to everything.
