A trip to Disney should be fun. But for Muhlenberg students Meghan McGorry of Orefield and Connor Baker of Schnecksville, a trip in January also helped them explore the many ways Walt Disney World staff create a culture of leadership.

Over winter break, 16 Muhlenberg students joined staff from the Division of Student Affairs on a trip to Orlando, Fla., to learn about Disney magic.

The goal was to immerse themselves in a weeklong educational experience that focused on leadership, teamwork and service.

Leadership development is a priority for Muhlenberg staff.

Those who have been college employees for many years have noted the deliberate shift toward clearly-defined learning goals and outcomes - even for what might, on the surface, seem to be purely “fun” events, such as a bingo night or make-your-own-stuffed-animal activity.

The Muhlenberg Disney Leadership Experience included enrollment in several of Disney’s educational workshops, which included Techniques of Teamwork and a Culture of Excellence, as well as a service commitment.

This year’s project paired Muhlenberg students with Give Kids the World Village, a central Florida nonprofit that provides free vacations to children experiencing critical illness as well as their families.

Chalfont resident Lindsay Scott, Class of 2022 had frequent leadership opportunities before the Disney trip.

She had led cancer fundraisers in high school and served a leadership position in her school’s National Honors Society Chapter.

At Muhlenberg, she is the secretary for Muhlenberg EMS and serves as a coordinator for a local food pantry.

She is also a member of Muhlenberg’s women’s soccer team and has taken on nonpositional leadership roles as a biology, chemistry and Spanish tutor at the college.

But she saw the Disney Leadership Experience as an opportunity to strengthen her skills with Muhlenberg peers and to see firsthand how an established team approaches leadership.

“I was excited to work collectively to build up a foundation of skills that we could all use to improve the Muhlenberg culture,” Scott said.

“This seemed like a great way to learn what I could do to contribute more to the Muhlenberg community.”

Scott will join the other students who attended the January trip in a presentation to their peers this spring.

Associate Director of Residential Education Katy Mangold hopes some of these budding leaders will serve as mentors for next year’s cohort and serve as a conduit between the lessons learned at the Magic Kingdom and the many leadership opportunities available at Muhlenberg and in the greater Lehigh Valley.