The Disney Aspire Education Investment Program has officially reached central Florida. Disney just announced on May 23 that the program, which has given Disney’s hourly employees/Cast Members the opportunity to receive an education free from the costs of tuition, now includes the University of Central Florida here in Orlando.

“Since its launch, Disney Aspire has enabled thousands of Cast Members to dream bigger and reach higher. Adding UCF to this prestigious network of schools will provide our Cast Members with even more options to create the futures they imagine,” said George A. Kalogridis, president of Walt Disney World Resort, who’s also a UCF alumnus.

Disney Aspire helps Cast Members who want to pursue undergraduate/graduate degrees, while also including options to complete a high school education or vocational training. The program is currently open to 53,000 eligible Cast Members, and these Cast Members now have the choice of enrolling in any of the qualifying 34 undergraduate and master’s degree programs at UCF with 100% free tuition.

“Many of our students already are Disney employees who will immediately benefit, and this program has the potential to change lives in our community for generations,” said Thad Seymour Jr., UCF’s interim president.

It’s amazing to see the steps Disney and UCF have taken to ensure a free education, and it’ll be great to see all of the incoming Knights from this Disney Aspire program. Charge on!

For more information about the program, visit aspire.disney.com.