Dollywood workers get free ride to college

• Dolly Parton is offering free college tuition for all Dollywood workers.
• The theme park’s management said they want their hosts to follow their dreams and grow.
• Fans, celebrities, and politicians have showered praises on the country queen, cheering “Dolly Parton for President.”

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Dolly Parton has pledged free college tuition for all Dollywood workers, proving once again that she’s not stopping her mission of championing accessible education.

According to a report from WHJL-11, seasonal, part-time, and full-time Dollywood employees who choose to further their education will have 100% of their tuition covered, as well as the cost of books, under Guild Education‘s GROW U Program.

Employees will be able to access diploma, degree, and certificate programs in finance, marketing, business administration and leadership, culinary, and technology across 30 learning partners.

Meanwhile, partial funding of up to $5,250/year will be provided to those who choose to study programs in other fields, such as hospitality, human resources, engineering, and art design.

The program will launch officially on Feb. 24 for all 11,000 current employees. New hosts can enroll on the program on their first day of employment.

“One of The Dollywood Foundation’s key tenets is to ‘learn more.’ … We want our hosts to develop themselves through advanced learning to fulfill the foundation’s other tenets: care more, dream more, and be more,” said Eugene Naughton, president of The Dollywood Company. “When our hosts strive to grow themselves, it makes our business and our community a truly better place.”

“We know when our hosts are happy and feel cared for that they are going to pass that along to our guests,” he added.

Andrew Wexler, CEO of Herschend Enterprises, Dollywood’s operating partner, Herschend Enterprises, added, “We care about our hosts’ development and we want their future to grow because of love, not loans.”

Cheers of “Parton for President” once again rang out from fans, celebrities, and other personalities who showered the country queen with praises.

Rosie O’Donnell called Dolly “an angel,” while Kentucky congressional candidate Charles Booker said, “Dolly, you truly are appreciated.”

Dollywood is hosting hiring events on the following Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Seymour Heights Christian Church on Feb. 19 and at Sevier County High School on Feb. 26.

Interested applicants can check out dollywoodjobs.com.

Source: New York Post