Andre Goode ’18 gets to wake up every morning and go to work at a place most people only dream of visiting. It is the place where magic happens. Disney magic, that is.
“One of the most enjoyable aspects of being a Disney technologist is being able to see the fruit of my own labor,” Goode said in a telephone interview from Walt Disney Studios in Los Angeles. “I’m part of teams which enable the creative storytelling that Disney is known for, using technology to deliver that happiness to millions of people around the world.”
Goode, who was part of Florida Polytechnic University’s inaugural class, began his high-tech career with The Walt Disney Company right after graduation. The company hired him as part of a new technology development program created to empower the next generation of Disney’s technologists.
The experience has allowed Goode to use his degree in computer science and information technology in a variety of ways. Currently, he works at Disney Studios supporting marketing and consumer analytics efforts by providing consumable data sets to data scientists. Before that, he was part of the data team behind Disney’s TV-everywhere apps, which includes DisneyNOW and ABC.
“I was able to engineer data flows in addition to delivering product insights on those applications based on user behavior,” said Goode. “With that data, we can tell the developers of the app what features a user might want or perhaps enable recommendations for viewers.”
The Weston, Florida native was no stranger to Disney before this life-changing career opportunity. He interned as an information engineer for the parks and resorts side of the company when he was a senior at Florida Poly.
“A large part of how I was able to have a career with Disney was due to my internship,” said Goode. “Florida Poly’s close proximity to Disney and to many other companies along the I-4 corridor gives students a big chance of getting internships that can make all the difference.”
Goode credits his four years at Florida Poly for his seamless transition into the technology industry. He said the experience of working hands-on with technology, in combination with the University’s applied research approach to solving real-world problems, is what led him to success thus far.
“What you learn at Florida Poly transfers very smoothly to the tech industry,” Goode said. “Florida Poly’s project-based curriculum enabled me to quickly adapt to different teams and pushed me to realize that constantly learning new things is typical in this fast-paced and always changing field.”
Looking ahead, Goode wants to continue expanding his engineering experience at Disney as he grows within the company. He aspires to become a tech leader one day, but never forgetting where he earned his wings to fly.
“I’m definitely proud to be a Phoenix,” he said. “I will always push for the success of Florida Poly by staying involved and extending opportunities to current students and recent graduates.”
“We’re like a family.”
Contact:
Lydia Guzman
Director of Communications
863-874-8557