All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

West Virginia Wesleyan College student lives childhood dream

Kirby Forbes ‘24 of Hurricane, West Virginia, ventured to the Sunshine State and found herself with a magical opportunity. / Photo courtesy WVWC

BUCKHANNON – Kirby Forbes ‘24 of Hurricane, West Virginia, ventured to the Sunshine State and found herself with a magical opportunity.

Forbes is pursuing two degrees, one is a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and the other is a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from West Virginia Wesleyan College. As required, internships have to be completed in order to obtain these degrees and Forbes landed one at Disney University.

She stated, “Doing the Disney College Program has been a dream of mine ever since I was a little kid.”

Disney University offers Disney College Programs where Forbes is completing her internship. She has worked at food and beverage kiosks during festivals that have taken place in Epcot.

“I was able to work during the last month and a half of the Flower and Garden Festival and now the Food and Wine Festival is in full swing,” Forbes said. “At Disney University, I am able to attend classes offered, such as leadership classes. I’m planning to start some of the classes within the next few weeks.”

Forbes will be able to build on the skills that she has developed while attending West Virginia Wesleyan College. She remarked, “Wesleyan has prepared me for this opportunity because I have been able to use my knowledge and leadership skills to help me grow in this program.”

“I believe this is 100% influencing my future career because I get to see first hand all the hard work and dedication it takes to be a part of this company,” Forbes said.

She has used criminal justice experience when observing security operations from day to day and is applying it to what she has learned. However, her psychology major has assisted her more prominently since her involvement in Disney.

”Psychology is widely used at Disney, so simply working or going to the parks on my days off allows me to observe the guests and environments,” she said. “Since I’m a Service Scholar at Wesleyan and my service site is a daycare, I have a better understanding when it comes to working around children.”

She has experienced many memorable moments, but her favorites have been those with the children. Forbes stated, “Seeing a child’s face light up just by simply talking to them about their day or creating a magical moment for them is such an amazing experience.”

Forbes plans on continuing the internship throughout the fall semester while taking other courses that are available and hopes to continue her career at Disney following graduation.

Share this story:

Local Businesses

RECENT Stories

Buckhannon Banter: Get the local lowdown for July 2, 2025

This week in Buckhannon, local organizations plan events and clinics — including a big July 4th celebration — and several community initiatives aim to engage residents of all ages.

Emergency agencies stress need for coordinated incident plans during large events with road closures

Emergency officials emphasized the need for incident action plans and coordination with public safety agencies for large events that close major streets, citing upcoming car shows and other street-closure events to ensure fast, safe emergency responses.
BUHS Sports

B-U now in Class AAAA in all sports; moved to new South Region after WVSSAC restructuring

Buckhannon-Upshur High School will compete in Class AAAA — the highest division — for all sports and has been moved to the new South Region under a two-year realignment by the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission.

Stockert Youth and Community Center Board Meeting Agenda: July 3, 2025

The Stockert Youth and Community Center Board will meet July 3, 2025, with an agenda set to discuss organizational matters and upcoming events.

Buckhannon Waste Board Agenda: July 3, 2025

The City of Buckhannon Waste Collection Board has released the agenda for its upcoming meeting on July 3, 2025.

Woman arrested on six felony charges after allegedly shooting at a man in Upshur County

Jocelyn M. Krum, 28, of Charleston, was arrested on six felony charges after allegedly entering a Mt. Lebanon Road residence in Upshur County with a rifle and shooting at a man before fleeing the scene.

Buckhannon man sentenced to 11 to 21 years for Bailey Ridge Road shootout

Austin W. Arbogast, 26, was sentenced to 11 to 21 years in prison after pleading guilty to four felony charges stemming from a March 2024 shootout on Bailey Ridge Road while attempting to retrieve his child.

Mountain East Conference extends invitation to Shawnee State University

The Mountain East Conference has approved Shawnee State University as its 12th full-time member, with the school set to join in 2026 pending NCAA Division II acceptance and expanding league competition in 19 sports.
Davis and Elkins College

Davis & Elkins College students recognized for high academic honors for Spring 2025 semester

Davis & Elkins College has announced the Spring 2025 president’s list, for students earning 4.0 GPAs, and dean’s list, for those earning 3.6 to 3.99, honoring academic excellence campus-wide.