This year's speaker at the Senior Thesis Kick-Off Lecture brought a little bit of Disney magic to campus. On April 28, 2005, Robert Holland, Vice President of Resorts, Facilities, and Infrastructure Development for Walt Disney Imagineering and a Penn State Architecture graduate, came to University Park and spoke to an audience of more than 300 faculty, staff and students. His lecture, titled "Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Making the Magic Real," focused on the process of designing the creative environments people have come to expect from Disney. Holland's lecture was enjoyed by students in various engineering, architecture and art departments.

Throughout his 25-year Disney career, Holland has been an integral part of many of The Walt Disney Company's finest "firsts." From managing the development of Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's first luxury resort; to the Hotel Santa Fe at Disneyland Paris; to Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, the first moderately-priced resort/convention center at Walt Disney World Resort; to the Disney Magic, Disney's first cruise ship; Holland has been involved in much of the company's new project development.

Currently, Holland oversees all Walt Disney World resort, commercial and infrastructure development. He also has responsibility for worldwide Disney resort hotel feasibility and development. His current projects include Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, the seventh Disney Vacation Club resort; the Hong Kong Disneyland and Hollywood hotels at Hong Disneyland; Disney's Coronado Springs Resort Convention expansion; and Disney Cruise Line new ship development, as well as retail, commercial and infrastructure projects.