Franchise U Is in Session: Yum! Brands and the University of Louisville Collaborate To Change Lives
By: Helen Bond
Originally published by Franchising.com
Summer Worful was 15 when she landed her first job as a crew member at McDonald’s. Despite being painfully shy, she came out of her shell as she fell in love with her weekend side hustle. Still, when she left her small hometown of Smithfield, Kentucky, for the University of Louisville, Worful knew nothing about franchising and had never envisioned a future that included owning a business.
Everything changed when Worful took a business course on the fundamentals of the franchise model offered through the University of Louisville’s Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence.
Part of the center’s undergraduate franchise management certificate track, the class opened Worful’s eyes to the world of franchising and the depth and breadth of what it offers. This spark of enlightenment was ignited in real-world ways when the 22-year-old senior, a business administration major with a minor in management, joined three fellow students at the 2024 International Franchise Association (IFA) Annual Convention in February.
