The Yum! Scholars Program, launched this fall through the in the UofL College of Business, has welcomed 10 students to its first cohort. Yum! Scholars, who may be from any school and major across the university, receive up to $8,000 in financial support and mentoring within a community designed to help them become the next generation of leaders who drive growth, innovation and success in the franchising world. Successful scholars will embody the spirit of leadership, resilience and community impact.

“Being selected as a Yum! Scholar means having the support and opportunity to turn my hard work and dreams into a future where I can give back to my community,” said Ethan Walker, a junior majoring in business administration and one of the scholars selected.

The program is made possible by a $1-million endowment from Yum! Brands, demonstrating Yum!’s commitment to investing in the next generation of franchise business leaders. The program aims to prepare talented individuals for thriving careers in franchising, business and leadership.

“It’s truly a pleasure to support these amazing students from Yum! Brands’ home state of Kentucky,” said Kat Abner, senior manager, community impact for Yum! Brands. “It is so rewarding to continue working with the University of Louisville on innovative ways to provide a best-in-class education to those interested in a career in franchising. The industry’s future leaders are being trained today at the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence.”

The is a cohort experience that builds a strong community of changemakers driven to make a difference on campus and beyond. As part of the program, each scholar will receive $1,000 per semester for up to eight semesters and engage in franchising education and community designed to inspire them to explore careers and leadership in the franchise industry. Each year, the program plans to add five students from the incoming freshman class.

Yum! Scholars are selected for academic potential along with how they live out the four core values that reflect the spirit of the Yum! Scholars Program:

• Drive: Demonstrate grit and determination by rising above obstacles and turning challenges into opportunities for growth.
• Leadership: Lead with integrity, courage and empathy – taking initiative and inspiring positive momentum in every endeavor.
• Belonging: Respect and value the unique experiences of others, fostering an environment where all people and voices are welcome.
• Impact: Strive to make meaningful contributions that create lasting, positive change on campus, in communities and beyond.

Yum! Scholars will have exclusive opportunities to engage with franchise industry professionals to help build their professional network and provide real-world franchising insights as part of the scholars’ community, while pursuing the degree of their choice.

“These students will be prepared to become leaders in the franchising industry,” said Kathleen Gosser, director of the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence. “Franchising provides a tremendous entrepreneurial opportunity for students who are driven and focused. This program will help boost their success and accelerate their careers.”

Yum! Scholars must be residents of Kentucky or a state covered by UofL’s tuition reciprocity agreements and must complete at least one of four designated undergraduate online courses in franchise management during their junior or senior year. To remain eligible, scholars must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 and participate in program events, which include workshops, networking and professional development. Current high school seniors are encouraged to to be part of the 2026 cohort by Sunday, Dec. 15.

The 2025 Yum! Scholars

• Brian Alonso, Sophomore, Business Admin
• Mohammed Alyaserri, Junior, CIS
• Mateo Barrientos, Junior, Public Health
• Maycee Decker, Junior, Biology
• Ezra Foote, Sophomore, Political Science
• Kyleigh Greenwell, Sophomore, Accountancy
• TaRon Smith, Junior, Neuroscience
• Key’Shawn Stoner, Sophomore, Business Admin
• Ethan Walker, Junior, Business Admin
• Trinity Ziakas, Sophomore, Psychology

As part of its $100 million global Unlocking Opportunity Initiative, Yum! Brands is providing more than $800,000 in funding to launch the “Accelerating Growth” programs, which is in addition to the $3.5 million commitment the company made to launch the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence in 2021. The goal of Yum! Brands’ Unlocking Opportunity Initiative is to create opportunities for education and entrepreneurship for employees, frontline restaurant teams and communities around the world.

The two new “Accelerating Growth” education tracks will launch in the summer and fall 2024 semester and will focus on training attendees to upskill their franchising education.

“Yum! Brands is passionate about the franchise business model, and capable franchise leaders are the lifeblood of every successful franchise system. As the franchisor of choice for the industry, we are thrilled to partner with the University of Louisville and address a need of the industry – training a new generation of leaders to take on senior management roles in franchise businesses,” said Wanda Williams, head, Global Franchising, Yum! Brands. “Since its launch in 2021 as part of our Unlocking Opportunity Initiative, the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence has helped prepare hundreds of students for successful careers and business ownership opportunities by building knowledge about the franchising industry.”

Two new education tracks will be offered as part of the “Accelerating Growth” program, which will develop the skills necessary to run and grow a large franchise business: a six-month Level 1 program designed to train general managers and area coaches for a vice president role, and an advanced one-year program customized to prepare vice presidents for a role as president of a franchise organization. Both programs include online and experiential education, and the advanced program also includes a final simulation and development of a business plan.

“The ‘Accelerating Growth’ program is an exceptional addition to the multilevel franchise education offered by our center at the University of Louisville and is yet another way we can create opportunities for professionals across the franchising industry. We are incredibly grateful for Yum!’s continued support for the center and this opportunity to expand the center’s programs,” said Kathleen Gosser, director of the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence and assistant professor in the .

Since the launch of the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence at UofL, total enrollment has exceeded 900 students – 418 undergrad, 50 graduate-level and 500 executive education enrollees.

In addition, the center launched the annual Yum! Franchise Accelerator Fellowship in 2022, a collaborative effort between UofL, Howard University and Yum! Brands, which offers a unique opportunity for four MBA students from the two universities. Participants in the annual program are granted $10,000 scholarships and receive personalized training and mentorship from industry experts during an immersive educational journey centered around the franchise business model. Each accelerator program culminates in a pitch competition featuring a $10,000 cash prize, while establishing winners as top candidates for promising franchising careers. The Yum! Franchise Accelerator Fellowship is open to all eligible students regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age.

Through the new partnership, foundational CFE education will include even more rigorous requirements standardized by UofL’s College of Business. 

“This landmark education and certification partnership will be transformational to the industry,” said Matthew Haller, president and CEO of the International Franchise Association. “Building on the success of the CFE program, this new partnership will encourage more people in franchising to level-up their skills by pursuing a CFE, ultimately creating a new level of professional excellence in franchising with standards-based education as the foundation. IFA is pleased to partner with the University of Louisville on this venture, which will make franchise education more accessible at a time when we are seeing more and more interest in the business model.” 

“We are excited about our partnership with the IFA. This arrangement has been a long time in the making and represents a wonderful opportunity in franchise education,” said Jeff Guan, interim dean of the UofL College of Business. “Our high educational standards and curriculum will improve the business qualifications of franchisees in the program and elevate the franchise industry as a whole.”

“It’s exciting to see the impact that these organizations can have when they share a passion for collaboration and a mission to make a difference in the lives of entrepreneurs,” said Wanda Williams, head of Global Franchising for Yum! Brands and IFA Board Member. “We are very proud of the work that has been done at the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence since it opened, and adding the IFA’s Certified Franchise Executive certification further enhances the reputation of these best-in-class educational programs.”

The Certified Franchise Executive program is the highest level of franchise education and the leading resource to help franchise executives, managers and local franchise owners accelerate individual and organizational growth. The CFE program allows graduates to develop a more thorough understanding of franchising, regardless of their level of experience. It provides an opportunity for accelerated career growth while unleashing the power of opportunity within the franchise business model. In addition, it further strengthens the franchise business model by closing the knowledge and education gap.

The new “Fundamentals of the Franchise Model” program from UofL will include sessions on the foundations of the franchise business model, legalities, business growth, human resources, leadership and the franchisor-franchisee relationship. The six-week, instructor-led virtual bootcamp is delivered by a institution and an business college, signifying high standards of educational excellence.

This program, paired with the IFA’s FranGuard compliance course, will serve as the mandatory, core components of the CFE program. These core components, combined with elective courses and participation events round out the CFE candidate’s path to achieve the honored distinction of Certified Franchise Executive.

Ten second-year MBA students from the two universities were selected to participate in the intensive five-month fellowship where two participants will have the opportunity to become future franchisees of Yum! Brands, the owner of KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and The Habit Burger Grill. The debut of the Yum! Franchise Accelerator follows last year’s launch of the , within UofL’s College of Business. 

“Yum! Brands is proud to work with both the University of Louisville and Howard University on this groundbreaking partnership to train and advance underrepresented people of color and women entrepreneurs interested in building a career in the franchise restaurant industry,” said Scott Catlett, chief legal and franchise officer of Yum! Brands. “The fellowship is a win-win as the students will receive educational experiences, mentoring and hands-on training unlike any other, while Yum! has the opportunity to welcome two talented business leaders and aspiring, diverse franchisees to our U.S. system.”  

The participants – six MBA students from Howard University and four from UofL – receive scholarships and extensive education on the franchise business model through the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence’s franchising curriculum, along with one-of-a-kind mentorship from some of Yum! Brands’ top franchisees in the U.S., in-restaurant training, a sponsored trip to Yum! Brands’ Louisville Restaurant Support Center and a number of unique curated franchising professional experiences during the semester. The Yum! Franchise Accelerator provides each student with learning focused on scholarship, mentorship and entrepreneurship that culminates in a pitch competition where two grand prize winners will receive seed money, additional training and mentorship, as well as an opportunity to become a future Yum! franchisee.  

“I am thrilled for the University of Louisville to partner with Howard University and Yum! Brands on this exciting, synergistic fellowship to create exceptional opportunities for underrepresented people of color and women,” said Lori Stewart Gonzalez, interim president of UofL. “This program of the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence exemplifies our commitment to enhanced student experience and upholds our antiracism promise. I am certain it will have life-changing impact not only on participating students but far beyond, through their future entrepreneurial success and with those they mentor and inspire.” 

“Howard students have always been passionate about entrepreneurship because of the potential it has to impact not just their own lives, but the lives of people in their communities. The Franchise Accelerator is an incredible opportunity for Howard students to gain training in and access to a sector that has served as a wealth-building engine for so many communities,” said Yuvay Meyers Ferguson, assistant dean of impact and engagement and associate professor of marketing at Howard University. “We are so grateful and excited about our partnership with UofL and Yum! Brands and what it will mean for increasing representation of women and people of color in the franchise industry.” 

Since June, more than 200 students have participated in programs at the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence, including more than 100 undergraduate students, 55 graduate students and more than 75 participants in the executive-level Franchise Management Certificate program. The center is the first business program of its kind at a public university to provide existing and potential franchisees multiple levels of online education focused on the franchising model across industries. It focuses on recruiting and educating underrepresented people of color and women on the possibilities of franchising as a pathway to entrepreneurship. 

“From the beginning, the goal of the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence was to amplify our world-class franchising model and give more underrepresented people of color and women access to franchise ownership and the ability to create generational wealth and a legacy,” said Wanda Williams, head of Yum! Global Franchising. “This program is consistent with our goal of becoming the world’s multi-brand franchisor of choice which strives to create a global franchise system as diverse as the communities we serve. Adding the faces and voices of underrepresented people of color and women leads to diversity of ownership and thought, builds on our legacy of developing and growing franchising and creating jobs and broadens the reach of Yum!’s world-class franchising model.”  

During the semester, each student will take part in sessions that allow them to learn directly from Yum! Brands executives, successful franchisees and restaurant operators, as well as interacting with brand franchise recruiters. Each student participating in the Yum! Franchise Accelerator will be paired with a current Yum! Brands franchisee who will serve as a mentor and thought partner during the semester-long program.  

“Franchising is a proven model to empower communities to build and sustain generational wealth,” said Kathleen Gosser, assistant professor of franchise management and director of the UofL Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence. “This pilot program will accelerate this process for our deserving cohort of talented MBA students, allowing them to become the future of franchising success within underrepresented populations. And when this success occurs, the entire community benefits.” 

The creation and funding of the UofL Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence is part of Yum! Brands’ global Unlocking Opportunity Initiative, in which the company committed $100 million over five years to promote equity and inclusion, education and entrepreneurship for employees, frontline restaurant teams and communities around the world. Across KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and The Habit Burger Grill, and in close collaboration with Yum!’s franchisees, the Unlocking Opportunity Initiative builds on more than 20 years of investing in the Company’s people-first culture.  

The franchising model is strong in the U.S. and globally and makes business ownership accessible to many individuals. When 2021 year-end data is finalized, the  projects the franchising industry will have  in the U.S. alone.  

Taco Bell asked itself: Shouldn’t the leaders in the Taco Bell system reflect the people who eat and work there? In an effort to break down potential barriers and further diversify its franchise system, Taco Bell is rolling out Taco Bell Business School in partnership with UofL, marking a first-of-its-kind franchise training program to elevate restaurant leaders as entrepreneurs and break down barriers to franchise ownership.

Taco Bell Business School will be supported through the at UofL. Yum! Brands, Taco Bell’s parent company, launched the center with UofL’s College of Business in 2021 to unlock opportunities for underrepresented communities through education on the business of franchising. The Taco Bell pilot program will leverage this partnership to create pathways for restaurant leaders to advance in their careers while helping the brand build a more diverse franchise system.

“We know that fast food jobs are often seen as stepping stones to other careers,” said Taco Bell CEO Mark King. “And we’re trying to change that. Through the Taco Bell Business School, we want to show our ambitious restaurant leaders how their careers could flourish at Taco Bell and see opportunities they may not have previously considered. We want to make foundational changes that positively impact our diverse team members’ growth. This program will teach them skills they need to climb the ladder – whether that’s moving up to the next level or even owning their own franchise one day.”

The six-week business bootcamp will teach top-performing restaurant leaders the fundamentals of franchise ownership, leveraging existing curriculum from the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence infused with a Taco Bell twist. The classes will provide accredited education and training on critical business and entrepreneurial skills, from financing, growth and development to marketing and HR. Taco Bell has partnered with its franchisees to share their expertise and inspire future franchise owners.

“When I first started working in a Taco Bell restaurant in 1983, I thought I would only stay for a few months,” said Tina Reagan, president and COO of franchise K-Mac Enterprises of Fort Smith, Arkansas. “Little did I know, I would end up staying for a few decades and eventually managing and operating 319 restaurants. As someone who started as a team member, I know firsthand that franchise ownership can be an intimidating path. But it’s been very rewarding. I am proud to work for a company that is working to build a path to franchise ownership for restaurant leaders from diverse backgrounds across all levels.”

Participants will be given scholarships to cover tuition for the program and will be recognized internally within the Taco Bell system for their accomplishment. They’ll also receive some branded swag so they can show off their Business School pride.

Taco Bell’s Chief Impact Officer Lil Nas X will help spread the word about Business School among restaurant leaders 

The first class of Taco Bell Business School students will start the bootcamp in February 2022. Three bootcamps are currently planned, and Taco Bell will continue to grow the program in the future and build a talent pipeline for strong field leadership.

“I believe that businesses and educational institutions have a responsibility to work together to break down barriers and create opportunities for those who wouldn’t otherwise have them,” said Kathy Gosser, director of the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence. “The close working relationship between Yum!, Taco Bell and the University of Louisville demonstrates the power of collaboration. Together we can help people learn new skills, fuel their entrepreneurial spirit and ultimately build a better future for generations.”

During the annual day of giving, which occurs during Homecoming week, more than 2,450 donors contributed to the 2021 total of $2,932,603. The number of donors surpassed the initial goal of 2,021 and the previous record of 2,206 donors set in 2019 as alumni, employees, students, friends and organizations gave to their favorite UofL areas where they wanted to make an impact.

“As a national metropolitan research university, the University of Louisville is thrilled that donors from all 50 states support us,” said UofL President Neeli Bendapudi. “We can’t achieve success without the aid of our donors, and again this year, they have come forward from throughout the United States to fund the programs, projects and initiatives we execute. I thank them, one and all.”

 A highlight among several large gifts was Delta Dental’s commitment of $1.07 million to the UofL School of Dentistry, celebrated by the campaign Oct. 20 at the Health Sciences Center with a live social media segment. Other gifts included $400,000 to the UofL Health Brown Cancer Center from the Thomas Dunbar family, $112,000 to the College of Business from Yum! Brands (parent company of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut) and $100,000 to the College of Arts and Sciences from alumna Monica Pearson ’75. 

The HSC and Belknap Campus each had a special campus headquarters during the fundraising period where students who donated at least $10 could snag a pair of Cardinal socks and where donors could commemorate their giving spirit with a selfie taken against a giant “I Raised Some L” backdrop.

The fundraising site featured more than 560 initiatives, including individual colleges and schools, student scholarships and student-led organizations.

“Once again, our Cardinal Family stepped up to give back to our university and the areas they believe in,” said Jasmine Farrier, vice president of university advancement. “This record-breaking support shows that the University of Louisville is vitally connected to our alumni, the community, commonwealth and beyond.  We are grateful to our alumni, staff and faculty ambassadors who spent countless hours sharing updates about our programs across Belknap and Health Sciences to inspire Cardinals to learn more about student success, research innovation and community engagement at UofL.”

The Raise Some L campaign ran for 1,798 minutes, starting at 6:02 p.m. Oct. 19, in honor of the university’s founding year of 1798.

Yum! Brands is providing $3.5 million in funding for the center as part of company’s global Unlocking Opportunity Initiative, in which it committed $100 million over five years to promote equity and inclusion, education and entrepreneurship for employees, frontline restaurant teams and communities around the world.

“We believe that combining the resources and expertise of the University of Louisville with Yum! Brands will create an unrivaled resource for world-class training in franchising that will help people everywhere, particularly underrepresented people of color and women, succeed in franchise ownership and management,” said UofL President Neeli Bendapudi. “We’re excited about the new center as it aligns with UofL’s commitment to empower our communities and supports our vision to become the nation’s premier anti-racist metropolitan research university.”

“We’re proud to partner with the University of Louisville on developing a sustainable, globally scalable program that democratizes exposure to and builds knowledge of the franchising industry for all,” said Scott Catlett, chief legal and franchise officer at Yum! Brands. “Our hope is the center will carve a path to economic opportunity and successful ownership for talented, underrepresented people while bringing diverse voices and ideas to the broader franchising community.”

The builds on UofL’s existing franchising education programs in the College of Business, which include a graduate certificate and an executive-level Franchise Management Certificate, along with an undergraduate franchising track within the Bachelor of Business Administration program that launched in the Spring 2021 semester.

The center’s curriculum development is led by franchising industry alumni and business experts at UofL, with subject matter experts at Yum! Brands providing resources, up-to-date information and powerful industry insights on the state of franchising.

In addition, to improve equity for underrepresented people of color and women, the center will:

• Actively recruit diverse students to its undergraduate, graduate and executive-level programs offered through the College of Business
• Conduct research to develop new knowledge surrounding franchise ownership, including case studies, white papers and other work to better understand the reasons for lower ownership by underrepresented people of color and women
• Create regular podcasts and a practitioner-focused journal to share franchising education and news with franchise owners and managers.

“Franchising is one of the best paths to entrepreneurship, creating an opportunity to build generational wealth,” said Kathleen Gosser, executive-in-residence in the , where the center will be based. “Franchise ownership among underrepresented people of color and women is lower than their representation in the population. Our goal is to uncover and reduce barriers to franchise ownership, starting with education.”

The franchising model is strong in the U.S. and globally and makes business ownership accessible to many individuals. By the end of 2021, the projects the franchising industry will increase to more than 780,000 outlets employing 8.2 million people in the U.S. alone.

“Partnering with UofL on the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence allows Yum! Brands to amplify our world-class franchising model and give more people access to the franchising world and the ability to create generational wealth and a legacy,” said Wanda Williams, head of Yum! Global Franchising. “Access to the program will also be a wonderful opportunity for new franchisees entering the Yum! Brands system as well as for employees who want to become business owners.”

In addition to Yum! Brands’ recent grant to UofL, the company also is investing $6 million over five years to advance equity and opportunity across Louisville, particularly in West Louisville, including uplifting Black students, educators, entrepreneurs and social change agents. As part of this, Yum! Brands is working with Nat Irvin, assistant dean in the UofL College of Business, on the university’s Pathways program to help predominantly Pell Grant-eligible high school students at key public schools in Louisville earn college credits from and early admission to UofL.

Yum! Brands, based in Louisville, has over 50,000 restaurants in more than 150 countries and territories and more than 2,000 franchisees around the world. The company’s brands include KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and The Habit Burger Grill. 

The brains behind the beverage? UofL alumna, Kara DeLost ’11.

After graduating from the  with a degree in marketing, DeLost accepted her first job as a marketing coordinator for a digital advertising agency where she developed her passion for the industry.

“I fell in love with the advertising world,” said DeLost, who worked with brands like Sun Tan City and AutoZone. “I love working with clients, working on different brands, and working on campaigns that were innovative.”

But DeLost knew she needed a change after seven years between two agencies, citing a high burnout rate in an industry that “will chew you up and spit you out.” After taking a step back and evaluating what she wanted to do, DeLost said goodbye to the agency world and hello to corporate America. In what she considered a leap of faith, DeLost joined KFC as the associate brand manager for beverage innovation.

Soon after arriving at the company, she was challenged with the task of launching KFC’s first signature beverage. What might seem daunting to some was exciting to DeLost, who longed for “that feeling of working on something and the world sees it and knows it…to be a part of a brand that people know, love, and is part of pop culture.”

Fast forward 18 months, and the Mtn Dew Sweet Lightning beverage is not only a permanent offering on the KFC menu, it is only available at the Louisville-based chain. DeLost, who has also worked on the brand’s Cheetos Sandwich and Mac and Cheese Bowls, said the beverage is doing well, doubling expectations within its first year. 

“To go into a KFC and see it, and see people drinking it, it feels so good. It’s a very proud moment to say I launched a national product,” she said. 

As a member of Yum! Brands’ Employee Resource Group, DeLost has also taken pride in leading conversations within a Fortune 500 company about the importance of diversity, inclusion and equity. She said the transition from an agency to a corporation was an adjustment, but credits KFC for their support of employees having a work-life balance.

“(Parent company) Yum! Brands and KFC have given me a home to be my authentic self and embrace it,” said DeLost, whose typical workday includes working with cross-functional teams, evaluating consumer insight, developing products, and the best part – eating fried chicken. “I’ve been able to dive deep into the KFC brand and I love it. I’m so passionate about the work we’re doing, and I’m excited to see how our brand grows moving forward.”

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Knowing of her job search, a family friend and fellow Central High graduate connected Fields with another Central High alumna: Jennifer Green, director, corporate counsel of Yum! Brands. Fields and Green met for lunch and Green encouraged Fields to submit her resume for a legal internship.

Louisville Law has a ‘s Law and Government Magnet Program, of which Fields is a graduate.

“It was pretty cool to have somebody that cares like that. She turned into a great mentor for me,” says Fields of Green.

At Yum!, Fields reviewed and edited contracts and conducted legal research on IP holding companies. At KFC, which is part of Yum!, she was involved with marketing efforts and franchisee compliance.

“It was a good experience,” says Fields, who is interested in a career in corporate law. “To be able to do that kind of legal work as a 1L was great for me. I was in a place that was amazing and large, but they still gave me the amount of time that I needed and the attention that I needed to teach me things and help me learn things that I can use in the future.”

Fields continues to have a mentor in Green even though the internship has ended. Green has helped review her resume and has provided job-searching advice, Because of this experience, Fields is a strong advocate of networking and finding mentors.

“It’s important to network and out yourself out there,” she says. “You could be missing out on opportunities by not speaking to somebody or by not knowing somebody. That’s how I’ve gotten in to many doors — who I know. After who I know, it’s what I know and what I can do.”

Since December, Naran has been working full time as a computer systems analyst for Yum Brands, the Louisville-based global restaurant company that owns KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. He has interned for the company since his sophomore year, working on a number of projects such as the development of IT systems, financial systems and brand integrations.  

He believes UofL has positioned him favorably for such a unique, hands-on opportunity.

“My curriculum was much tailored to today’s trends/needs in the CIS field, allowing for the skillsets learned to be immediately applied in my current role. The support and guidance of my professors and university staff really helped facilitate my steps in the corporate world,” he said. “Each of my professors went above and beyond to set me up for success.”

Not every student is so lucky to have an immediate tie to their major or a proven outcome so early in their careers. Naran believes that’s where UofL offers a bit of an advantage.

“Because of the partnerships that UofL has with major corporations like Yum, it allows for many opportunities even before you graduate. Without the chance to have an internship with Yum during my undergraduate studies, I would not be in the role I am today,” he said. “Many times companies hire talent within the company and invest in training them for the skillsets needed. In my case, this is exactly what happened. It was a right-person, right-time scenario.”

So far, he enjoys that scenario tremendously. Yum, he said, encourages a positive culture that includes a work/life balance (such as half-day Fridays), touts inclusivity and more.

“The fun company culture really sets them apart in retaining and developing strong talent,” he said.

Naran plans to stay in Louisville for now. He eventually wants to obtain a few professional certifications before completing his MBA. As he forges his career path, he will continue to pull motivation from his parents.

“My father only completed middle school and my mother only high school. They came to America to start a family with just a few dollars and no English knowledge,” Naran said. “Today, they’re well recognized within the real estate and hotel businesses and are self-made entrepreneurs. My parents’ work ethic and resilience to strive for better led them to where they are and they provided me with everything needed to go achieve something they never had the chance to do which is attend college.”

Naran’s ultimate career goal is to end up in the c-suite as a chief information officer for a Fortune 500 company.

“Stay tuned,” he said.

Of note, Yum Brands has been on the . In 2018, the company was ranked No. 472 with about $5.9 billion in revenues.