The ݮƵ Crowell School of Business and In-N-Out Burger® have cooked up exciting opportunities: the In-N-Out Leadership Academy, a faith-based approach on developing business leaders. Professors from the Crowell School of Business and the School of Fine Arts and Communication developed a curriculum for In-N-Out senior leaders aimed to increase their knowledge and understanding of financial, operational and strategic concepts and how they function within the In-N-Out business model.

"We are truly honored to partner with In-N-Out as part of the Leadership Academy,” said Dr. Michael Arena, dean of the Crowell School of Business. “Their steadfast dedication to quality and values-based leadership perfectly aligns with Biola’s mission to advance business excellence that impacts the world for Christ.”

The idea of the program was a result of conversations with Biola’s President, Barry H. Corey, and Owner and President of In-N-Out Burger, Lynsi Snyder-Ellingson. Snyder-Ellingson expressed her desire to provide her Associates with an education on business tactics to help them grow into confident business leaders, and the Crowell School of Business, led by executive education expert Arena, was up for the task. Soon, the In-N-Out Leadership Academy was formed.

The curriculum was organized into three topic areas: leadership, financial acumen and business essentials. With a total of six four-hour workshops, participants learned from both a Biola professor and an In-N-Out executive to help them apply the material straight to their company’s business model. The cohort of students accessed their pre-reading or filmed materials on Biola LEARN.

A variety of curriculum was covered throughout the academy. Dr. Arianna Molloy, associate professor of communication studies, taught a session on business capabilities and healthy communication in the workplace. Dr. Jake Aguas, associate professor of management, taught a workshop on leadership capabilities, focusing on what the characteristics of a servant leader are and what leading across generations looks like. Dr. Jeff McHugh, associate professor of business, taught a lesson on strategy development, such as how to identify business levers to pull, and a lesson on general management in changing conditions. Dr. Danielle Becker, assistant professor of business, taught a workshop on financial management and key accounting concepts and principles. Arena taught a lesson on strategic capabilities by communicating a clear and compelling vision for change within a business.

Beth Starr, director of executive education, said that the workshops were helpful for the In-N-Out Associates to grow in decision-making and application skills. She attended each of the workshops and observed the cohort’s progress.

“I could see lightbulbs turning on,” said Starr. “I loved seeing the Associates of In-N-Out being competitive with each other.”

Starr explained that the curriculum was well-rounded when it came to content – ranging from games incorporated into the lessons for the cohort to compete in to topics such as servant leadership and how to execute business strategies within a company. One of the mutual points of understanding between In-N-Out and Biola was that the curriculum was faith-based and emphasized Christian values. At the end of the academy, cohort members received an In-N-Out Leadership Academy Foundations certificate and Biola and In-N-Out co-branded letterman jackets.

Biola is working on expanding the Leadership Academy to other companies. The next In-N-Out cohort begins instruction in January 2025.

The Crowell School of Business equips students to thrive personally and professionally — empowered with the integrity, skill and conviction to lead the modern marketplace. to earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree in business administration at the Crowell School of Business.

Written by Sarah Dougher, media relations specialist. For more information, email media.relations@biola.edu.