Illustrated portrait of James Poore wearing a white button up and red tie

Passing on a Love of Education: An IWU Grad's Story

Education impacts everyone’s lives in some capacity. Whether education enables you to get that promotion at work, gives you the skills to apply for your dream job, or the confidence to start your own business – its impact can be life-changing. And sometimes it can spark that same transformation in those around you.

James Poore is an individual whose love of education has led his work and his ministry to his community’s next generation of leaders. As a McDonald’s owner and operator for four Indianapolis locations, Poore has had the opportunity to leave an impact on hundreds of young adults’ lives.  

After graduating from the IWU LEAP program in 1992 with his MBA, Poore was almost immediately promoted to a role that involved moving to different major U.S. cities every few years. While appreciative of the experience, he longed for the opportunity to put down roots in his community.

So, when the opportunity to manage a McDonald’s location presented itself, he couldn’t refuse. Poores’ community-centered mindset can now exist at the center of his work. Poore said, “I love the opportunity to hire people in the community, to be able to train them and watch them grow up and achieve their goals.”

Beyond providing jobs, he builds connections for his employees. Through the relationships that he’s built with local non-profits, shelters, churches, and education centers, Poore supports his employees’ various needs. If one of his employees is struggling with homelessness, Poore can directly plug them in with a local shelter, ensuring they have what they need to succeed not only at work but in life.

Poore also recognizes and emphasizes the power of education. For his high school employees, he collaborates with the local high school and hires their teachers as tutors, bringing them into his McDonald’s locations for one-on-one tutoring sessions.

“I ask my employees all the time about how they’re doing in school. At that age, there’s a lot of peer pressure and it’s not always easy to raise your hand in class and say you don’t understand,” Poore said. “Now they have no excuse. When you work for us, we’re paying you to be there, we’re paying a tutor to be there, all you have to do is show up and ask questions.” 

Once his employees graduate high school, Poore is quick to challenge them to consider their next step in education. He and his wife, Pam, have even created a personal scholarship to support high school employees considering higher education. Looking ahead, he hopes to only expand scholarship opportunities for his employees.

In Poore's eyes, the work he’s doing is just a part of the job. “It is truly my responsibility as a Christian and as a McDonald’s owner and operator to support my community in this way.”


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