Cornerstone University Alumna Interns With Disney Institute

Liz Crandell (B.S. ’16), a business management professional intern at Disney Institute in Orlando, Fla., views her formative experience as an international business student at Cornerstone University as a critical factor in shaping how she engages with her coworkers.

“The emphasis that Cornerstone places on community and relationships has dramatically influenced the way I network with colleagues and leaders at Disney Institute,” Crandell said. “My professors and peers ultimately gave me a unique perspective on how to best demonstrate Cornerstone values in the workplace, as well as how to let trust and faith serve as guiding forces in my life.”

Disney Institute, the professional development training division of The Walt Disney Company, works to inspire individuals and organizations looking to create long-term, sustainable and positive transformation by enhancing customer experience, service, leadership and employee engagement.

“We begin with leaders, creating shifts in approach and perspective, as well as engage with employees to develop a culture that leads to maximum success,” Crandell said.

At Disney Institute, Crandell’s responsibilities include: analyzing business results and variances, identifying trends and gaps, and ultimately telling stories with data to improve operations and the client experience. She also works with internal partners and makes proactive recommendations to implement streamlined processes that improve workflows and optimize performance.

In describing her previous internship experiences at the Acton Institute, a research and educational institution in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Crandell cited a breadth of valuable lessons that she continues to leverage in her current role.

“I learned a great deal from the other bright students I worked with, as well as incredibly intelligent religious and economic experts, to cement the worldview and principles Cornerstone instilled in me. The experience taught me to strive for good life acumen, gave me a better perspective on how the world works, and allowed me to develop the ability to take a realistic, logical approach to every issue I am faced with.”

For Crandell, Cornerstone and the Acton Institute provided vocational training opportunities and practical learning experiences that she leverages as an emerging leader with Disney Institute.

“My professors taught me an incredible amount about the importance of investing in relationships and creating a faith-based community to truly build a life that matters,” Crandell stated. “Attending Cornerstone at that time in my life strengthened my faith in immeasurable ways, and taught me that God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20).