Where Is She Now? Leanna Chroman Comes Full Circle
Leanna Chroman (BS psychology ’25, Purdue Global) is a Huse Culinary vice president in culture and learning. She plans to return to classes with Purdue Global for her master’s degree. (Purdue Global photo/Kelsey Lefever)
This Purdue Global graduate says the big changes began as soon as she started her bachelor’s degree
Three years ago, readers first met Leanna Chroman, an Indianapolis restaurant executive who was just beginning her bachelor’s degree with Purdue Global.
Chroman (BS psychology ’25, Purdue Global) had stopped going to school at the end of junior high to support her family when her dad’s health failed. She later earned her GED while working her way up in the hospitality industry. And at age 45, she was finally giving herself the chance to pursue the degree she’d always wished she had.
Now Chroman is graduating. With honors.
Looking back, she realizes how much impact she saw right away and then throughout her journey. Her view of herself is different. She saw a need in a company she adored — Huse Culinary — and addressed it, then helped it grow. She is beginning to envision a future in which she’s capable of expanding what she can do.
Here are the five biggest things that have changed for Chroman since she opened her laptop for that very first class.
1. She designed and helped roll out a new training system for Huse.
One of the early drivers of Chroman’s return to school was when she realized her company’s training methods were in desperate need of an overhaul. But she didn’t know where to start.
Courses in psychology and organizational behavior gave her the tools she needed.
“We rolled out a new training program about a year ago,” she says. “Taking these courses helped me understand how people learn today — they need smaller, incremental pieces of information, not a giant 400-page manual. Now most of our training is digital, and compliance is a lot easier.”
The program tracks employee progress, highlights problem areas and adapts as needed. For a growing company, Chroman says, “Having that framework is what makes sustainable growth possible.”
2. She gave herself the gift of pride.
For most of her life, Chroman put others first — working to support her family at just 14, caring for coworkers and friends and earning the nickname “First Responder” for her constant readiness to step in.
But it made young adulthood harder for her than most.
“I always felt like I was behind. Whenever I would write something, I really struggled. Not having that skill made it feel like I wasn’t professional enough,” she says. “Purdue Global helped me so much, and the first thing I learned was to give myself grace.”
Hanging her diploma on her office wall was a moment she looked forward to for years. (Purdue Global image/Matt Kerkhoff)
That’s why crossing the finish line is so profoundly personal for Chroman — and why she’ll never take her bachelor’s degree for granted.
“I ordered my diploma, and I almost cried,” she says. “This is something I never thought I’d be able to do. When you go back as an adult with experience, there’s this driving force there that you want to show up and prove yourself — not only that you can do this, but that you can do it well.
“I did this. I did this with a full-time job and opening up two restaurants, and I still made this happen.”
3. She contributed to significant growth in a company she loves.
Since Chroman first enrolled, Huse Culinary has opened new locations in Indiana and is preparing to expand to Arizona. The company’s growth, she says, wouldn’t have been possible without the new structure and systems she was able to help create.
“We couldn’t have grown the way we have with the way we were doing things before,” she explains. “Huse has a great mom-and-pop feel, and I love the way we connect, but we needed some structure behind it. What I’ve learned in this program — employee engagement, motivation, organizational structure — I’ve been able to put into practice. That framework is what allows sustainable growth. Without it, things just fall apart.”
And true to the familial, supportive tone Chroman says Huse has always struck with its staff, she’s grateful her company supported her along the way.
“There were days when I had to juggle both work and school at the same time, and they allowed me that time,” she says.
4. She decided to earn a master’s degree.
Graduating with her bachelor’s gives Chroman more than a diploma. It gives her the confidence to keep shooting for the moon. She’s already enrolled in a master’s program in industrial organizational psychology — a step she never imagined for herself as a kid.
“With the bachelor’s, I’ve learned what motivates people and how to shape work culture,” she says. “The master’s will take me deeper into research and data — how to measure outcomes, analyze surveys and prove results. That’s the next level for me and my company.”
For Chroman, the decision itself is meaningful. Earning one degree was once a distant dream. Now she’s planning for two.
5. She found new possibilities for the future.
Going back to school didn’t just transform Chroman’s role at Huse Culinary. It also opened her eyes to new opportunities she hadn’t let herself imagine before.
She’s already presented at the Purdue Women’s Conference and a major university in Pennsylvania, sharing her story with students and professionals. She’s even begun freelance consulting with other organizations, helping them strengthen their culture and retain employees.
“I see a path forward. I want to get out there and encourage and inspire and educate more people and organizations,” she says. “I can write a book if I want to. I can speak. I can keep consulting. I finally have a plan for what’s next, and I feel good about it.”
Chroman attended her graduation ceremony in West Lafayette, Indiana, with a crew of loved ones. (Purdue Global/John Underwood)
Full circle
From a teenager who left school to care for her family, to a respected executive with a diploma on her wall, Chroman has rewritten her story. And while her bachelor’s degree is the milestone worth celebrating right now, she knows it’s just the beginning.
As she looks toward a master’s degree, she knows it will create new opportunities to impact the culture of a company she loves and — now more than ever — inspire others. She wants others to know: It’s never too late, and you’re never too far behind.
“Anyone can learn,” she says. “It’s about the discipline of putting in the time and effort. You’re strong enough. You can do this.”
Leanna Chroman
BS psychology ’25, Purdue Global
