CASE STUDIES Dan Snow: Why a Harvard Professor Chose Purpose Over Status
Nov 19, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Dan Snow, a former Harvard professor turned BYU educator, shares his transformative journey from corporate life at Ford to purpose-driven academia. He discusses the importance of empathy and leadership, framed by his experiences as a religious minority and a missionary in Rome. Dan emphasizes the courage in embracing discomfort and making career pivots, as well as the need for education to nurture critical thinking in the age of AI. His insights on shaping impactful leaders resonate deeply with anyone seeking a meaningful path.
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Growing Up The Religious Outsider
- Dan Snow grew up LDS in evangelical-dominated Colorado Springs and often felt like the religious outsider.
- That experience made him comfortable being weird and skilled at bridging different communities.
Mission Work Shaped Persistence
- Dan served a mission in Rome where hard work produced few visible results and taught persistence.
- He says no day since has been harder than knocking doors in Naples, which shaped his grit.
From Ford Plant To PhD Decision
- After an MBA Dan worked at Ford's Michigan truck plant and loved operations but questioned long-term meaning.
- A neighbor bishop who was a business professor inspired Dan to pursue a PhD and academia.
