If you’re employed at Chick-fil-A, you have constant and easy access to a lot of very delicious chicken sandwiches and nuggets.
However, one high school student now bound for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro got another very big surprise perk from the company – a $25,000 college scholarship.
Karina Juarez, who’ll be attending UNCG this fall, was one of 12 Chick-fil-A workers selected to receive a scholarship through the “Chick-fil-A Remarkable Futures Scholarships” program.
Juarez, the first member of her family to attend college, will use the unexpected funds to pursue a degree in nursing – so she’ll have no trouble getting a new job once she decides she can give up the fast-food business.
When not serving the constant influx of customers at Chick-fil-A, Juarez sings in her church choir and works as a volunteer packaging meals for the homeless.
A Chick-fil-A spokesperson said Juarez was selected because of “a passion for giving back to her community inside and outside of the restaurant” and added, “As a first-generation American, Karina attributes her personal growth and determination to her Hispanic heritage and the perseverance shown by her parents.”
Juarez was hit with the very nice surprise when Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy announced it on a video call with her and other winners.
This year, Chick-fil-A awarded more than $19 million in scholarships to 7,492 Chick-fil-A restaurant employees in the US and Canada.
In 2021, about 400 additional scholarships have been funded by Chick-fil-A bottled sauce retail sales.
The late S. Truett Cathy, Chick-fil-A’s founder, told the Triad Business News years ago on a visit to the area, that he considers Chick-fil-A to be more than a restaurant. He said that the restaurants were meant to be “a beacon of light in the community.”
The Cathy family is known for its strong religious beliefs, which is one reason many people are disappointed when they drive to a Chick-fil-A on a Sunday – only to find it closed for the Sabbath.
