Chick-fil-A Commits Second $500K Gift For Morris Brown College Leadership Initiative

Chick-fil-A has announced its commitment to another round of funding for Morris Brown College.

The fast food chain has awarded $500,000 to fund the Atlanta HBCU’s leadership development initiative for its students. According to a press release obtained by BLACK ENTERPRISE, the award marks the continuation of its partnership with Morris Brown College and the second round of funding from the restaurant company.

Through the flagship initiative, student leaders at the liberal arts college will be selected to participate in the program that will provide the tools and skills needed to thrive in hospitality and organizational leadership careers.

“I look forward to Morris Brown being a direct pipeline of diverse leaders within the career fields of hospitality and organizational leadership for organizations like Chick-fil-A,” said Dr. Kevin James, president of Morris Brown College. James’s goal is to accelerate Morris Brown as a leading institution in the US for Black and Brown people to own and operate restaurants and hotels.

According to Carol Waddy, director of Community Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility for Chick-fil-A, Inc., the initiative will grant Morris Brown students industry experience and exposure to service concepts and practices from successful corporate leaders. “Our goal is to give students access to opportunities and tools that will help them advance their skills, network, and prepare for success in their college journey, business, and life,” Waddy said.

The initiative celebrates the continued success of Morris Brown College in its pursuit to produce top-performing leaders in the workforce. Selected scholars will build the confidence, skills, and presence that will be significant when applying for real-world positions.

Chick-fil-A pledged $500,000 to the historically-Black institution on May 3, 2021. The Associated Press reported that the gift came before constructing a 150-unit hotel on the campus near downtown Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The hospitality project, which included an instructional space for the school’s hospitality students, named Morris Brown the only HBCU in the country to launch a national hotel chain and offer an on-campus hospitality management training program.