For nearly four decades, the world’s largest fast-food chain, McDonald’s USA has invested substantial resources to support college-bound students from Asian and Pacific Islander American and Hispanic/Latino backgrounds, as well as those enrolled in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
As a part of its 40-year commitment to helping students achieve their dreams of attending college, McDonald’s USA has announced the opening of three major scholarship programmes:
From opening in 1940 as a single restaurant in San Bernardino in California, McDonald’s now has over 39,000 locations in more than 100 countries and its iconic golden arches are one of the most recognised logo’s in the world.
Now in its fifth consecutive year, McDonald’s USA is collaborating with APIA Scholars to empower the next generation of students through the APIA Scholarship. Recipients are chosen based on academic performance, community engagement and financial need, with over half hailing from underrepresented communities in the U.S.
Applications for the 2024-2025 APIA Scholarship will be accepted up to 15th January 2025. This scholarship is part of the APA Next education platform, which aims to support students throughout their educational journey.
The McDonald’s HACER® National Scholarship is among the largest programmes of its kind in the nation, dedicated to providing financial aid to Hispanic/Latino students. High school seniors nationwide are encouraged to apply for a chance to be one of up to 30 recipients. The application period for the 2024-2025 academic year is currently open until 6th February 2025.
While applications are being submitted, McDonald’s is actively engaging with schools across the country through its HACER® Education Tour. This series of motivational assemblies and workshops focuses on leadership development and parental involvement. Hosted by CoolSpeak, a leading youth engagement organisation, these workshops aim to inspire students to overcome obstacles while equipping them with essential educational resources for navigating the college application process.
However, McDonald's is facing challenging times in the food industry, amongst changing consumer preferences, increased competition and the rise of food delivery services. Yet despite these challenges, McDonald's continues to innovate and adapt its sales strategies to maintain its market position.
"We're doubling down on our digital, delivery and drive-thru channels to meet our customers where they are and provide them with a seamless McDonald's experience," said Chris Kempczinski, McDonald's President and CEO.
It remains a firm favourite for many, including President-elect, Donald Trump.
Meanwhile on Trump Force One, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a critic of fast food, ate a McDonald's meal, alongside President-elect Donald Trump, his son Don Jr. and Elon Musk.
Kennedy is Trump's pick for health secretary, who has sworn to 'make America healthy again', even publicly criticising Trump's love of fast food, describing the food as 'poison'.
“President Trump has promised me control of the public health agencies, which are HHS and its sub-agencies, CDC, FDA, NIH and a few others, then also the USDA, which is key to making America healthy. Because we’ve got to get off of seed oils, and we’ve got to get off of pesticide intensive agriculture,” Kennedy previously said.
'We joked, 'MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) starts on Monday,' shared the President-elect's eldest son on the Charlie Kirk podcast.
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