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The Taco Bell Foundation’s Live Mas Scholarship program is celebrating its 10th anniversary with its largest scholarship distribution yet: $14 million awarded to passionate young people across the country. Of that total, a record-breaking $4.5 million is going directly to Taco Bell Team Members-underscoring the Taco Bell Foundation’s commitment to the people who bring the brand to life every day. Scholarship award amounts range from $5,000 to $25,000 per recipient, with the possibility to renew up to four times.
Fueled by her passion for firefighting and a desire to inspire more young women to follow bold paths, Siena Laws was awarded a $25,000 Live Mas Scholarship.
What started as a menu challenge in Taco Bell’s Test Kitchen turned into a life-changing surprise: $25,000 scholarships for four students – including two Taco Bell Team Members.
“What’s inspired me most at the Taco Bell Foundation is the incredible ambition of our scholars, especially our Team Member recipients,” said Lisa Lane Cardin, Executive Director of the Taco Bell Foundation. “They are true go-getters-thriving at work, pushing themselves in school, and still finding time to chase their passions with unmatched drive and heart. All of our scholars truly know what it means to Live Mas.”
BIG NUMBERS. BIGGER DREAMS.
To date, the Taco Bell Foundation has awarded more than $64 million in Live Mas Scholarships to over 3,000 recipients, including more than 1,000 Taco Bell Team Members, with many recipients having received renewals. Thanks to fan-powered donations through the Round Up program at checkout, the impact keeps growing. Just 44 cents-the average donation-goes a long way: scholarships for Taco Bell fans are funded entirely through Round Up, while Team Member scholarships are made possible by contributions from Taco Bell Corp. and Taco Bell franchisees.
The scholarship has come far since its first year: annual funding has increased from $1 million to $14 million; applications have soared from 6,000 to over 15,000 submissions this application period, and the number of Team Member applications has increased by nearly 450%. The inaugural class included 270 scholarships, a sharp contrast to the 1,000 scholarships this year.
“The scholarship wasn’t just a one-time opportunity-it became a part of my life’s mission, a constant reminder that I’m part of something bigger than myself,” said Ricarda Urso, a member of the inaugural Live M√°s Scholarship class. “The Foundation’s impact doesn’t stop with the scholarship-it’s a lasting movement, one that motivates me to keep pushing forward and to pay it forward in whatever way I can.”
A DECADE OF IMPACT, A FUTURE FULL OF PROMISE
In this application cycle, passions spanned every field, from food science and business to emergency medicine and engineering. Check out how two inspiring 2025 Live Mas Scholars are making an impact:
Siena L.: Drawn to firefighting since she was twelve, Siena refused to let being one of the only girls in her local Fire Explorer program hold her back. Learning directly from first responders, she dedicated her free time to mastering both the physical and medical skills required in the field. Siena was surprised with her Live M√°s Scholarship while at school, surrounded by classmates. Now planning to study nursing at Texas A&M University, she hopes to inspire young girls to see firefighting not just as possible-but as a powerful path forward.
Uriel M.: After a tornado changed his family’s life forever, Uriel found his purpose. His brother, who protected him during the disaster, lost his leg in the aftermath, sparking Uriel’s passion to create better, more accessible prosthetics, especially for those in low-income communities. As a Taco Bell Team Member, he was surprised with his Live Mas Scholarship check at his restaurant-a full-circle moment for him. He plans to study biomedical engineering at the University of Southern California to continue his research and turn passion into impact.
THE LIVE MAS SCHOLARSHIP DIFFERENCE
From surprise celebrations at Taco Bell restaurants to a Sacramento Kings game and even Davante Adams’ football camp, the Taco Bell Foundation has made this scholarship season unforgettable. For the first time, it hosted a reveal inside the iconic Taco Bell Test Kitchen, bringing passion for food and innovation to life in a whole new way. Four students passionate about food innovation and culinary arts arrived ready to take on a menu development challenge. What they didn’t expect was the unforgettable twist that came after the competition-a surprise scholarship celebration right inside the Test Kitchen. Taco Bell Chief Marketing Officer Taylor Montgomery and Global Chief Food Innovation Officer Liz Matthews were in on the surprise, making the moment even more memorable.
The Live Mas Scholarship isn’t based on GPAs or test scores-it’s built around passion. Designed for creative thinkers, cultural rebels and bold dreamers, the program invites applicants to share their story through a two-minute video, spotlighting how they plan to make an impact. In return, if selected, they join a supportive, purpose-driven community and gain access to mentorship, career workshops, internships, and networking opportunities, making the scholarship more than just financial support, but a launchpad for what’s next.
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