Chick-Fil-A worker in SW Miami-Dade receives $25K scholarship – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports

SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) – A star student is being rewarded for his work in and out the classroom. When he’s not in the classroom, you can find him at work and now, his job is giving him the extra help he needs to reach higher learning.

This South Florida bright man is college bound and the road just got a little easier thanks to a surprise from his employer.

“I never thought in my wildest dreams that this could even happen,” said Alfredo Briceno.

Briceno could not believe his eyes Monday morning when he was handed a big surprise.

“Twenty-five thousand dollars,” Briceno said.

The South Florida Chick-fil-A team member became one of 14 recipients of the company’s True Inspiration scholarships.

The $25,000 scholarship will help get through college.

“I’m not a very emotional guy to tell you the truth,” Briceno said. “I almost never cry. But in that moment, I just felt like all of my mom’s pushing, all of the hard work, it really paid off in that moment.”

Briceno is a first-generation college student..He plans to study entrepreneurship at the University of Miami and the money means a big relief for him and his family.

“I’m a little bit mad that they kept it from me, but you know, the surprise was definitely worth it,” he said.

“We love serving customers and making a difference in our community, but to have an opportunity like this, to have a positive impact in Alfredo, knowing all that he has overcome in life, and the bright future he’s got in front of it, it’s just exciting to be a part of it,” said Chick-fil-A CEO Andrew Cathy.

Cathy said an important part of their mission is supporting employees and helping hard-working people just like Briceno who managed to work part time and care for his younger siblings all while maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA.

“It’s hard for me not to get emotional too,” Cathy said. “Seeing their excitement and knowing how much this is going to impact not only the individual, but the family as well, so it’s an honor to be a part of it.”

Briceno’s next goal is to own his own business so that he can give back to his community and express his gratitude for those who supported him in his journey.

Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.