Schaumburg Chick-fil-A employee awarded $25,000 college scholarship from chain

Carlos Rojas wasn’t expecting one of the biggest surprises of his life when he showed up to work last month for his shift at the West Schaumburg Chick-fil-A.

Surrounded by white streamers and red balloons — as well as supportive friends, family and co-workers — he stood with a smile on his face while being handed a $25,000 check, personally awarded to him by Chick-fil-A CEO Andrew Cathy.

Rojas, an 18-year-old from Schaumburg who graduated from Hoffman Estates High School last year, was one of 13 Chick-fil-A employees awarded the company’s “Remarkable Futures Scholarship.” He currently attends Northern Illinois University in DeKalb where he is studying psychology.

“I wasn’t expecting the surprise,” Rojas said. “This opened a huge door for me.”

Rojas said he will now be able to live on campus and cut out his two-hour commute while also being able to pursue his career goals thanks to the scholarship. He will continue working his Saturday shift at the Chick-fil-A location at 90 Barrington Road, he said.

Rojas said he is studying psychology so he can help others better understand the seriousness around mental health.

“It’s something really important,” he said. “I would like to help more people with their goals.”

Mary Beth Saylor, wife of West Schaumburg Chick-fil-A owner-operator Daryl Saylor, said she first got to know Rojas in June of 2024 when he began working for the company.

Through a variety of tasks that he performed at the location — working the front counter as well as helping out in the kitchen whenever he could — Saylor got to better understand the pride Rojas took in his tasks.

“He was very willing to do things that maybe some others were not,” she said. “He cared about the customers.”

According to Saylor, the award ceremony for Rojas was somewhat of a ruse. She told Rojas that Cathy, Chick-fil-A’s CEO, would be coming to the West Schaumburg location to do a short interview with him, and that Rojas should bring his family along to witness it.

Unbeknownst to Rojas and his family, he would receive the $25,000 scholarship.

Scholarships are awarded in three tiers, including $1,000, $2,500 and $25,000. The scholarship money can be used at any accredited college, university or technical/vocational school, and is available to both part-time and full-time students, according to the company.

According to the company’s website, over 16,000 employees this year have been awarded scholarships, which have amounted to about $29 million. Since 1973, Chick-fil-A has awarded about $244 million in scholarships.

Other community leaders were there to witness the celebration as well, including Schaumburg Village President Tom Dailly and Economic Development Director Matt Frank, according to Saylor.

“It was an amazing one,” Daryl Saylor said. “We had a lot of support from the community.”

Rojas saw the scholarship information hanging on a poster at work and decided to cross his fingers and apply.

Rojas credits his late grandfather’s work ethic for his own drive.

“He didn’t give up for his son. My dad didn’t give up, too,” Rojas said. “He’s one of the reasons why I want to keep going with my career and make a bright future for my next generation.”