KFC Scholarships
Colonel Sanders Spirit Lives On in Educational Gifts
Colonel Sanders opened his first of many restaurants in Kentucky in 1930 where he sold fried chicken. Not long after this he added a motel to this particular location, a business that would not carry over. While this doesn’t seem like much pomp and circumstance, the affordable and accessible fried chicken endeavor was to be his claim to fame. Fried food was a first for a "fast-food" restaurant, and the addition of a pressure cooker to the KFC business model was not only ingenious, but it changed the entire landscape of eat-out/take-out food.
Colonel Sanders was so renowned a figure in Kentucky that when he died "flags on all Kentucky state buildings fly at half-staff for four days."
The Bucket Concept
Kentucky Fried Chicken now clipped to the simpler, hip acronym KFC, still features The Colonel’s "special recipe." The first bucket of Colonel’s chicken appeared in the late 1950s and has remained a signature packaging concept.
Corporate Responsibility
KFC’s philanthropic "arm" of its business is focused on a range of socially responsible programs. The corporation kicks in generous support for "education, diversity and animal welfare" programs. Every company finds its charitable niche and these core issues serve as KFC’s.
Emphasis on Education
Educational programs are funded primarily through Colonel’s Kids, a separate charity under the larger corporate structure. The KFC Colonel’s Kids Charity program is available to low-income families who are faced with the financial challenge of childcare to the point that it is a burden. The program is affiliated with the YMCA.
The KFC Colonel's Scholars program is a fairly recent addition to the KFC Foundation Board. Company spokespeople report the awards are already highly competitive among students hoping for the funds and are very much aligned with the entrepreneurial foundation upon which KFC was originally founded. The Scholars program helps graduating high school seniors get a financial leg up for their college tuition. Eligible applicants must demonstrate a precocious business acumen and academic motivation to be considered. Also, candidates must also be challenged by financial adversity. Challenging essay questions and a demanding GPA cap off the requirements. Only those applicants enrolled in a state-funded university will be awarded funds. Generous scholarships of up to $20,000 are possible.
