Chick-Fil-A Donates $1M to Clark Atlanta University

The donation to the private HBCU will go toward student access, retention, and graduation support.
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Published on July 18, 2023
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  • Clark Atlanta University received the donation during its 34th annual commencement ceremony in May.
  • The university graduated over 600 undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students.
  • The gift contributes to the university's $250 million fundraising campaign.

The Chick-fil-A cows strike again with kindness — in the form of a $1 million gift over two years to Clark Atlanta University (CAU), a historically Black college and university (HBCU) in Atlanta.

CAU announced the gift from the Georgia-based fast-food restaurant on July 7 to go toward the $250 million Campaign for Clark Atlanta University. The campaign focuses on student access, retention, and graduation support funding.

"Chick-fil-A's generous commitment of $1 million is an investment in the bright futures of Clark Atlanta University students and will help ensure that we continue building on our mission of delivering education that is accessible, relevant, and transformative," CAU President George T. French Jr. said in a press release.

Carol Waddy, a CAU alum and director of community affairs for corporate social responsibility at Chick-fil-A Inc., presented the check at the university's 34th annual commencement May 20. A total graduating class of over 600 received their bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.

"With partners like Chick-fil-A, our vision of being a leading institution of higher learning that impacts society through transformative, educational experiences is within reach," French said in the release. "At Clark Atlanta, finding a way or making a way is a community endeavor."

Among fast-food restaurants, Chick-fil-A joins In-N-Out Burger in making recent donations to higher education institutions. In June, Biola University renamed its film school after the co-founder of the California burger chain after an undisclosed donation.