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Hundreds of Chick-fil-A team members are completing college degrees without taking on student loans, thanks to a sponsorship model now expanding across the chain’s independently owned restaurants. The initiative, run with Point University and education partner Ficus Education, is being touted as a tool for recruitment and career advancement as federal student loan collections resume.
How the partnership pays for degrees
The program lets employees of independently operated Chick-fil-A locations enroll in online degree programs through Point University, a private Christian college in Georgia. Participating franchise operators cover tuition costs directly, so workers do not need to pay out of pocket or borrow.
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What began as a single operator’s pilot in 2023 has grown quickly: more than 500 independent operators have taken part, according to Ficus Education, and dozens of graduates — over 70 in a recent ceremony — celebrated at Point University this year.
Enrollment is open to restaurant staff who remain employed by the participating operators while they complete either undergraduate or graduate coursework, with Ficus coordinating the employer-sponsored benefit.
- Graduates this year: 177 Chick-fil-A employees completed degrees while working
- Debt avoided: The most recent cohort collectively sidestepped more than $6 million in student loans; organizers estimate the broader program has kept roughly $11 million in debt from forming
- Partners: Independent Chick-fil-A operators, Point University, and Ficus Education
- Reach: Participation from more than 500 operators nationwide
At the commencement
At the graduation event in Georgia, operators and team members gathered for a hospitality reception before commencement. More than a dozen franchise owners attended to support their employees as they walked the stage and received either four-year or master’s degrees.
André Kennebrew, chair of Point University’s board and a former Chick-fil-A development leader, told attendees the program creates pathways both inside and beyond the restaurant industry — from moving up within Chick-fil-A to pursuing professional careers elsewhere.
Doug Danowski, president of Ficus Education, described the effort as a deliberate investment in teams: “What began as one operator’s commitment to his staff has scaled into a national effort to help people earn degrees without debt,” he said.
Why this matters now
The timing is significant. Federal student loan debt nationally exceeds $1.6 trillion, and the Education Department recently restarted collections on defaulted loans. For employees and operators, employer-funded tuition is emerging as a tangible way to reduce individual financial exposure while improving recruitment and retention.
Organizers argue the program produces business benefits — lower turnover and stronger pipelines for leadership — alongside the obvious personal advantage for graduates who avoid debt altogether.
Early results suggest the model can be replicated by other businesses seeking to offer meaningful education benefits without shifting costs onto workers. Whether the trend spreads beyond a franchise network like Chick-fil-A will depend on operator buy-in and measurable returns in hiring and staff development.
For now, the program stands as a concrete example of employer-sponsored education helping employees finish degrees at a time when student debt and loan enforcement are front-of-mind for many Americans.
