McDonald’s Awards WSSU $30,000 Grant to Support Student Success

McDonald’s has awarded Winston-Salem State University a $30,000 grant in recognition of the university’s leadership and impact on student success.

The grant was presented as part of McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden HBCU Activation, recently held on campus. The event celebrates Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) nationwide and supports the company’s ongoing commitment to empowering students through education and community engagement.

“McDonald’s has a longstanding commitment of supporting HBCUs and the students they serve,” said Teccara Carmack of the McDonald’s Corporation. “Through national partnerships and campus-level investments, we are proud to help advance education, opportunity and equity across the HBCU community.”

The company’s Black & Positively Golden Scholarship, in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, has provided more than $5 million in scholarships to HBCU students nationwide to date.

William Gibson, WSSU’s Director of Corporate and Foundation Engagement said “Corporate partnerships like this are essential to fueling student success and strengthening our community impact. When industry leaders invest in WSSU, they help expand opportunity, drive innovation, and ensure our students have the resources and support needed to excel both in the classroom and in their careers.”

The $30,000 grant awarded to WSSU will help strengthen programs that foster student success and enhance the university’s broader community impact.

“At WSSU, we believe opportunity changes everything,” said Kevan Turman, vice chancellor for University Advancement. “We are deeply grateful to McDonald’s for this generous investment in our students and our mission. Partnerships like this help us continue to empower scholars to thrive academically, professionally and personally.”

McDonald’s philanthropic support aligns with its broader purpose to feed and foster the communities it serves, offering students the financial freedom to focus on their education while universities like WSSU provide the academic excellence and community support that prepare graduates to lead in today’s workforce.