From left: Mike Flash, SLCC Foundation Board Member; Lana Fontenot, Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the SLCC Foundation; Dr. Darcee Bex, Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs; Haley Miller; Denise Miller; Larry Miller, owner/operator of Miller Management; Andre Perez, Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships; and Morgan Wampler, SLCC Development Officer.
NEW IBERIA – A partnership between a McDonald’s franchise company and South Louisiana Community College will give employees financial help to pay for college. McDonald’s employees – at Miller Management Inc. restaurants – utilizing the Archways to Opportunity program to help pay for college will now be able to access an additional $500 per semester from SLCC, for up to four semesters.
The Archways to Opportunity education program will allocate $150 million over five years and opens the door for thousands of its employees to pursue their education and career ambitions.
“We are very excited about our partnership with SLCC. We love seeing our employees grow, and giving them every chance to access higher education is important to us,” said Larry Miller, owner/operator of Miller Management. “McDonald’s employees already have the opportunity to earn up to $3,000 each year of tuition assistance, and with this SLCC partnership, they can now earn up to $4,000 per year. I’m lovin’ it!”
“Many times, the cost of tuition and fees can be the sole deciding factor of attending college to better one’s life,” said Lana Fontenot, Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the SLCC Foundation. “This additional assistance from SLCC, combined with the McDonald’s Archways program, can lessen financial burdens for students and allow them to focus on their educational success.”
Eligible crew members employed for 90 days can access up to $2,500/year with no lifetime cap with the Archways to Opportunity program. Eligible managers receive up to $3,000. This expanded tuition assistance program is available to all of McDonald’s 400,000 employees in the U.S.
The additional tuition assistance, which applies to SLCC’s for-credit courses that lead to technical diplomas and associate degrees, will begin for the Fall 2021 semester. Part-time students working for Miller Management will be able to access an additional $250 per semester for up to four semesters.
Since its launch in 2015, Archways to Opportunity has increased access to education for more than 65,000 people and awarded over $130 million in high school and college tuition assistance. Graduates have received college degrees in Business Administration, Human Resources, Communications, Account Microbiology and more.
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About Miller Management
Miller Management has been locally owned and operated in the Acadiana area for over 37 years. Proudly serving our communities for 3 generations.
About McDonald’s
McDonald’s is the world’s leading global foodservice retailer with over 37,000 locations in 120 markets. Over 90 percent of McDonald’s restaurants worldwide are owned and operated my independent local businessmen and businesswomen.
About Acadiana’s Community College
South Louisiana Community College is a comprehensive community college that operates campuses in Abbeville, Crowley, Franklin, Lafayette, Morgan City, New Iberia, Opelousas, St. Martinville, and Ville Platte. The college serves more than 17,000 students annually and offers an array of academic programs. Students earn associate degrees, technical diplomas, certificates, and industry-based certifications. It is ranked 14th among the Top 100 Associate Degree Producers as determined by Community College Week.