MIAMI (WSVN) - A South Florida mother earned her college degree thanks to McDonald’s, and she had no idea she was in for a surprise celebration.
Jenny Escobar is a mother of three and has worked at McDonald’s since 2001.
On Friday, with the help of the McDonald’s Archways Opportunity program, she graduated with her bachelor’s degree from Colorado Technical University.
“It’s something that you need to have always, somebody pushing you to do better,” she said.
Graduating from college was a goal she set her sight on many years ago.
“From the beginning, I set my goals, and yeah, I knew I was going to get there,” she said. “I didn’t know when, but I knew I was going to get there.”
In 2015, Escobar became one of the very first McDonald’s employees to graduate high school through the Archways Program.
After earning her associate degree in 2021, she became a graduate with no debt.
And best of all, she did it without paying a penny.
“It’s just a great opportunity to work at a McDonald’s and get your education as well,” said Nick Rodriguez, a McDonald’s franchise owner. “We’re just extremely proud of her and humbled by her journey.”
Escobar said she plans to work for McDonald’s and the owners of this very location for years to come.
“I would love Jenny to stay within the McDonald’s family,” Rodriguez said.
“Yes, they help me out a lot,” Escobar said. “Yeah, I mean, hello, I made a career out of it.”
Escobar’s graduation comes with a new McDonald’s campaign celebrating the statistic that one in eight Americans has worked for the fast food chain.
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.