Coastal Carolina University junior Zachary Redick is one of 12 recipients of a $25,000 True Inspiration Scholarship from Chick-fil-A Inc. The scholarships, which are part of the company's Remarkable Futures Scholarships initiative, were presented to Chick-fil-A Team Members across the United States who demonstrated financial need, academic achievement, leadership, and community involvement.

Redick is a team member at Chick-fil-A James Island in Charleston, S.C., and has become a leader at the restaurant, where he has worked since high school. Redick had to shift his education and career focus last year, leaving school to care for his sick mother at home until her passing last April. He continued to take classes online when he could and remained dedicated to his coursework.

"This scholarship is truly life-changing for my academic career," Redick said. "With having no financial support from my parents next year, this scholarship makes schooling a possibility. Instead of worrying about how I am going to afford my education, I can now make my dreams a reality because of this scholarship."

In March, the scholarship recipients received the good news during a surprise virtual announcement from Chick-fil-A chairman and CEO Dan Cathy. The funds can be used at any accredited institution of the team member's choice. Redick plans to apply his $25,000 scholarship toward earning a bachelor's degree in business management at CCU. Each scholarship recipient also received a laptop from the company to use for their studies.

"Being a Chick-fil-A James Island team member means so much more than just working at a restaurant," Redick said. "To me, it means I get to make a meaningful impact on the Charleston community. Becoming a team member has given me boundless opportunities and has shaped me into the person I am today."

Redick is attending classes both in person and virtually during CCU's spring semester. Some of his favorite classes he's taken include managerial accounting, introduction to global business, and leading high-performance teams. He says one of the reasons he chose to attend CCU is because the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, "which represents a high standard of achievement." "My experiences at Coastal Carolina have been great," said Redick, who plans to graduate from CCU in Spring 2022. "I love everything from CINO Day to Greek life. The campus is the perfect size for involvement."

Postgraduation, Redick plans to remain at CCU to pursue a master's degree in health administration; his future plans include working in hospital management or administration.

This year, Chick-fil-A awarded more than $19 million in scholarships to 7,492 Chick-fil-A restaurant team members in the U.S. and Canada to help fund their continuing education. Nearly 400 additional scholarships were funded by Chick-fil-A Bottled Sauce retail sales.