Many Hispanic students have to choose between their education and supporting their families, while others are foregoing their educational aspirations due to the high cost of schooling. The number of first-year Latino students fell 20% in Fall 2020 and the number of Latino undergraduates dropped 5.3% in Spring 2021 compared to the same time last year.
To celebrate 35 years of its HACER® National Scholarship, McDonald’s teamed up with actress Dascha Polanco to open “Puertas Doradas” (”Golden Doors”) for Hispanic students to receive up to $100,000 in college scholarships. Featuring an interactive QR code, “Puertas Doradas” was a traveling installation visiting high schools across the country to inspire students to apply for HACER and turn their college dreams into reality.