There was a special surprise waiting for Maria Gaona at Shamrock Company’s Berwyn, IL Taco Bell.
A longtime team member at the restaurant, Maria was recently surprised with a $5,000 Shamrock Scholarship to help support her education and dream of becoming an architect. Maria has been with us for two years and recently stepped into a Shift Leader role, continuing to grow both personally and professionally.
“Congratulations, Maria. You deserve this! You are a great person and you’re going to be a great architect.”
— Edith Leon, Taco Bell Area Director
Destined for Design
Maria’s passion for architecture began in Ecuador, where she studied architecture for four years. Today, she’s continuing that education at Morton College in Illinois, where she’s pursuing a certificate in architectural drafting and design. With just two semesters remaining, Maria is getting closer to reaching her goal!
For Maria, working at Shamrock has become an important part of her journey. She shares that the company’s flexibility has allowed her to continue working while pursuing her education.
Fueling the Future
The Shamrock Scholarship is about more than providing financial assistance. It’s one way we put our mission into action by helping Taco Bell and Dunkin’ team members succeed and develop their potential.
“I’m grateful … because Shamrock understood my situation and gave me the flexible schedule for continuing my studies.”
– Maria Gaona, Taco Bell Shift Leader
In 2026, Shamrock set out to provide a total of $50,000 in scholarships and ultimately awarded eight scholarships totaling $32,500 in just its second year, nearly doubling the total awarded since the scholarship’s inception.
President & CEO Dan McGue hopes to double it again in 2027!
At Shamrock, we recognize supporting our people is an investment in the future — whether a team member’s career path leads them to a future with Shamrock or somewhere else.
Building on a Dream
Maria knows where she wants her education to take her, and we’re proud to help her take another step toward that dream.
Her goal is clear: complete her certificate and continue to pursue her passion for architecture. And maybe someday, that passion will even bring her back to Shamrock in a new way.
As the team shared during Maria’s scholarship reveal, they hope that one day she might help Shamrock build a new Taco Bell!
Looking Ahead to 2027
Team members considering higher education will have another opportunity to apply for the Shamrock Scholarship in spring 2027. There’s no age restriction or limitation on what you can study, and the application takes less than five minutes to complete. Watch for reminders on the website and at your restaurant so you don’t miss your chance to apply!