Eric Clardy, a Chick-fil-A team member from Madison, is the newest recipient of the chain’s 37-year-old national Leadership Scholarship program.

Pratt received the $1,000 scholarship from Chick-fil-A franchised operator David Griffin at the Chick-fil-A restaurant at Regency Square. Clardy is the 44th team member from that location to receive the honor. He is studying secondary education and English  at University Of North Alabama.

“Eric extends Truett Cathy’s decades-long legacy as a business owner who values his team members and encourages the pursuit of educational goals,” Griffin said. “He represents the 50,000 dedicated and hard-working Chick-fil-A team members across the country who every day focus on providing the best in freshly prepared food and personalized customer service. We are very proud of him.”

This year’s scholarship allocation of $1.9 million marks the chain’s highest single year increase – up 35 percent from last year’s $1.4 million in support of Chick-fil-A restaurant team members seeking higher education.

Chick-fil-A’s scholarship support of its team members is even more crucial in the country’s current economic climate and the chain remains committed to continuing that support. This year the chain plans to award more than $1.9 million in the $1,000 scholarships. In addition, Chick-fil-A annually selects 25 of those 1,900 winners to receive the S. Truett Cathy Scholar Award, a second $1,000 scholarship named after the founder.

Since Chick-fil-A’s Leadership Scholarship program began, the chain has awarded scholarships totaling more than $1,335,000 in Alabama and more than $26.6 million nationwide. Each $1,000 scholarship helps support the higher education goals of restaurant team members who have attended more than 2,400 institutions across the country.