A Wendy’s worker couldn’t afford college — so his bosses made one simple investment that landed him at Yale

DeSouza’s story began in Rio de Janeiro, where he said on Instagram that he grew up in a dangerous neighborhood and lost friends and family to gun violence. In 2016, after almost catching a stray bullet himself while sleeping, he moved with his mother to the U.S. and eventually landed a job as a shift manager at a Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Wendy’s (Nasdaq:WEN).

Then, four years ago, as he finished up high school, DeSouza informed the location’s owners, Usama El-Sehrawey and Ernest Smily, that he couldn’t save enough for college working there and would have to find higher-paid construction work instead.

But like customers who received the wrong takeout order, El-Sehrawey and Smily weren’t having it. Instead, they made an offer that ultimately paved his way to an Ivy league education.

“I wanted to reward him for being situated against the difficult odds,” El-Sehrawey told Today “I said, ‘If you stay at Wendy’s, I will make sure you go to college.’”

The ultimate value deal that landed DeSouza at Yale

Rather than lose DeSouza, El-Sehrawey and Smily proposed a deal that allowed them to retain a key employee while also ensuring DeSouza went to college.

They agreed that, for each hour DeSouza worked, they’d put aside money beyond his paycheck until they eventually had enough to pay for his college tuition.

“At the time,” DeSouza, 23, wrote on Facebook, “I had no idea how much that opportunity would change my life.”

DeSouza ended up flourishing as a straight-A student and student body president at Cape Cod Community College, Today noted, before transferring to Bunker Hill Community College.

And in an Instagram video that received 1.4 million views, DeSouza revealed that he got into Yale for fall 2026. He received a full scholarship worth more than $190,000. He told Today that his goal is to attend law school.

On Facebook DeSouza thanked El-Sehrawey and Smily — the latter of whom has since passed away — for their faith and generosity, which he added “opened a door that changed my life, and I will always be grateful.”

Moneywise reached out to DeSouza for comment but didn’t immediately hear back.

Still, while most workers don’t have fast food fairy godfathers to help make their educational wishes come true, many companies do offer education or tuition-reimbursement benefits.

A 2024 survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefits Plans found that close to 60% of U.S. organizations offer tuition-reimbursement programs (TRP) or continuing education, while other studies put the TRP offering number around 46%.

Education services company Edcor, however, reported a more worrying stat: that only “2% of eligible workers take advantage of TRP.”

One reason for that, they note, is that the benefits are often only mentioned when onboarding but don’t kick in until after a year of employment — at which point they’re largely forgotten.

Which means countless employees are leaving up to $5,250 tax-free, per-year tuition benefits on the table — an opportunity that could unlock untold professional and financial growth.

How to talk to your employer about picking up the tab for your education

Different companies offer varying policies for covering educational costs — with some limited to schooling related to their specific industry.

Before speaking with your employer about it, most recommend reviewing their policy on the topic — including understanding any upfront costs, programs covered and if the payment is dependent on your grades.