Harvard-Bound Bergen County Teen Gets $3K Chicken Scholarship

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A young violinist in Bergen County will get help paying for her Harvard education in fall thanks to a chicken chain.

Iris Hur recently graduated from Bergen County Academies in Hackensack. The Paramus resident will start school at Harvard University in fall.

The chain bb.q chicken, which bills itself as "Korea's Finest Fried Chicken," recently awarded Hur $3,000 in a giant check ceremony.

"Hur will use the scholarship to continue her higher education journey at Harvard and will simultaneously pursue a joint degree from the New England Conservatory of Music," said a release from the chain.

They noted, "Hur has garnered acclaim for her musical talents throughout her 10-year career, with performances at prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall. The bb.q Chicken sponsorship will not only support her academic endeavors atHarvard, but also enable her to pursue a joint degree from the New England Conservatory of Music. Hur was also accepted into Stanford and Princeton University, but chose Harvard thanks to the support of bb.q Chicken."

“At bb.q Chicken, we're committed to nurturing creativity and culture throughout the local communities we serve,” said Andrew Lee, senior manager, marketing. “Through our partnership with YoungArts, a national organization dedicated to artist education, we’re incredibly proud to set talented students up for success through their future endeavors.”

A giant check ceremony took place at bb.q Chicken’s headquarters to celebrate the achievement.

Established in 1995 as part of parent company Genesis BBQ, bb.q Chicken’s mission is to provide the most delicious premium chicken in the world, based on the belief that food is the gateway to all culture. The brand was recently recognized by Restaurant Business Magazine as one of the fastest growing chains in the U.S.