MISHAWAKA, Ind. — Quality Dining Inc., local Burger King franchisee, announced the funding of $81,000 in Burger King continuing education scholarships for high school seniors and an additional $56,000 in scholarships for employees of Burger King, including one scholarship in Dowagiac last week.

Receiving a $1,000 scholarship is Dowagiac Union High School senior Anne Zebell.

Since 2001, Quality Dining has funded more than $2.4 million in continuing education scholarships.

“We thank our guests for their continued support of our scholarship program,” said    Gerald O. Fitzpatrick, senior vice president of the Burger King Division at Quality Dining.  “We extend our congratulations to all our 2016 scholarship recipients and wish them the best in their future endeavors.”

The Burger King McLamoresm Foundation scholarship program was designed to recognize students who maintain academic standards and are also involved in co-curricular and/or community service activities. Since 2000, the Foundation has granted more than $28.3 million in scholarships to more than 26,800 students.

Quality Dining, Inc. is the proud owner/operator of the Papa Vino’s Italian Kitchen and Spageddies Italian Kitchen concepts and operates Burger King restaurants and Chili’s restaurants as a franchisee.

As of May, the company operates five Papa Vino’s Italian Kitchen restaurants, two Spageddies Italian Kitchen restaurants, 150 Burger King restaurants and 45 Chili’s restaurants.