Last year at Cleary’s commencement ceremonies, adult learner and graduate Eddie Fox received the Business Innovation Award for “creating or initiating an improvement to a business process or product within an existing company, organization or nonprofit institution.”
In addition to earning his BBA degree and receiving one of the top student graduate awards, he celebrated his 30th anniversary with the Applebee’s brand.
Fox began his career as an hourly team member at the Canton Applebee’s, where he was named Employee of the Year in 1998. A year later, thanks to opportunity and strong performance, he moved into a management role. After serving as a service and kitchen manager at several locations, he was promoted to General Manager in 2006. His career continued to progress into a Training General Manager (Team Schostak Family Restaurants acquired 60 Applebee’s locations in Michigan and Fox was part of this transition), and in 2021, he was promoted to an Area Director position, overseeing seven locations in Michigan. It was during this time that Cleary established a partnership with Team Schostak, providing lower-cost tuition for eligible employees.
“It had been nagging me for years that I didn’t have my degree,” Fox reports, reflecting on his past educational experience. It took him several years, and a few hurdles, to climb, before he took advantage of the Cleary University opportunity.
Before joining Applebee’s, he had completed a few years of post-high school education at a university in Pennsylvania. He learned a little about himself – the hard way – as he struggled with alcohol and addiction, which only accelerated on a college campus. He was forced to leave school. Fortunately, “I found a 12-step recovery group and with this support, I’ve been able to build and maintain a clean and sober lifestyle for more than 20 years,” he is proud to say.
It was 28 years later that Cleary came into his life. “It was time to prove to myself, my family and my friends – who remembered my first college attempt – that I could do it. I was a little nervous about trying to balance school, a marriage, two children and a full-time career,” but he applied despite his concerns.
Unfortunately, he didn’t get accepted on his first try. “The transcripts from my previous university were not a great snapshot of who I was today,” he notes. “I wrote an appeal letter to the university and they reconsidered, and I was accepted as an undergrad in my late 40s!” With his 20+ years of work experience, Fox was credited 30 hours toward his degree, allowing him to complete a four-year degree in only 2 ½ years.
“Cleary gave me the ability to work at my own pace and take online classes. I knew structured, in person classes wouldn’t work for me.”
He hit the books most nights from 9 pm to midnight and studied weekends to keep up. “The flexibility of the program was critical for me,” he points out.
Fox always looks for ways to set the bar high in all aspects of his life, and Cleary University noticed. He graduated with his Business degree in Communications summa cum laude in May 2025.
“The job I was doing at TSFR Applebee’s really complemented my classroom work and gave me great insights into real world business that I have been able to use in my work,” he finds.
“Cleary exceeded my expectations. I had really, really great instructors and they all had an open door policy; I was impressed. The program had a great structure and the professors cared about me as an individual, and my progress. I really feel I have a competitive advantage over others in my industry, thanks to what Cleary brought to me,” he asserts. “I am grateful for Team Schostak Family Restaurants developing the partnership with Cleary and I also want to thank all of my professors who my journey attainable. I am very proud to be a Cleary alumnus!”
In his nomination for Business Innovation Award, it reads:
“Eddie is a talented communicator who not only authors compelling work, but also demonstrates a sincere interest in creating assignments that represent his capabilities. As a member of TEAM Schostak (Applebee’s), Eddie integrates his experiences in the food industry to course content in introspective and logical ways. While reviewing his work in writing-intensive courses, I could tell he thought about the content deeply in order to solve problems and address prompts with creativity and pragmatism. As he continues in the industry, I believe he will be able to quickly develop innovative tactics that will enhance the lives of fellow coworkers and customers.”
At the 2026 Cleary commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 3, graduating students also have an opportunity to earn the Business Innovation Award, like Eddie Fox, or one of these other honors:
- PRESIDENT’S AWARD: Presented to an undergraduate or graduate student who has demonstrated overall excellence in teamwork, scholarship, communication and presentation skills, and integration and application of coursework into the business world.
- GRADUATE LEADERSHIP AWARD: Presented to a graduate student who has demonstrated superior leadership in teamwork, scholarship, and communication and presentation skills in graduate-level coursework.
- ANNE MCKENNY UNIVERSITY SERVICE AWARD: Presented to an undergraduate or graduate student who exemplifies outstanding dedication, leadership, and commitment to Cleary University and its community. Named in honor of Anne McKenny, a devoted Cleary University Board Trustee for over three decades, this award recognizes a student who, through tireless service and volunteerism, upholds the spirit of integrity, stewardship, and excellence that Anne has demonstrated throughout her tenure. This award celebrates those who go above and beyond to make a lasting impact on the university, embodying the same selflessness, executive capability, and passion for service that Anne has shown in shaping Cleary’s success.
- ENTREPRENEURIAL AWARD: Presented to an undergraduate or graduate student who created or has planned a new product or business venture, or who has created or planned a new product or business venture within an existing company, organization, or nonprofit institution.
“Award recipients stand out from the rest,” announces Christopher Davis, PhD, chief academic officer for Cleary. “They have demonstrated leadership among their peers, made significant contributions to the community, led academic success and application of learning, or exemplified innovation.”
