TORRANCE, Calif., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Connected by their pursuit of knowledge and academic excellence, more than 300 students and coaches from 64 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) will participate in the 32^nd Honda Campus All-Star Challenge (HCASC), America's premier academic competition between HBCU students. Due to the pandemic, the HCASC National Qualifying Tournament, March 5-6, and National Championship Tournament, April 17-20, will shift from in-person events to virtual tournaments. The 64 teams will compete in sequential game play until the last team standing is crowned the champion. For the list of participating HBCUs, visit HCASC.com.

Honda Campus All-Star Challenge is a year-round knowledge-based program that enhances educational experiences and personal development opportunities for HBCU students. The program challenges students to expand their scope of knowledge on a wide range of topics while gaining lifelong learning skills, including leadership, collaboration, and sportsmanship. During games, students work together to answer questions about history, science, literature, religion, the arts and pop culture. Outside of competition, students build camaraderie, network, and become friends for life.

"For more than three decades, the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge has been a pillar of our company's support of HBCUs, our longstanding commitment to higher education, and helping students achieve their dreams," said Alexandra Warnier, manager of Corporate Social Responsibility at American Honda. "Despite the pandemic, we're thrilled to hold the competition in a way that ensures the safety of our students, school officials and volunteers."

Beyond the competition, HCASC is a one-of-a-kind program that allows Honda associates and business partners to join the HBCU community in celebrating academic greatness. Through Honda's partnership with Thurgood Marshall College Fund and Columbus Urban League, students will take part in virtual development seminars to increase their career readiness and financial empowerment.  

Each year, Honda provides more than $350,000 in institutional grants to the participating HBCUs, with the winning school receiving a $75,000 grant. Following the cancellation of last year's National Championship Tournament, Honda redirected the program funds to the participating HBCUs to support over 100 charitable organizations within HBCU communities in 20 states. The funds helped address key needs including food insecurity and medical support for families, senior citizens, and those who are homeless. The donations also funded medical supplies and personal protective equipment for frontline healthcare workers in HBCU communities.

To follow the students' journey to the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge National Championship Tournament in April,  visit the HCASC Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Did You Know?

• In 2019, Spelman College won its first HCASC National Championship.
• Morehouse College is the only school to qualify for all 31 HCASC National Championship Tournaments.
• Eighty-six percent of participating HBCUs provide student scholarships with the HCASC grant funds.
• Over the past three years, nearly 60% of student participants have built mentor/mentee relationships from the program.
• The 64 participating HBCUs represent 19 states and the District of Columbia.
• Since HCASC was established in 1989, more than 125,000 scholars have competed in the academic tournament.

Honda's Three-Decade Commitment to HBCUs
For over three decades, Honda has supported the success and dreams of HBCU students through initiatives like the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge and Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB). These programs have provided unforgettable experiences and opportunities for HBCU students to create memories that will last a lifetime, including meeting and networking with their peers from other HBCU schools. Honda has impacted the lives of more than 200,000 students and awarded over $14 million in grants in support of HBCU education programs and facilities improvements.

To advance its leading investment in HBCUs, Honda is a member of the HBCU Partnership Challenge, an initiative by the Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus that brings together government, industry and HBCUs to create strategic, more sustainable HBCU partnerships. Honda also has partnered with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to provide annual scholarship funding to support HBCU students pursuing an education in engineering, supply chain management and manufacturing-related fields. Honda awarded five scholarships for the 2020-21 academic year.

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SOURCE American Honda Motor Co., Inc.