TORRANCE, Calif., April 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Countless hours of preparation paid off for the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University team which earned top honors at the 32^nd Honda Campus All-Star Challenge (HCASC), America's premier academic competition between students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The four-student North Carolina A&T team demonstrated its academic skills by quickly and accurately answering questions about history, science, literature, religion, the arts and pop culture. More than 300 students from 64 HBCUs participated in this year's HCASC program, which was conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each year, Honda awards more than $390,000 in institutional grants to participating HBCUs.

This is the 27^th year North Carolina A&T State University has participated in the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge and the first year it has won the HCASC National Championship. The winning team was coached by Professor Byron Turman and includes team captain Malkam Hawkins, a junior majoring in Electrical Engineering from Charlotte, N.C.; Frances Kendrick, a freshman majoring in Nursing from Raleigh, N.C.; Mitchell Wilson, a sophomore majoring in Mechanical Engineering from Zebulon, N.C.; and Samara Daniels, a junior majoring in Criminal Justice from Ayden, N.C.

"This win shows the dedication of our team, and that with hard work and patience, you can succeed," said Samara Daniels. "This win also shows that my university has helped produce smart students and an amazingly talented HCASC team."

Runner-up Florida A&M University was awarded a $30,000 institutional grant, while the third and fourth place finishers – Morehouse College and Alabama A&M University – each received $20,000 grants. Rounding out the eight teams that competed in the HCASC Finals, held April 18-20, were Bowie State University, Lincoln University-Pennsylvania, North Carolina Central University, and Oakwood University. 

"Honda congratulates North Carolina A&T State University for its impressive achievement and applauds all of the student competitors and coaches who made this year's HCASC National Championship Tournament an exciting experience," said Yvette Hunsicker, vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility and the Office of Inclusion and Diversity at American Honda. "We also thank the volunteers – many of whom are dedicated HCASC alumni and Honda associates – for helping us continue the longstanding HCASC tradition of celebrating HBCU excellence."

Honda Campus All-Star Challenge is a year-round knowledge-based program that brings together top HBCU students from across the country and showcases their academic talents on a national stage. Outside of competition, students build camaraderie, network, and fulfill the HCASC tradition of becoming "friends for life."

HCASC Seminars Support Career Readiness, Financial Empowerment

Through Honda's business units and its partnerships with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the Columbus Urban League, more than 500 students signed up to participate in virtual development seminars that aimed to increase their career readiness and financial empowerment. These included:

• Honda Human Resources Workshop: Interviewing and resume writing workshops & CO-OP (Internship) opportunities
• Career Prep 101 Powered by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund: Preparing for the future after graduation
• Financial Empowerment Institute presented by Columbus Urban League: Providing information to help close the wealth gap
• Honda Business Resource Group Panel Discussion: Finding your voice in the workplace

Since HCASC was established in 1989, more than 125,000 students have competed in the academic tournament. For additional information about the 32^nd Honda Campus All-Star Challenge, visit HCASC.com, as well as the HCASC Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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.