On April 20, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University was crowned champion of the 2021 Honda Campus All Star Challenge. The four-person team from North Carolina A&T State University defeated a team from Florida A&M University in the finals of the tournament. This was the 27th year that North Carolina A&T State University participated in the competition but this was the first time the university was crowned champion.
Morehouse College and Alabama A&M University reached the semifinals of the competition. Also among the top eight finishers were teams from Bowie State University, Lincoln University-Pennsylvania, North Carolina Central University, and Oakwood University.
The winning team was coached by Professor Byron Turman and includes team captain Malkam Hawkins, a junior majoring in electrical engineering; Frances Kendrick, a freshman majoring in nursing; Mitchell Wilson, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering; and Samara Daniels, a junior majoring in criminal justice.
“HCASC gives undergraduate students the opportunity to compete in an academic setting while strengthening their communication, teamwork and leadership skills in a welcoming environment that fosters integrity, competitiveness, knowledge and HBCU pride,” said Professor Turman.
More than 300 students from 64 HBCUs participated in this year’s competition, which was conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each year, Honda awards more than $390,000 in institutional grants to participating HBCUs.
