The student team from Spelman College in Atlanta walked away with the winning title in Ford’s 2014 Historically Black Colleges and Universities Community Challenge and $75,0000 in scholarships and grants for its original community program.
The competition reflects Ford’s century-long commitment to supporting the African American community, and its focus on education. Ford offers the HBCU Community Challenge in collaboration with national radio personality and competition judge Tom Joyner and the Rickey Smiley Morning Show.
The student team from Spelman College impressed with its plan for showing families in the West End community of Atlanta how to grow vegetable gardens inside their homes. Spelman College was selected from among three finalists, which include Florida A&M University and Bethune-Cookman University. Schools in the nationwide contest were asked to present ideas that creatively address a community need touching on at least one of four areas — mobility, alternative energy, sustainability/water and a systematic approach to meeting community needs.
“The HBCU Community Challenge not only allows us to continue our efforts to give back to the African American community, but to do so in a way that encourages innovation and educational empowerment while directly supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” said Pamela Alexander, director, community development, Ford Motor Company Fund.
