Contact: Jack Bailey (304) 766-4109 Jbaile19@wvstateu.edu
INSTITUTE, W.Va. – West Virginia State University (WVSU) will be one of only 48 colleges who earned the opportunity to compete at the 29th annual Honda Campus All‐Star Challenge (HCASC) National Championship Tournament in Los Angeles, April 7-11.
Teams representing 48 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) will go head‐to‐head in the national championship of America’s premier academic quiz bowl on the American Honda Motor Co., Inc. campus in Torrance, Calif., for the top prize of a $75,000 institutional grant from Honda.
WVSU will be represented by Team Captain Jesus Rivera, a senior majoring in Computer Science from Puebla, Mexico; Jeffrey David Mitchell, a junior majoring in Communications from Hernshaw, W.Va.; Kevon Monroe, a senior majoring in Sports Studies from Norfolk, Va.; and Alexander Pierce Bennett, a senior majoring in History and Pre‐Law from Hurricane, W.Va. WVSU Director of Campus Life Trina Sweeney coaches the team.
HCASC is a year‐round program that includes campus engagement, intramural play, qualifying tournaments and culminates with the national championship tournament in California. The fast‐paced competition highlights students’ academic prowess and ability to answer questions about history, science, literature, religion, the arts and pop culture. Through the qualifying competition rounds, WVSU emerged among the “Great 48” finalists advancing to the national championship tournament.
“I am proud of our students competing in the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge,” said President Anthony L. Jenkins. “This tournament is a phenomenal venue to celebrate the academic success of our nation’s best and brightest. We applaud this great accomplishment as our students represent the Yellow Jacket Nation with excellence.”
In 1989, Honda established the HCASC to highlight and recognize the academic achievements of students. More than $8.5 million in grants from Honda have provided support for scholarships, facility upgrades and other investments to improve the student experience. Now in its 29th year, more than 125,000 students have participated in the HCASC.
WVSU was the national champion of the inaugural HCASC tournament in 1990 and has earned a spot in the tournament every year it has been held. Collectively, the university’s teams have earned $190,000 in institutional grants through participation in the tournament.
The 2018 HCASC finals will be live‐streamed on Tuesday, April 10, starting at noon at
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