Honda Campus All-Star Challenge

Proving that intelligence is more than just book smarts, Oakwood University leveraged teamwork and speed and knowledge to emerge victorious as National Champions of the 19th annual Honda Campus All-Star Challenge. This event is the largest annual academic competition between the nation's leading Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and was held this weekend in Orlando, Florida. Oakwood University showcased their skills and intellect by quickly and accurately answering questions on world history, science, literature, religion, the arts, social sciences, popular culture and African-American history and culture. Correctly answering the final question:

For reasons yet unknown, this disease correlates with biochemical markers called human leukocyte antigens. It does not, however, involve leukocytes but myelin sheaths protecting nerve cells. Name this crippling disease of young adults.
(Correct answer: Multiple Sclerosis)

Oakwood University topped second place finisher Alcorn State University to claim the championship and take home $50,000 in grant money for their school. More than 320 college students from 64 HBCUs across the country gathered to compete in the three-day tournament to win grants and glory for their academic institutions. Now in its 19th year, the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge (HCASC) celebrates the proud academic heritage of the nation's HBCUs and showcases the great minds these institutions have produced. HCASC provides a platform for America's best and brightest from the nation's HBCUs to come together as friends, competitors and future leaders. This event allows students to compete, engage in teamwork, and establish long-term relationships.

During the three-day tournament, the 64 HBCU teams of four compete in a modified round robin format. Teams are randomly placed into eight divisions. The divisions are named after famous Black people. The top two teams from each of the eight divisions advance to the "Sweet 16," then "elite eight" and "final four" in a single elimination playoff. The final two teams then compete for the National Champion title in a best 2 out of 3 final series. In addition to Oakwood University and Alcorn State University, student teams from Howard University and the Southern University-Baton Rouge also demonstrated their academic prowess by making it to the final four. This year's HCASC theme, "Call to Action," encouraged students to take from this experience a greater understanding of what they can do personally to positively contribute to the society. Keynote speaker Sheila Johnson, president and managing partner of the WNBA's Washington Mystics, co-founder of BET, and a major philanthropist, encouraged students to heed the call to action.

American Honda Motor Co. Inc. is the founder and host of this academic challenge and provides more than $300,000 in institutional grants each year to the HBCUs that participate in the competition. Established in 1989 by American Honda Motor Co., Inc., the annual academic challenge has touched more than 50,000 HBCU students and awarded more than $5 million in grants to HBCUs to improve campus life through facility improvements and expanded academic resources. Game play takes place during two eight minute halves. Questions are split into toss-ups and bonus questions. The toss-up questions are always ten points in value, while bonuses have varying point values, no more than thirty possible points.

2008 HCASC "Sweet 16" Teams:
Alabama A&M University
Alcorn State University
Florida A&M University
Grambling State University
Howard University
Langston University
Morehouse College
Norfolk State University
North Carolina Central University
Oakwood University
Prairie View A&M University
Tennessee State University
Tuskegee University
Southern University - Baton Rouge
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
West Virginia State University

An episode of A Different World, entitled "Goodwill Games" revolves around the premise of Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert competing in Hillman College's Campus All-Star Challenge tournament.

For their efforts, the representative schools are awarded grants
• The NCT Champion school is awarded $50,000
• Runner-Up takes $25,000
• Semifinalists take $15,000
• Quarterfinalists take $7,500
• Teams who make the first round of the playoffs take $5,000
• NCT qualifiers take $3,000
• An additional $1,000 grant is awarded to the schools of All-Star players, so designated as being the top individual scorers in each of the 8 divisions.
• The recipient of the Sportsperson Award earns their school an additional $1,000 grant

Past HCASC winners
1990 West Virginia State College
1991 Florida A&M University
1992 Norfolk State University
1993 Tuskegee University
1994 Tuskegee University
1995 Jackson State University
1996 Florida A&M University
1997 Alabama State University
1998 Florida A&M University
1999 Florida A&M University
2000 Clark Atlanta University
2001 Morehouse College
2002 Morehouse College
2003 Florida A&M University
2004 Morehouse College
2005 Florida A&M University
2006 Morehouse College
2007 Tennessee State University
2008 Oakwood University

For more information on the Honda Campus All Star Challenge, and, a list of the 64 participating HBCUs, please visit www.HCASC.com.