- Posted in All University
- Category: Campus News
The Home Depot® , the world’s largest home improvement retailer, today announced the 2012 winners of its popular RETOOL YOUR SCHOOL Campus Improvement Grant Program. Now in its third year, this initiative was designed to specifically reinvigorate Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This year’s program included the addition of two new awards. As school spirit has motivated the online voting component of the competition for the past two years, the 2012 program included a new Campus Pride Grant for the school that received the most online votes, as well as an additional Tier II Grant. More than 60 HBCUs competed for grants totaling $185,000 for sustainable on-campus improvements. Lincoln University of Pennsylvania will receive the Grand Prize, a $50,000 Tier I Grant to restore the exterior and entryway of Lincoln Hall, one of the most historic buildings of the University. Alabama A&M garnered top honors as this year’s first-ever Campus Pride Grant winner and will receive $25,000 for the Huntsville-based HBCU. The Tier II Grant winners include: Cheyney University, Cheyney, Pennsylvania; Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Missouri; Knoxville College, Knoxville, Tennessee; Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee; Howard University, Washington, DC; Gadsden State Community College, Gadsden, Alabama; Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama; Texas College, Tyler, Texas; Benedict College, Columbia, South Carolina; Denmark Technical College, Denmark, South Carolina; and Miles College, Fairfield, Alabama.
The Home Depot is proud of its Retool Your School grant program, now entering its third year. The Home Depot is excited by the success and growth of this dynamic initiative. To date, 22 schools have received $300,000 in grants from the company, with the goal of issuing grants for projects that have a lasting impact. This unique competition extends to alumni, family and friends, as well as students to vote for their favorite HBCU. It rallies the community together to make a sustainable difference.
“The RETOOL YOUR SCHOOL program continues to grow each year. Receiving more than 1.75 million votes this year, the HBCU community really galvanized their students, alumni and social networks to encourage their supporters to vote,” states Melissa Brown, manager, Multicultural Marketing, The Home Depot. As the competition continues to gain momentum, schools have really worked hard to submit proposals for projects that can be done within the budget parameters, while also enhancing their campuses for generations to come. The Home Depot congratulates Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Alabama A&M and the 11 Tier II winners.
Participating schools also took it upon themselves to get the word out about their quest for a RETOOL YOUR SCHOOL grant by utilizing e-blasts, Facebook, Twitter, school websites, campus newspapers and radio, to drive voters to the website.
The 2012 RETOOL YOUR SCHOOL winners were chosen by a combination of public, online voting and review by a distinguished panel of judges, which this year included: Laz Alonzo, actor; Dr. Lezli Baskerville, President, National Association for Equal Opportunity In Higher Education and, Monica Newman McCluney, Director, Corporate Alliances, United Negro College Fund, both returning judges for the third straight year; Justin Durant, NFL Player for the Detroit Lions; and, Gregory Moore, Esq., Commissioner, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).
“This was the most inspiring contest for me as a judge,” said Justin Durant, NFL Player for the Detroit Lions. “As an HBCU alumnus, I was so impressed with the institutions and how passionate and committed the teams were to this project. The designs and plans submitted to restore, renovate or make their learning environments more comfortable and attractive were not just for the faculty and student body, but for the entire community. The RETOOL YOUR SCHOOL experience is not just an investment in the school, it is an investment in a tradition.”
Third-year RETOOL YOUR SCHOOL Judge Dr. Lezli Baskerville comments, “I was delighted that the numbers went up and that our members are learning about the program, the benefits, both in terms of infrastructure and to their greening and sustainability programs. That was greatly appreciated.”
Also, nationally syndicated radio personalities, including Tom Joyner, helped spread the word, further showing their support for The Home Depot and the HBCU community by utilizing their airwaves to help make the public aware of this initiative. On February 14, Melissa Brown, The Home Depot Multicultural Marketing Manager, appeared on The Tom Joyner Morning Show to announce the beginning of the online voting period.
The RETOOL YOUR SCHOOL Campus Improvement Grant Program supports the growing sustainability movement by providing special consideration to eco-friendly project proposals. With the goal of issuing grants for projects that have a lasting impact, this year’s winning projects include installation of eco-friendly turf, repairing an athletic field and improving landscaping.
Online voting for the 2012 program took place from February 14 — April 10, 2012. This year, the RETOOL YOUR SCHOOL program received an outpouring of support from HBCU alumni, family, friends and the community, who all joined together to show their school pride and spirit as they voted for their favorite HBCUs and projects to make an impact for generations to come.