HBCU Alums Laz Alonso and Keshia Knight Pulliam Join Home Depot to Retool HBCU’s!

HBCU Alums Laz Alonso and Keshia Knight Pulliam Judge Home Depot’s Retool Your School Contest for HBCU’s!

I am a proud HBCU student and I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything in the world. It’s always great to see fellow HBCU alums paying it forward especially with major corporations like Home Depot behind the cause.  HBCU graduates Laz Alonso (Howard University) and Keshia Knight Pulliam (Spelman College) were judges at the Home Depot Retool Your School event. Voting for the Retool Your School program kicked off on my birthday, February 18th.

The Home Depot’s goal is to connect with the community by awarding grants for projects that will have a lasting impact. Last year, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania received the Tier I Grant of $50,000, to restore the exterior and entryway of Lincoln Hall, one of the most historic buildings of the University. The first-ever Campus Pride Grant of $25,000 was awarded to Alabama A&M University. In 2011, grand prize winner Bethune Cookman University, located in Daytona Beach, FL, received $50,000 to install automated access doors and a wheelchair ramp in its Student Center to accommodate students, faculty and staff members with disabilities. Past Retool Your School proposals and projects have included recommendations for eco-friendly and sustainability upgrades. Home Depot started this initiative to give back to Historically Black Colleges and Universities by donating sizable grants. The grants will be used towards improvements for the schools.

The 2013 Retool Your School Grants totaled $195,000 to be awarded as one $50,000 Tier I Grant, one $25,000 Campus Pride Grant for the school that received the most votes and social media activity, and 12 $10,000 Tier II Grants. Schools were required to submit a brief description of their projects by Feb. 11, 2013, for consideration.

“The Home Depot is thrilled to once again offer the Retool Your School Campus Improvement Grant available to HBCU’s,” said Melissa Brown, manager of multicultural marketing, The Home Depot. “Now in its fourth year, we’ve seen incredible growth of support and popularity of the program. It is such a rewarding program connecting with our communities and it takes school spirit to a whole new level.”

This year, 75 HBCUs competed. The grand prize winner was Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama winning $50,000 while the $25,000 Camus Pride Grant winner was Knoxville College of  Knoxville, TN!  Other schools receiving grants of $10,000 included: Tuskegee University, Wilberforce University, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Barber-Scotia College and Bennett College were among the 12 colleges receiving $10,000 grants. To see the full list and learn more about this amazing initiative of Home Depot visit  www.retoolyourschool.com. Congratulations to all the schools and thank you Home Depot for helping retool HBCU’s!

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