Clark Atlanta MBA Students Win Big in Business Competition

Two MBA students from the Clark Atlanta University School of Business have been named winners of the 2015 Ford Motor Company’s Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) Community Challenge.

Bradley Gilbeaux and Damon Willis were named the winning team of Ford’s challenge for their development of a lawn irrigation system that can track weather patterns and soil moisture in order to only water when necessary. This conservation system, which can be used both residentially and commercially, can help save millions of gallons in water.

For their innovative and environmentally-friendly idea, the Clark Atlanta MBA students will take home the winning prize of $75,000 in scholarships, grants and implementation funds. The second-place team, from North Carolina A&T State University, will take home a prize of $15,000 for its plan to develop creative work spaces for teens in the Greensboro area to focus on innovation and entrepreneurship. In third place, Alabama A&M University students took home $10,000 for a project combining a community garden and vehicle distribution.

Now in its third year, Ford’s HBCU Challenge reflects the company’s commitment to supporting the African-American community, with a special focus on education. Nearly $9 million a year from Ford’s philanthropic division—the Ford Fund—is invested in educational initiatives. This year’s competition invited students to develop projects that creatively solve a community problem in one of four areas: mobility, sustainability, alternative energy and meeting community needs.

Each finalist team was awarded funds to implement its innovative ideas within the community. The teams were additionally provided with iPads for each student member, totaling more than $100,000 in scholarships and awards.

regions: Atlanta

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