For the fourth year in a row, Benedict College scholars joined the largest HBCU student gathering in its history, the 10th Annual BLACK ENTERPRISE BE Smart Hackathon, presented by American Airlines, convened 310 students from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) for a coding competition and tech job recruitment Nov. 5-8, 2025, in Charlotte.
Themed “Built Brilliant. Built Different: 10 Years of Elevating Excellence,” the Hackathon set the stage for a unique coding competition that fosters innovation, collaboration, empowerment, and engagement with the latest cutting-edge technology. The four-day event provided a platform for computer engineering, computer science, and cybersecurity majors from dozens of HBCUs to showcase their skills in front of the competition’s largest sponsor pool to date, aiming to recruit them for tech internships and jobs.
“As the technology industry continues to evolve, the demand for skilled professionals is higher than ever, and BLACK ENTERPRISE recognizes
the importance of nurturing the talent that already exists within HBCUs,” said BLACK ENTER-PRISE CEO Earl “Butch” Graves Jr. “Our event, in partnership with American Airlines and other leading corporations, is a testament to our steadfast commitment to promoting diversity within the tech industry. As artificial intelligence (AI) is now a part of everyday life, we are proving that HBCU students are the original AI: Authentically Intelligent.”
The 10th Annual BE Smart Hackathon assembled 62 teams from 43 schools, including Charlotte’s own Johnson C. Smith University, as well as returning teams from Benedict College (4th year), Claflin University, Grambling State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Alabama State University, Howard University, Dillard University, and Shaw University.
The 2024 winning team was Protégé, comprised of Spelman College seniors, and the all-women’s college will return this year to defend its title. Protégé received 100,000 AAdvantage® miles from American Airlines, a MacBook Air, and a DJI Mini 4 Pro drone.
