The first Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) hosted on the West Coast will feature five of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s (TMCF) member schools on Saturday, Feb. 1 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Southern University and A&M College and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff are the TMCF member schools out of the field of six chosen to compete.
In April 2024, Honda announced it was continuing its longstanding partnership with TMCF through a $500,000 grant that will be dedicated to awarding scholarships to students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) participating in band programs.
Honda also has partnered with TMCF to provide annual scholarship funding to support HBCU students pursuing an education in engineering, supply chain management and manufacturing-related fields.
“Honda’s exceptional commitment empowers HBCU students and generations to come for academic achievement and economic mobility,” Dr. Harry L. Williams, president & CEO of TMCF, said. “We’re grateful for their support of our students and the institutions they attend.”
Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr., president of Alabama State University, is excited for the Mighty Marching Hornets to participate in the 2025 HBOB. Alabama State hosted the 2023 event on its campus in Montgomery.
“This electric experience captures the energy and excitement of HBCU marching bands,” Dr. Ross said. “We’re proud to participate again and I can’t wait to attend.”
This year’s event will also feature celebrity host Nick Cannon and a performance by Grammy-nominated artist GloRilla. Prior to the Battle of the Bands, students can attend the Black College Expo featuring more than 200 colleges and universities, on-the-spot college interviews and acceptances and more than $10 million available in scholarships.
Visit hondabattleofthebands.com for tickets and more information.
For 35 years, Honda has supported the success and dreams of HBCU students. Through its Drive the Legacy initiative — which includes Honda Battle of the Bands, the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge, and other HBCU-related activities — Honda has provided over $14 million in grants to HBCUs and impacted the lives of more than 300,000 students over the past three decades.
