Hosted by American Airlines, the Nov. 5-8 coding competition in Charlotte will gather a large pool of HBCU students aspiring to become tech industry leaders
Columbia, SC, November 6, 2025 – 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, will convene 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 will 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 will provide 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 ENTERPRISE 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 will assemble 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. Other top winners from last year included teams from Philander Smith University in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Talladega College in Talladega, Alabama, who won second and third places, respectively. Receiving the judges’ highest technical score was Morgan State University in Baltimore, which is also the only HBCU to have participated in all nine past years of the Hackathon.
“American Airlines is proud to support the BE Smart Hackathon for the eighth consecutive year and HBCU students’ skill development through real-life problem-solving experiences,” said American’s Chief Digital and Information Officer Ganesh Jayaram. “We’ve seen tremendous success among students who participate in this annual event, including joining American’s IT organization among other renowned corporations. Each year, we look forward to connecting students to industry professionals and providing mentorship that will inspire them to reach their career aspirations.”
In addition to its longtime partnership with American Airlines, BLACK ENTERPRISE will be joined by the City of Charlotte, Fidelity Investments, McDonald’s, Manulife John Hancock, NASCAR, Nationwide, PepsiCo, Toyota and Verizon. This marks the largest Hackathon sponsor pool to date. Sponsors will present relevant and trending topics in the emerging technology field, while Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles will join the Hackathon to welcome students to the Queen City.
During the 24-hour Hackathon, sponsors will provide technical staff to mentor each team, which is tasked with developing technical solutions to solve real-world challenges. A panel of judges will evaluate each team’s application impact, technical complexity and user-friendliness, while also assessing teams on their pitch and presentation skills.
What truly sets this Hackathon apart is the tangible path it offers to career opportunities. BE Smart Hackathon participants are recruited annually for internships and full-time job opportunities at American Airlines and its technology partners, as well as for roles with BLACK ENTERPRISE’s Hackathon corporate partners.
For more information about this event, visit www.blackenterprise.com/hackathon/.
Media Contacts:
Ashlei Stevens + Kristin Graves
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Benedict College
Founded in 1870 by a woman, Bathsheba A. Benedict, Benedict College is a private co-educational liberal arts institution offering 29 competitive baccalaureate degree programs and two master’s degree programs. The Midlands HBCU welcomes students from several counties in South Carolina, states across America, and countries around the world. The College also has a diverse faculty deeply engaged in teaching, research, and service.
Benedict College has been highly regarded and exceptionally ranked for its programs by several academic and traditional publications. Benedict College is the recipient of the 2024 UNCF Institutional Excellence Award given by UNCF’s Institute for Capacity Building Program in celebration of an HBCU that achieved next-level performance. Benedict was also named HBCU of the Year by HBCU Digest and voted the number one Gold Winner in The States’ BEST College or University in 2025.
Benedict College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate and master’s degrees. Five of the College’s degree programs hold national accreditation: Social Work Program, Environmental Health Science Program, Environmental Engineering, Studio Art, and the Tyrone Adam Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship.
About BLACK ENTERPRISE
Founded in 1970, BLACK ENTERPRISE is a mission-centric media company that provides relevant information for success-minded people at every stage of their financial journey. Designed to highlight Black leadership and entrepreneurial journeys, BLACK ENTERPRISE reaches its audience through its events as well as its linear and digital channels. BLACK ENTERPRISE aims to be a fountain of knowledge on the how to achieve financial success. To learn more about the company, please visit blackenterprise.com and follow them on social media across Instagram, X, and Facebook.
About American Airlines Group
As a leading global airline, American Airlines offers thousands of flights per day to more than 350 destinations in more than 60 countries. The airline is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members serve more than 900 destinations around the globe. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL. Learn more about what’s happening at American by visiting news.aa.com and connect with American @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines. To Care for People on Life’s Journey®.