State Farm To Donate Computers

State Farm Insurance Companies will donate a total of 625 computers (25 a piece) to 25 historically black colleges and universities early next year to commemorate the Silver Anniversary of the Bayou Classic, sponsored by State Farm Insurance Companies.

The 1998 State Farm Bayou Classic, which features intrastate football rivals Southern University, Baton Rouge, LA, and Grambling (LA) State University, will take place on Saturday, Nov. 28 at noon CST in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.

The schools were selected from cities and regions that have a State Farm full service office. These offices, located in metropolitan areas, often include a State Farm agent, claim representatives, underwriters and a public affairs specialist. Other schools were chosen based on their ranking among the top 10 historically black colleges and universities as identified through BLACK EXCEL, an independent listing organization.

"Building relationships through the State Farm Bayou Classic makes good marketing sense," according to State Farm Bayou Classic Coordinator, Glenda M. Manson. "State Farm's sponsorships, computer donations and foundation contributions reinforce the fact that the company understands and cares about the African-American community and its insurance needs."

Recipient schools include Clark University, Morehouse College and Spellman College, all of Atlanta, GA; Hampton (VA) University; Tuskegee (AL) University; Florida A & M University, Tallahassee; North Carolina A&T University, Greensboro; Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, NC; Howard University, Washington, DC; Coppin State College and Morgan State College, both of Baltimore, MD; Medgar Evers College, Brooklyn, NY; Paul Quinn College, Dallas, TX; Huston-Tillotson College, Austin, TX; and Texas Southern, Houston; Central State University, Wilberforce, OH; Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland, OH; Lewis College of Business, Detroit, MI; Philander Smith College, Little Rock, AR; Fisk University and Tennessee State University, both of Nashville; Lemoyne-Owen University, Memphis, TN; Lincoln (PA) University; Harris-Stowe College, St. Louis, MO; and Xavier University, New Orleans, LA.