Submissions for the HBCU Leadership Challenge have now closed.

Eligibility: The HBCU Future Leaders in Retail Challenge Contest ('Contest”) is open to residents of the 50 States and the District of Columbia, 18 or older at the time of entry, who are currently enrolled in a Historically Black College or University (‘HBCU”). Employees of Target, its affiliates, subsidiaries and their immediate families are not eligible to participate in the Contest. Void where prohibited by law.

Contest Period: Entries can be submitted beginning March 22, 2021 until 11:59 PM CST on April 2, 2021.

How to Enter: Following the detailed procedures identified on the HBCU Future Leaders in Retail Challenge website, Contest Participants (‘Participants”) have the opportunity to register to participate in this challenge beginning February 22, 2021 until March 22, 2021. The submission period will begin on March 22, 2021. Participants may choose to submit an entry to all three challenges: HBCU Future Leaders in Retail Challenge, HBCU Technology Challenge, and HBCU Design Challenge. Participants, however, are eligible to have only one entry become a Contest finalist/winner.

Judging Criteria: Entries submitted will be judged by Store Leaders and Recruiters. Leaders at Target are expected to model and exhibit Target’s Core Behaviors, and judges will be looking for the same in your presented solutions. The decisions of the judges are final. We will be looking for solutions that exhibit the following four behaviors:   

• Be Accountable: Individual/Team understood the problem and created a data-driven action plan to solve the issue. Individual/Team shows good understanding and consideration of current four priorities (i.e., Safety and Sales; Team; Guests; Operations Management). 
• Be Bold: Individual/Team acted fearlessly in their presentation, taking calculated risks to solve the challenge. Individual/Team considered the following: How do you communicate what you’re prioritizing and why? How are you executing strategies to achieve business goals? Do you understand how your strategies impact broader enterprise goals? 
• Be Curious: Individual/Team presented a creative, original solution that may challenge the status quo.
• Be One Team:  Individual/Team considered how to leverage partners (i.e., Human Resources Business Partners) to understand your team’s needs in order to motivate them and enable them to drive meaningful results. 

Prizes: 

First Place Prize Winner(s) - one individual or a team of up to 2: Total Value up to $3,780:

Note: If you choose to work in a team of two (2), the cash prize will be split evenly between the two team members.  All other listed prizes will be awarded individually.

• $2,000 Cash prize 
• MacBook ($1,500 value)   
• One-Year Master Class Subscription ($180 value)   
• Shipt Membership ($99 value)   
• And more! 

Second Place Prize Winner(s) - one individual or a team of up to 2 - Total Value up to $2,765:

Note: If you choose to work in a team of two (2), the cash prize will be split evenly between the two team members.  All other listed prizes will be awarded individually.

• $1,000  Cash prize 
• Apple iPad ($600 value)   
• One-Year Master Class Subscription ($180 value) 
• Shipt Membership ($99 value)
• And more!

Runners-Up - one individual or a team of up to 2 - Total Value up to $700: 

Note: If you choose to work in a team of two (2), the cash prize will be split evenly between the two team members.  All other listed prizes will be awarded individually. 

• $500 Target Gift Card 
• One-Year Master Class Subscription ($180) 
• Shipt Membership ($99 value) 

All Participants Receive:  

• An invitation to join an exclusive leadership development workshop led by Target leaders
• The opportunity to add the HBCU Future Leaders in Retail Challenge as a line item on their resume 

Winner Selection & Notification:

• Contest Finalists will be notified by email by approximately April 9, 2021. 
• Finalist presentations will take place on April 16, 2021. 
• First Place and Runner-up prize winners will be notified by email on approximately April 23, 2021. 
• Prizes will be awarded by approximately May 7, 2021. 

Acknowledgments: By participating in this Contest, Participants are confirming that you understand that submitted concepts may or may not be part of Target’s previous, current or future business endeavors. By uploading a submission you agree to give Target a royalty free, irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, license for incidental use of your submission in any form, media or technology now known or later developed, only for historical, promotional or marketing purposes.

Documents: All Finalists will be required to execute and return a Release/Wavier Agreement. In addition, Potential First and Second Place Winners will be required to execute and return a Conveyance of Intellectual Property Agreement. No prizes will be awarded unless both members of the team sign the appropriate release documents. Finalists are responsible for any prize taxes and will be issued an IRS form 1099 where required by law.