UDC Opens Innovation Lounge with $75,000 Home Depot Retool Your School Grant

Washington, D.C. — What began as a vision in February 2023 has now become a reality for the University of the District of Columbia. UDC partnered with the Athletic Department to submit a proposal for the Home Depot Retool Your School Grant, a program dedicated to providing Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with financial support for campus renovations. The completion and grand opening of the Lounge was celebrated on March 21st in the E.B Henderson Sports Complex. 

Since its inception in 2009, the Retool Your School initiative has invested over $12 million into HBCUs, offering needs-based grants to improve campus facilities. In the latest cycle, 67 schools applied, with institutions grouped into clusters based on student population. Awards were determined by online votes from students, faculty, and supporters, with the top ten schools in each cluster receiving grants. Additionally, 12 schools were awarded Innovation Lounge funding, aimed at enhancing academic and communal spaces on campus.

On April 12, 2024, at the annual awards celebration in Atlanta, Georgia, UDC was honored as one of 12 institutions to receive an Innovation Lounge Grant valued at $75,000. Over the summer and fall of 2024, meticulous planning, product selection, and renovations transformed the designated space into a cutting-edge academic support center for student-athletes.

This initiative reflects UDC's continued commitment to fostering academic success and student engagement. For UDC's student-athletes—many of whom commute daily—the Innovation Lounge provides a crucial space to study, rest between classes, and prepare for competitions. The new space ensures that they have the resources they need to excel both academically and athletically.