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The positive partnership between Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) and Alabama State University (ASU) continues to grow with the April 6 news conference held on the University's campus announcing that HMMA will be loaning one of the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell sport utility vehicles, the Hyundai NEXO, to ASU for an extended evaluation period.
The announcement was made by Robert Burns, Hyundai's vice president of Human Resources and Administration, who was joined by ASU's president, Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr. in front of the ASU Lockhart Gym. They were joined by news media reporters and an assembled group of socially distanced and masked Hyundai and ASU administrators, which included ASU Board of Trustee member's Judge Tiffany McCord and Delbert B. Madison; as well as HMMA's Yvette Gilkey-Shuford and Dr. Joyce Loyd-Davis, senior director of ASU's Health Services.
"This is truly a great time to be a Hornet as we celebrate the continuing partnership between Hyundai and Alabama State University," Ross said at the news conference. "Several weeks ago, Hyundai and ASU came together as the University hosted a COVID-19 vaccination clinic for the employees of Hyundai, and today we witness ASU partnering with Hyundai again as it loans us its high technology vehicle, the NEXO, which will allow us to expose our STEM students to this first-of-a-kind vehicle."
NOTE: The first of two COVID-19 vaccination clinics for Hyundai team members was hosted by ASU on its campus on March 26 and 27; with the vaccine's second doses being administered by ASU Health Center personnel on April 16 and 17 to Hyundai's team members.
HYUNDAI'S VP EXCITED ABOUT WORKING AGAIN WITH ASU
Hyundai's Vice President Burns officially handed off the NEXO's key to President Ross and Dr. Loyd-Davis, who kicked-off the car's evaluation period by taking delivery of one of the NEXOs on the ASU campus during the news conference.
“The groundbreaking spirit behind the NEXO mirrors our own mission to be an innovative manufacturer of current and future mobility solutions,” Burns said. "The partnership between ASU and Hyundai began a few week's ago with the COVID-19 vaccine clinic. The system ASU had in place was smooth, efficient and it worked well. Today, we extend that partnership with the evaluation of the Hyundai NEXO by the University. We are excited again to be working with Alabama State University," Burns added.
IT'S A GREAT TIME TO BE A HORNET
ASU Trustee, District Court Judge Tiffany McCord, thanked Hyundai for being a team partner with ASU and mentioned President Ross in her remarks. "This is yet another positive example of President Ross putting his vision of 'CommUniversity' into action, which is good for both Hyundai and ASU," McCord said.
She was joined at the news conference by fellow Board member, Trustee Delbert B. Madison. "Thanks to the Hyundai family which is a major contributor to our community. When Hyundai shows up, it shows out," Madison said.
ASU's Loyd-Davis, who will be joining President Ross in evaluating the Hyundai NEXO, said the vehicle loan by Hyundai is all a part of a continuing relationship between the two entities.
"Our partnership between ASU and Hyundai has been smooth and wonderful," Loyd-Davis said. "Today's event and our April COVID-19 vaccine's second-round injections to Hyundai's employees is a great example of ASU and Hyundai's relationship jelling and extending into the future."
This article is an official press release from Alabama State University and reprinted with permission.
By Kenneth Mullinax/Alabama State University