BET Networks announces the return of the popular and newly renamed BET COLLEGE TOUR, making 14-stops at historically black colleges and universities across the nation. BET COLLEGE TOUR, the largest and only tour of its kind, will bring campuses a fun-filled day of entertainment, games, concerts, product samples and consumer information. The free event, kicking off Friday, September 7 at Virginia State, is open only to current students enrolled at each campus stop. In addition to returning partners Interscope Records and US Air Force, this year marks the arrival of first-time sponsor Citi Trends.

“Over the past eleven years, the BET COLLEGE TOUR has been fortunate to partner and build relationships with amazing brands that understand and support our vision,” said Michelle Garner, vice president of consumer engagement for BET Networks. “BET Networks remains committed to stressing the importance of education and encouraging academic excellence. We are thrilled to continue taking this tour to campuses around the country year after year and reach college students by engaging them with impactful brands.”

For the third year in a row, WPGC 95.5 FM’s DJ Herkules returns as host of the BET COLLEGE TOUR. This year’s tour will include various contests, basketball competitions, games, music performances, product sampling and health information. Sponsored activities include the Citi Trends freestyle battle; free concerts that will feature popular and up-and-coming Interscope Records and Universal Def Jam artists; U.S. Air Force 2-on-2 basketball competition; BET voter registration and BET’s award-winning Rap It Up initiative will be on hand with local health officials to offer free HIV/AIDS testing to students.

2012 BET COLLEGE TOUR Schedule

Friday, September 7

Virginia State

Petersburg, VA

Wednesday, September 12

MD/Eastern-Shore

Princess Anne, MD

Friday, September 14

Norfolk State

Norfolk, VA

Wednesday, September 19

Alcorn State

Lorman, MS

Friday, September 21

Jackson State

Jackson, MS

Friday, September 28

Clark Atlanta

Atlanta, GA

Wednesday, October 3

Florida Memorial

Miami, FL

Friday, October 5

Bethune-Cookman

Daytona Beach, FL

Wednesday, October 10

Southern

Baton Rouge, LA

Friday, October 12

Alabama A&M

Huntsville, AL

Wednesday, October 17

Tuskegee

Tuskegee, AL

Friday, October 19

Grambling State

Grambling, LA

Wednesday, October 24

Tennessee State

Nashville, TN

Friday, November 2

Prairie View A&M

Prairie View, TX

For tour updates, exclusive footage and photos from each campus, please visit www.bet.com/collegetour. Join the BET COLLEGE TOUR conversation on social media by logging on to BET’s multiple social media platforms:

·         On Twitter by using hashtag #BETCollegeTour and following us @BETCollegeTour.

·         On Google plus at bet.us/gplusBET

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

# # #

Follow us on Twitter: @BET_PR