BOSTON, MA, May 9, 2022 – Zipcar, the world’s leading car-sharing network, today announced that Peer to Peer, a student organization from the University of Maryland, College Park, has won Zipcar’s Students with Drive Grand Prize. Peer to Peer partners with the International Rescue Committee to provide after-school programming for refugee youth in the greater Washington D.C. area and will now be able to drive their mission further by accessing Zipcars to drive to refugee families when needed. As the Grand Prize winner, Peer to Peer won a $5,000 grant to support the organization, $2,000 in Zipcar membership and driving credit and a $5,000 grant awarded to the University of Maryland. 

For more than twenty years, Zipcar has been a critical component of campus transportation and sustainability initiatives, providing students, faculty, and staff, access to Zipcars to pursue off-campus activities, enriching the student life experience and supporting a university’s impact on the community. Since Students with Drive first launched in 2011, Zipcar has given more than one million dollars in funding to empower more than 400 student groups across the country. 

Students with Drive Enables Sustainable Transportation and Greater Impact for The University of Maryland 

Sara Dawood, Treasurer, and Lani Tran, Vice President of Peer to Peer stated: "Receiving this grant is not only a validation of the work we do, but a reminder of the generosity of those who support our mission to serve refugee youth. We are excited to deepen our impact and widen our reach: enabling accessibility for both students and tutors, enriching the youth’s experiences as we travel together, and expanding our organization to more local schools are a few examples of what lies on the horizon for us—-the possibilities bolstered by Zipcar and by those who believe in us. Thank you for the support and opportunity to drive change." 

“Zipcar received inspirational entries from student organizations across the country who need access to sustainable transportation to drive their mission further. It was difficult to narrow down the winners, and we are thrilled to award the Grand Prize to Peer to Peer from the University of Maryland, College Park,” said Kate Smith, head of Head of Business to Business and Partnerships. “We know Gen Z is passionate about fueling social and environmental change and seeing the support our Students with Drive winners provide communities today, we know they will continue to be influential voices for equitable and sustainable communities of tomorrow.” 

About the 2023 Students with Drive Winners 

In addition to Peer to Peer, Zipcar awarded grants to organizations across the country. 

Second Place: $3,000 Scholarship, $3,000 Grant to Student Organization, $1,000 Zipcar Credit

• Zahanat, University of California, Berkley: an all-male competitive Bollywood-fusion dance team that spreads appreciation for the Indian performing arts across the San Francisco Bay area and promotes self-confidence through dance;

Third Place: $2,000 Scholarship, $2,000 Grant to Student Organization, $1,000 Zipcar Credit

• Harvard Outing Club, Harvard College: aims to spread a love for the outdoors; 

Fourth Places: $500 Scholarship, $500 Grant to Student Organization, $300 Zipcar Credit

• Kids with Dreams, Stanford University: strives to provide a social outlet for kids and young adults with disabilities in the local community and to increase inclusion of disabled people more broadly by bringing disabled and non-disabled people together for events on campus;

• Wired for Empathy, UCLA: aims to connect underserved elderly homes with UCLA students who are willing to speak about their passions and expertise in the greater Los Angeles region; and,

• Surfrider Foundation, University of San Diego: dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves and beaches, for all people, through a powerful activist network).

An Affordable, Sustainable Transportation Solution on Campuses Nationwide  

Since 2001, Zipcar has been a critical component for creating a sustainable transportation network on college and university campuses nationwide, giving students an easy way to get around without bringing a personal car to school. Fewer personal vehicles on campus reduces traffic, congestion, and CO2 emissions and frees up valuable space on campus that could be used to enhance the campus experience including for classroom buildings, science labs and athletic fields. More than 30 percent of college Zipcar members leave their car at home after joining the service, and another 40 percent are less likely to buy a car because of their Zipcar membership, according to an academic survey conducted by Zipcar and UC Berkeley1. Today, Zipcar enables hundreds of campus communities to drive on-demand with gas, insurance, parking, and up to 180-miles a day included in the cost of a reservation. To learn more, visit www.zipcar.com/universities.