CareFirst and CIAA: Driving Community Impact Beyond Basketball
As the nation’s oldest historically Black athletic conference, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) brings more than just basketball to Baltimore. Since arriving in 2022, it has drawn thousands of alumni, students and fans while driving economic opportunity and deepening community engagement across the region.
In 2025 alone, the tournament generated over 1,300 jobs and $32 million in local economic impact. This momentum extended to scholarship support as well, with the City of Baltimore, State of Maryland, Visit Baltimore and corporate partners—guided by fundraising co-chairs Brian D. Pieninck, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) President and CEO and Janet Currie, Bank of America President for Greater Maryland—contributing $1.6 million to the CIAA General Scholarship Fund.
CareFirst has proudly supported the tournament each year since its Baltimore debut. In 2025, nearly 100 CareFirst Difference Makers volunteered their time and insights across the week’s events—from the Youth Sports & Cheer Clinic to the Financial Literacy Breakfast and Career Expo. CareFirst also hosted the Health & Mental Wellness Summit, providing space for open dialogue, accessible care and community connection.
These programs created meaningful opportunities to engage with leaders and organizations working to improve health, education and economic mobility in Baltimore.
At CareFirst, we understand that health and wellness go beyond clinical care. The CIAA Tournament and its surrounding events help advance holistic health—through access, education and opportunity—building lasting impact for students, families and the broader community.
The tournament returns to Baltimore in 2026, continuing a shared legacy of connection, collaboration and long-term investment in community health.
