CHICAGO — On Tuesday, May 25, the Motorola Solutions Foundation (NYSE: MSI) and Boeing (NYSE: BA) will jointly host the annual Chicago STEM Signing Day event for the fourth year in a row.
This special event celebrates students from across the Chicagoland area as they make commitments to attend some of the country’s top technical schools, colleges and universities. These students will apply their talents in pursuit of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers in fields such as software development, engineering, aviation and user experience design, putting themselves on the fast track for success.
Fifty Chicagoland area students will be honored, signing STEM letters of intent in advance of the event which will be hosted virtually. These students, who are currently underrepresented in STEM fields, were selected to participate after applying through the Chicago STEM Pathways Cooperative, a Project Exploration initiative aimed at addressing inequities in the STEM learning landscape from early childhood to career. The virtual celebration will include keynote speaker and Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot; Sharon Hong, Motorola Solutions vice president of Safety Reimagined, Service Offer Management and Worldwide Education; and Candice Smith, Boeing engineering director.
“On behalf of an immensely proud city, I want to extend a heartfelt congratulations to each of these talented, Chicagoland students on their hard-earned accomplishments,” said Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “Their success not only marks the beginning of their careers in STEM, but it also serves as a huge step forward in our mission to build a better, stronger, and brighter future for our city by ensuring that our tech, science and engineering sectors have diverse talent. I am grateful for the Motorola Solutions Foundation and Boeing’s partnership with our My CHI. My Future. anchor, Project Exploration, and thank them all for celebrating and empowering our young people.”
The Motorola Solutions Foundation has proudly participated in Chicago’s STEM Signing Day since its inception in 2018, supporting more than 175 students with over $150,000 in scholarships. This year, the Foundation will award each student with a $1,000 educational scholarship.
“Today’s event is a celebration of these students’ incredible accomplishments as the next generation of top tech talent in our community,” said Karem Perez, executive director of the Foundation. “The Motorola Solutions Foundation is honored to play a small role in their future success, and we look forward to seeing all they accomplish in the years to come.”
Boeing supports STEM Signing Day events across the United States and will aid more than 600 students in 2021 through participation in events similar to this. Since the inaugural STEM Signing Day in South Carolina in 2017, nearly 2,000 STEM students have been recognized. This year, all STEM Signing Day students are being offered exclusive access to a mentorship program that will match them with a Boeing employee currently working in a STEM field.
“We are thrilled for these students as they start the next chapter of their educational journey and are proud to help them reach their STEM goals,” said Bernice Billups, Boeing Global Engagement director, Chicago-Midwest region. “Committing to the STEM field will enable you to do amazing things in your future, and all of us at Boeing are here to support you.”
About the Motorola Solutions Foundation
As the charitable and philanthropic arm of Motorola Solutions, the Motorola Solutions Foundation partners with organizations around the globe to create safer cities and equitable, thriving communities. We focus on giving back through strategic grants, employee volunteerism and other community investment initiatives. Our strategic grants program supports organizations that offer first responder programming and technology and engineering education, and align to our values of accountability, innovation, impact, diversity and inclusion. The Foundation is one of the many ways in which the company lives out its purpose of helping people be their best in the moments that matter. For more information on Motorola Solutions corporate and foundation giving, visit our website: www.motorolasolutions.com/foundation.
About The Boeing Company
As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future and living the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity. Learn more at www.boeing.com.
About Project Exploration
Since 1999, Project Exploration (PE) has worked to change the face of science. With equity at our core, we serve youth from communities historically underrepresented in the STEM fields and recruit students who are curious and interested in STEM but may face challenges accessing high-quality programs, such as academic prerequisites or program fees. Project Exploration makes STEM education accessible through:
- Our out-of-school time Youth-Science Pathway (YSP) programs empower and mentor underrepresented minority youth.
- Our Community-building strategies for schools, students, and families through leadership in the Chicago STEM Pathways Cooperative (STEM Co-op).
The Chicago STEM Pathways Cooperative is a collective impact strategy, engaging stakeholders in Chicago’s STEM ecosystem who work together to address inequities in the STEM learning continuum, especially in underrepresented communities. A STEM Co-op initiative is STEM Signing Day.
Contacts
Sarah Packard
Motorola Solutions
Phone: +1 312-599-1929
sarah.packard@motorolasolutions.com
Rachel Ayres
Boeing Communications
Phone: +1 872-202-3019
rachel.ayres@boeing.com
Kelli Beyer Patel
Project Exploration
Phone: 815.236.0246
kpatel@projectexploration.org