MCLEAN, Va., June 29, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) is supporting West Virginia University Institute of Technology's Camp STEM, held this week in Montgomery, W. Va., with a financial contribution of $10,000.
West Virginia Institute of Technology Camp STEM, a one-week, intensive summer camp, strives to stimulate interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) among West Virginia's high-school students.
"We need to do all we can to continue to build interest in STEM and encourage young people to pursue careers in these fields," said Linda A. Mills, president of the Civilian Agencies group of Northrop Grumman's Information Technology (IT) sector. "In 2006, West Virginia graduated 11,000 high-school students. Only 715 of those graduates selected fields of engineering, engineering technology or math as an intended college major. Clearly we are facing a national crisis for these skill sets, and programs like Camp STEM are a step in the right direction."
The overall goals of the Camp STEM program include encouraging West Virginia students to pursue one of these areas of study in college; to immerse students in a week-long college environment with faculty and professionals from these fields of study; to integrate real-world issues with theories in STEM; to provide select high school math and science teachers with the opportunity to shadow STEM professors during the camp; and to foster West Virginia's future workshop of scientists, technology professionals, engineers and mathematicians.
"Forward-leaning companies like Northrop Grumman recognize and support the potential of West Virginia's youth," said Jack Carpenter, vice president of Global Technology Services for the West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation. "Encouraging the best and the brightest to seek knowledge in STEM topics is a great way to ensure America's future."
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $30 billion global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.