BlackBerry Kicks Off Global Scholars Program with More Than500 Applicants Ei

Eight esteemed women, led by Alicia Keys, will selectup to ten recipients from over 500 applicants to receive full four-year tuition scholarships in STEM-related fields

Globally, women are vastly under-represented in technology fields.  To help attract more women to our industry and address this massive gender gap, BlackBerry® ischampioning thenext generation of women leaders in mobile computing as they advance their careers in this highly-competitive industry.

The BlackBerry® Scholars Program, announced in May by Alicia Keys, BlackBerry’s creative director, is a global four-year scholarship program for outstanding women entering their first year of undergraduate study at an accredited college or university. The Program is designed to help drive the number of women engaged in mobile computing and related science, technology, engineering and math fields.

We are pleased to announce that in this first year of the program, we received over 500 applicationsfrom women across 43 countries over the two month application period. From this group, up to ten talented and passionate young women will be chosen to receive full tuition scholarships.

A panel of inspirational and accomplished women leaders in this spacewill choose the scholarsbased on their academic merit and passion for entering the mobile computing industry. This panel, headed by Alicia Keys, includes:

·         Barbara Stymiest, Chairperson, BlackBerry (Canada)

·         Shinta W. Dhanuwardoyo, Founder, Bubu.com; Managing Partner, Nusantara Ventures (Indonesia)

·         DelphineErnotte-Cunci, Executive Director, Orange (France)

·         Linda D. Hallman, Executive Director and CEO, American Association of University Women (USA)

·         Sara Martinez-Tucker, President and CEO, National Math and Science Initiative (USA)

·         Belinda Parmar, Founder and CEO, Lady Geek (UK)

·         Maria Teresa Ruiz, Astronomer (Chile)

In addition to providing full, four-year course tuition, BlackBerry® will also offer mentorship and professional opportunities to each of the scholars. Selected scholars are expected to be announced on the 31^st July.

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