BlackBerry Launches Global Women’s Initiative

Source: BlackBerry Press - Press Releases - May 14, 2013 

BlackBerry Launches Global Women’s Initiative 

Global Creative Director, Alicia Keys, Inaugurates BlackBerry Scholars Program – a multi-level strategy to engage young women across the globe in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)

Orlando, FL and Waterloo, ON – May, 14, 2013 – Today, BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) Global Creative Director, Alicia Keys, launched the new BlackBerry Scholars Program, the first step in its global women’s initiative designed to inspire more women to enter and develop careers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The program was unveiled at BlackBerry Live in Orlando, Florida.

The BlackBerry Scholars Program will provide full, four-year tuition scholarships to outstanding women who are seeking degrees at accredited colleges and universities in the areas of STEM with a particular interest or aptitude in the area of mobile computing.  This scholarship program is the first step in BlackBerry’s long-term commitment and multi-tiered strategy to engage young women at every step of their education from high school to college, and as they rise through the workforce.

While significantly more women enroll and graduate college than men, only 25% of U.S. IT jobs are held by women, and 56% of these women eventually leave the field of technology for other careers. As more than 55% of BlackBerry customers are women, BlackBerry aims to champion this generation of female leaders as they strive to achieve their ambitions in this highly-competitive industry.

“Women are underrepresented in fields of science and technology, and we feel strongly that it’s time to drive a change,” said BlackBerry Global Creative Director, Alicia Keys. “It’s important to connect the dots for young women in high school and college, and show them that careers in science and technology are within their reach. And when women do land these jobs, it’s vital they receive the mentoring and support they need to advance in their careers. I’m proud BlackBerry is demonstrating leadership in women’s education, both in school and in the workplace, and giving back to its most loyal users in such a profound way.”

In addition to providing full, four-year course tuition, BlackBerry will also offer mentorship and professional opportunities for each of the scholars. The scholars will be selected based on their academic merit and passion for entering the mobile computing industry. A panel of inspirational and accomplished women, led by Alicia Keys, will choose the applicants from the pool of nominations submitted before the deadline of 5pm EDT on June 26, 2013. 

For more information about the program, eligibility requirements, and how to apply, please visit www.blackberry.com/scholars .

About BlackBerry

A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com .