Strategic Snapshot Filter

Ford Motor Company is committed to helping all students become adept problem solvers and critical thinkers armed with strong teamwork and communications skills, particularly in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Recognizing that many high schools, in their current form, are not preparing students with the critical 21st century skills necessary to compete in a global knowledge economy and the reality of an ever-changing workplace, Ford has taken up the effort to improve high school instruction.

In 1998, the Genzyme Corporation, a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, took its theory of corporate philanthropy to the next level. Realizing that many of the company’s employees were already volunteering their own time and money to a variety of organizations and schools throughout the state, the senior management at Genzyme built a Community Relations department to leverage existing corporate and employee giving, volunteerism and advocacy efforts.

Intel believes that it is critical for the U.S. to maintain its lead in technical innovation, built on excellence in math and science. Innovation drives our standard of living and keeps the U.S. competitive. As Chairman of the Board of Intel, Dr. Craig Barrett has been personally committed to ensuring that the U.S. bolster the innovation pipeline by attracting more students, including women and underrepresented minorities, to pursue science, math, and engineering in school and in their careers.

Microsoft launched Partners in Learning (PIL) in 2003 to partner with government and education leaders at the national, state and local levels to deliver a portfolio of curricula, tools and resources designed to advance 21st-century teaching, learning and digital inclusion. Recognizing that a country’s ability to compete in the global economy rests on its most important resource — an educated and skilled workforce—Microsoft’s decision to launch PIL was born from a desire to demonstrate good corporate citizenship while staying true to Microsoft’s core competencies as a technology company.

Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is a national partnership program that brings together local schools, higher education institutions and the private sector to promote pre-engineering education in middle and high school. PLTW provides pre-engineering courses for students in participating schools in hopes of yielding a bigger, better-trained and technology-savvy employee pipeline.

Texas Instruments (TI), a global semiconductor company and designer and supplier of digital signal processing and analog technologies, has a long and successful track record of strategic corporate philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy in the area of public education. TI recognizes the need to prepare students for careers that require proficiency and competency in math and science skills to ensure a workforce that can continue to move technological research and development forward in the U.S.