Boeing

The Boeing Company reinforced its support of education by announcing $300,000 in funding for the Institute of Technology at the University of Washington, Tacoma to advance the growth of the technology sector.

Beginning this year, the Boeing grant will provide $100,000 per year over the next three years to improve the Institute of Technology's ability to support students with scholarships and enhance the curriculum.

The Institute will use the funds to enhance scholarship programs that provide access to Washington residents with an emphasis on populations currently under-represented in technology fields. In addition, the funds will help recruit faculty and enhance the Institute's curriculum in ways that will ensure its graduates are prepared to meet the emerging needs of the high-tech industry.

Alan Mulally, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said Boeing is targeting its existing contribution money in the areas where it can have the greatest impact on Washington citizens' future, and where there are significant needs.

"This grant reflects our commitment to education and the communities in which we live and work," Mulally said. "The Institute is an excellent example of a university initiative that truly is looking to the future, and we are delighted to join their efforts."

The Boeing Company gives more than $30 million annually in the Puget Sound region to support education, health and human services, culture and the arts, and civic and environmental efforts. Last year, Boeing gave approximately $2.5 million in cash and in-kind support towards higher education in Washington state.

The Institute of Technology at UW Tacoma was proposed by Gov. Gary Locke, championed by Congressman Norm Dicks, and established by the Washington state Legislature in June 2001.