Harris Corporation Recognized for Educational Partnerships that Help Create Florida's Tech-Savvy Workforce of the Future

Top Quote Programs Enable Students to Discover the Possibilities in Pursuing Technology Careers End Quote
  • (1888PressRelease) July 28, 2010 - MELBOURNE, Florida, July 27, 2010 — Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS), an international communications and information technology company, has received two awards from STEMflorida for its commitment to educational programs that help to produce a state workforce proficient in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The company received a 2010 Barrier Buster Award and a Business-Education Partnership Award during the STEM Business and Education Conference held July 25-27 in Orlando.

    Harris received a Barrier Buster Award for several programs focused on creating readily accessible and visible role models that encourage students to pursue engineering careers. One of these is the company's K-12 Outreach program, where Harris engineers go into classrooms with a targeted activity designed to ignite a spark of excitement in students to go into a STEM field.

    Harris also provides a volunteer to help organize Society of Women Engineer (SWE) events. These include the WOW! engineering workshop, held annually for girls in grades 7-10, and the Introducing Girls to Engineering Workshop, held annually for girls in grades 3-6. Harris also provides role models for students participating in the FIRST Robotics programs.

    Harris was one of just four organizations to receive the Barrier Buster award. The others are Microsoft, Lockheed Martin and the Pinellas Education Foundation.

    Harris also received a Business-Education Partnership Award for its longstanding work with the Brevard County public school system and with state universities to create excellent schools that will attract the best employees. Other award recipients in this category include Adobe, Gulf Power, Lockheed Martin and Progress Energy.

    Specific Harris programs reflected in this award include K-12 Outreach, where employees work directly with individual schools; the Harris Employees Reaching Out, or HERO, program that collects depreciated equipment and supplies to donate to schools; and sponsorship of teacher training, science fairs and robotics competitions. Harris employees have volunteered more than 16,000 hours in Brevard Public Schools, primarily in STEM education.

    Harris also supported creation of the Bayside High School Engineering and Technology Academy (BETA) and the Palm Bay High School Program for Independent Research, Advanced Technology, Engineering, and Science (PIRATES) Academy. Both schools offer coordinated, rich and rigorous curriculums that prepare students for college and technical careers.

    In addition, Harris has a long history of supporting postsecondary education throughout the U.S. with significant donations of time and money. In Florida, Harris is a large supporter of the University of Central Florida, Florida Institute of Technology, the University of Florida, Florida State University and the University of South Florida.

    The STEMflorida awards are based on information gathered during five business-roundtable meetings held earlier this year. During the meetings, more than 400 participants from Florida's STEM employers identified the most pressing outcomes for programs designed to enhance STEM proficiency.

    "Educational programs that encourage STEM careers are essential to keeping the U.S. workforce and the state of Florida competitive," said Jeff Shuman, Harris senior vice president, Human Resources and Corporate Relations. "We are honored to be recognized by STEMflorida for our initiatives in this area."

    For more information about the awards, please visit www.stemflorida.net.

    About Harris Corporation
    Harris is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets in more than 150 countries. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has approximately $5 billion of annual revenue and more than 15,000 employees — including nearly 7,000 engineers and scientists. Harris is dedicated to developing best-in-class assured communications® products, systems, and services. Additional information about Harris Corporation is available at www.harris.com.

    Contact Information:

    Jim Burke
    Harris Corporation
    jim.burke ( @ ) harris dot com
    321-727-9131

    Cindy Kane
    Harris Corporate Relations
    ckane01 ( @ ) harris dot com
    321-724-3018

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