Lockheed Martin Donates $30,000 to MDWIT

(Multinational Development of Women in Technology)MDWIT is a global center of excellence promoting the advancement of women in technology through the development and dissemination of best practices, programs, research and policy. The new Lockheed Martin-funded system will provide a forum for this information, enabling all women in IT to gain broad visibility, specifically enriching access to and development of innovations, knowledge and research across the industry. The new system will consolidate existing systems under a framework that is easier to use, more collaborative and more interactive than the previous system. “A technological infrastructure that supports not only communication but also collaboration is critical to furthering our mission,” said Claudia Morell, CEO of MDWIT. “Thanks to the support of Lockheed Martin, we will soon be able to leverage the collective intelligence of women all over the globe to foster a more diverse, productive and innovative workforce.”

As MDWIT continues to expand globally, the new infrastructure will support the organization’s regional, national and international initiatives. The application will allow MDWIT to establish a repository of global knowledge to manage and share information. In addition, the system will provide personalized content and social media tools to facilitate two-way communication between MDWIT’s constituents, sponsors, members and partners. “As a corporation, we believe that furthering science, technology engineering and math education is crucial for future generations and we are proud to help MDWIT foster a diverse and talented technology workforce for the future,” said Monica McManus, Vice President of Engineering at Lockheed Martin IS&GS-Intelligence and a member of MDWIT's board of directors. “Current and aspiring women in technology around the world will use this new system to connect with mentors and experts, learn about new industry developments and access tools to help them further their careers and their businesses.” Baltimore, Md. based MDWIT will introduce the new system later this year.

The Multinational Development of Women in Technology (MDWIT) was founded as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in 2006 to accelerate growth in the global knowledge economy. By combining women's latent potential with innovative ideas enabled through technology, all women, their families and communities prosper. The vision is operationalized through the promotion of girls’ interests in STEM and women's entry into and advancement in the technology workforce. The organization's leadership consists of a Board of Trustees composed of business professionals, education leaders, and high-tech entrepreneurs with more than 15 years of experience in achieving these goals. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.
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Media Contacts:
Lockheed Martin
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Michael Friedman
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MDWIT
Jessice Trzyna
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