Pasadena CA – July 15, 2012 – National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals (NOGLSTP), today announced it has received $11,000 as part of the Innovation Generation grant program from the Motorola Solutions Foundation, the charitable arm of Motorola Solutions, Inc. Through the grant, NOGLSTP will be able to fund its “Out to Innovate” Scholarship and Mentoring Programs. The “Out to Innovate” Scholarships will provide one $5,000 undergraduate scholarship and one $5,000 graduate scholarship for LGBT or Ally STEM students active in the LGBT community and travel money to send the awardees to Out to Innovate™ Career Summit for LGBT People in STEM.
Since 2007, the Motorola Solutions Foundation program has provided $30 million in support of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education programs, supporting more than 300 school, museum and nonprofit programs across the United States. The Innovation Generation program awards funds to organizations such as NOGLSTP that foster and support STEM initiatives for teachers and U.S. preschool through university students – especially girls and underrepresented minorities.
“These scholarships are for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics programs who are either lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or an active ally of the LGBT community”, stated Rochelle Diamond, chair of the NOGLSTP Board of Directors. “They are designed to promote academic excellence and increased visibility of talented LGBT students in STEM careers. Our scholarship program has been in existence for two years and the applicants have been stellar, each one with high academic excellence, community involvement and a concentration on STEM education. It made the awards decision very difficult.”
In addition to the scholarships, the Innovation Generation Grant will provide funding to continue NOGLSTP’s e-mentoring partnership with MentorNet® to provide mentoring for LGBTQ students in STEM, as well as travel money to send students to NOGLSTP’s Out to Innovate™ Summit for LGBT people in STEM careers.
“Each year, I am truly amazed by the ground-breaking work our grant recipients like NOGLSTP accomplish through their Innovation Generation grants,” said Matt Blakely, director, Motorola Solutions Foundation. “These grantees are playing an active role in developing the future of STEM education for our country. As a company dedicated to helping people be their best in the moments that matter, Motorola Solutions could not be more honored to support programs such as NOGLSTP’s Out to Innovate Scholarship and Mentoring Programs.”
Innovation Generation is a part of Motorola Solutions’ larger commitment to engaging youth in STEM education. Beyond funding, NOGLSTP will receive ongoing support from Motorola Solutions employee volunteers, who will act as mentors, tutors and experts in STEM careers.
For additional information on the Motorola Solutions Foundation grants programs, visit: http://responsibility.motorolasolutions.com/index.php/solutions-for-community/ and for more information on NOGLSTP and it’s Out to Innovate™ program please visit www.noglstp.org and www.outtoinnovate.org.
About NOGLSTP
NOGLSTP was established in 1980, incorporated in the State of California in 1991, and was granted IRS 501 (c) 3 non-profit status in 1992. NOGLSTP’s mission is to empower lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by providing education, advocacy, professional development, networking, and peer support. Its goal is to educate all communities regarding scientific, technological, and medical concerns of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. NOGLSTP presents educational symposia and workshops nationwide. NOGLSTP fosters dialog with other professional societies, academia, and industry to facilitate diversity and inclusion in the workplace NOGLSTP is a non-profit educational organization under IRS section 501(c)(3), an affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a participating professional society in the MentorNet® Affiliated Partners Plus program, a sustaining member of the National Postdoctoral Association, an endorsing society of National Engineers Week , a founding member of the E-Week Diversity Council, and a partner with the Higher Education Recruitment Consortium.
About Motorola Solutions Foundation
The Motorola Solutions Foundation is the charitable and philanthropic arm of Motorola Solutions. With employees located around the globe, Motorola Solutions seeks to benefit the communities where it operates. The company achieves this by making strategic grants, forging strong community partnerships and fostering innovation. The Motorola Solutions Foundation focuses its funding on public safety, disaster relief, employee programs and education, especially science, technology, engineering and math programming. For more information on Motorola Solutions Corporate and Foundation giving, visit www.motorolasolutions.com/giving.