ExxonMobil Encourages Engineering at the Grass Roots Level

ExxonMobil engineers are visiting seven Fairfax County Public Middle Schools to attract bright young women and men to the exciting world of engineering and the opportunities that are opening up everyday in science and technology.

As a participant in National Engineers Week, ExxonMobil hopes to raise greater awareness of engineering career opportunities available for everyone, especially young women. Designated “Introduction to Engineering Day,” these events highlight career paths in science, technology, engineering and mathematics with the goal of attracting young women and men to the engineering profession, while raising awareness of the impact such careers have on everyday life.

“We want to capture the imagination of these young students at a time when they are making important decisions about the future of their education,” said Charlie Maguire, Vice President, ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company. “More than 80 percent of tomorrow’s jobs will require skills in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) related disciplines, so we want to make sure that a fair share of girls and minorities are prepared to take part in these in-demand fields.”

ExxonMobil engineers will visit seven local middle schools, where more than 1,700 seventh graders will hear engineers talk about their experiences and participate in interactive demonstrations and experiments.

The school visitation schedule is:

• February 20: Liberty Middle School
• February 23: Key and Luther Jackson Middle Schools
• February 27: Herndon and Lanier Middle Schools
• March 2: Luther Jackson Middle School
• March 5: Hughes Middle School
• March 6: Hughes Middle School
• March 23: Holmes Middle School

Nationally, "Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day," now in its ninth year, mobilizes women engineers to actively reach out to an estimated one million girls throughout the year. Several ExxonMobil locations are participating, including Akron, Ohio; Baton Rouge, La.; Clinton, N.J.; Dallas, Texas; Houston, Texas; Fairfax, Va.; Paulsboro, N.J.; and Torrance, Calif.