ComEd Celebrates Women's History Month with Focus on STEM Careers

CHICAGO, March 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of Women's History Month, ComEd is demonstrating its commitment to cultivating the female leaders of tomorrow. Through partnerships with the Adler Planetarium, Chicago Public Schools' Student Science Fair, Inc., Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, Illinois Math and Science Academy, and Rowe-Clark Math and Science Academy, ComEd is encouraging women ages 13-19 to explore career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Through a new online advertising campaign, ComEd is urging young women to "discover the power of a career in the sciences." The ads link to websites of ComEd partner organizations that promote science and math education, like the Adler Planetarium and the Chicago Public Schools Science Fair. The ad campaign launched March 11.

"During the teen years, many girls are starting to think very seriously about what they want to be when they grow up, but many don't even consider STEM-related careers," said Anne Pramaggiore, ComEd president and CEO. "We want to inspire the next generation of women leaders and show them that their options are broader than they might have realized."

On March 7, ComEd commemorated Women's History Month with "Learning Today. Leading Tomorrow," a panel discussion with female leaders in healthcare, technology and engineering. The panel featured Amy Francetic, executive director, Clean Energy Trust; Karen E. Kim, MD, MS, professor of medicine and director of the Office of Community Engagement and Cancer Disparities at the University of Chicago; and Deborah M. Sawyer, president and CEO, Environmental Design International, Inc.

Jobs in STEM fields have been steadily increasing since 2008, and are projected to continue to rise by 17 percent by 2018, nearly double the growth of all other fields. Panelists discussed the need to meet this demand head-on with a new generation of well-equipped and well-educated young women.

"I've witnessed firsthand the impact of good education, mentoring and encouragement – young lives are transformed as a result of it," said Sawyer, former president of the school's board of directors. "As STEM professionals, we all have a responsibility to do anything we can to cultivate the next generation of talent and ensure that young women are well-represented in our field."

For more information on Women's History Month all month long, follow ComEd on Facebook and Twitter.

Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation's leading competitive energy provider, with approximately 6.6 million customers. ComEd provides service to approximately 3.8 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's population.

SOURCE ComEd

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