7.22.2008 - 02:54pm ET

(CSRwire) WASHINGTON, July 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF), a national organization of Fortune 500 CEOs, prominent college and university presidents, and foundation leaders working to advance innovative solutions to U.S. education challenges, has received a $910,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support BHEF's initiatives. BHEF is dedicated to ensuring that all students graduate from high school ready and able to succeed in college and work, particularly in the critical fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and have full access to higher education.

"By leveraging the combined strengths of business and higher education, BHEF is uniquely positioned to lead this effort to build a network of leaders who recognize that, in the 21st century, all students must be college and work-ready and to advocate for the adoption of practical policies to help realize this vision," said David Skorton, BHEF Chair and President of Cornell University.

The grant will support BHEF's ongoing efforts to build a national network of corporate and philanthropic leaders focused on college readiness, access, and success, particularly in STEM, through convenings and advocacy. It will also augment BHEF's existing work with regional and state business and higher education leaders to incubate and test innovative educational approaches; advance development of BHEF’s Web-based knowledge management system to disseminate research and best practices; and help to refine and build out a systems dynamics model that will enable policy makers to analyze the effect of various policy options on the STEM education system.

"BHEF and its members look forward to continuing to build a cadre of leaders who are networked to influence their peers and the public, and to equip them with the information and tools they need to lead educational change," said Brian K. Fitzgerald, BHEF Executive Director.

Activities supported by the grant will build on work underway in BHEF's two major initiatives. The Securing America's Leadership in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Initiative, www.bhef.com/solutions/stem.asp, seeks to double the number of college graduates in STEM disciplines by 2015 through research, programmatic, and advocacy efforts. BHEF's College Readiness Initiative (CRI), www.bhef.com/solutions/CRI.asp, promotes college readiness, access, and success for underserved populations, particularly in science and math, harnessing the influence and resources of BHEF and its membership to address education issues spanning the pre-grade school to graduate school pipeline.

"If we are to ensure more young people earn high-value postsecondary STEM degrees, STEM education in the U.S. needs new champions. Because the corporate and higher education sectors have a considerable stake in the future of STEM, they are especially well-positioned to lead in this area," said Steve Seleznow, program director of Education at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “By strengthening these interdependent relationships, BHEF can significantly advance its STEM and college-readiness initiatives and build a network that drives education innovation nationwide."

About the Business-Higher Education Forum

BHEF brings together an extraordinary coalition of corporate, academic, and foundation members to influence public policy and inspire other leaders to act. BHEF’s board includes numerous nationally recognized corporate and higher education executives who provide leadership in education, nationally and locally, including: BHEF Chair, David Skorton, President, Cornell University; BHEF Vice Chair, William H. Swanson, Chairman and CEO, Raytheon Company; Warren Baker, President, California Polytechnic State University; Wes Bush, President & COO, Northrop Grumman Corporation; Winston J. Churchill, General Partner, SCP Private Equity Management, LP; M. Christine DeVita, President, The Wallace Foundation; David A. Jones, Jr., Chairman, Humana Inc.; W.G. Jurgensen, CEO, Nationwide; William E. Kirwan, II, Chancellor, University System of Maryland; Carl Kohrt, President and CEO, Battelle; David Maxwell, President, Drake University; Constantine Papadakis, President, Drexel University; Edward B. Rust, Jr., Chairman & CEO, State Farm Insurance Companies; Richard Stephens, Sr. Vice President, Human Resources & Administration, The Boeing Company; and Mark Wrighton, Chancellor, Washington University in St. Louis.

To learn more, visit BHEF's Web site at www.bhef.com. For BHEF publications, see www.bhef.com/publications/pubs.asp.

For more information about the Gates Foundation, see www.gatesfoundation.org.

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