 Thank you MaryAnn, It's an honor to be in Phoenix today, to celebrate International Women's Day. Covance is proud to join the many local companies and individuals in their efforts to provide college scholarships for women.
The poet Yeats wrote ... "An education is the lighting of a fire. Today this fire burns bright for the individual who earns an education, but it also shines just as bright for society at large, because we all benefit from the many contributions that college graduates make.
Education creates opportunities for the individual to improve herself ... opportunities to improve life for her family ... opportunities to improve her community ... and opportunities to improve the world.
According to the Census Bureau, over their working life, Americans with a four-year college degree will earn nearly twice as much as a high school graduate. Research also shows that college graduates enjoy individual benefits beyond increased income ... like higher levels of saving, increased personal and professional mobility, and improved quality of life for their children. But what I believe education offers most is choice... to be in a position to accomplish and do what YOU want.
In the U.S., it's very important that women are able to continue their college education - because nearly half of the US workforce is female. To remain competitive in today's global economy, businesses need to make the most of the diverse knowledge, skills, cultures, ideas, and experiences of every employee.
A college education adds to our skills, but also to our experiences and our ability to develop new ideas and ways of doing things. For these reasons, a higher education should be accessible to everyone.
At Covance, women make up more than 65 percent of our workforce. We have programs to help women grow, and advance their careers. We provide career training, education reimbursement, mentoring, and Leadership Networks. For us, it is imperative for us to hire, train, develop and retain the best to be a successful company.
Like all of you here today, Covance recognizes the importance of education and the valuable contributions that women can, and DO make today.
Together, we can light the fire of education for hundreds of women. Our investment today is a start, but there is still much more to do. In the end, our support will help us as much as those we help today.
Thank you again, and good luck to everyone.
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