TEANECK, N.J., June 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) will announce its commitment to partner with the National Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (NCEI) to develop several initiatives aimed at fostering development and interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) though in-person experiences for young people in the United States. The program will use the National Mall as the main platform to connect young 'Makers' from across the country. NCEI and Cognizant will announce the Commitment at CGI's closing plenary session today.

The initiative will launch "Young Makers on the Mall", bringing Young Makers to Washington every summer from 2014 to 2016, and will be the first Maker Faire "the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth" to take place in Washington, D.C. A second initiative, "Entrepreneurship is Citizenship" will focus on reinventing the class trip for students by focusing on entrepreneurial and creative, hands-on experiences in the nation's capital. The overall goal of the initiative is to reach 50,000 youth in the U.S in order to build their creative confidence and inspire them to reach their full productive potential as entrepreneurs, inventor and innovators.

This commitment builds directly on Cognizant's prior CGI Commitment to Makers Corps, a Maker Education Initiative to provide mentoring and education to children through hands-on experiences in after school programs. Two years ago, Cognizant made a decision to dedicate resources towards increasing the U.S. STEM pipeline. Since then, the company has launched its STEM scholarship and Making the Future programs to unleash the passion of young people in STEM disciplines, and funded over 30 after-school and summer programs in 18 states across the U.S.

"It is our mission to generate as much interest in STEM education and careers as possible," said Mark Greenlaw, Cognizant's Vice President of Sustainability and Educational Affairs. "What better place to do it than in our nation's capital. It is our hope that young people will find inspiration not only in our nation's leaders, but also through their exposure to the innovation and entrepreneurialism happening in Washington, D.C."

In April, Cognizant joined Cisco, SanDisk, HotChalk, AfterCollege and others, to pledge an investment of more than $2 million in private start-up funds to launch US2020, a new initiative aimed at advancing STEM education and mentoring in the U.S. to enhance the country's global competitiveness. Additionally, the founding organizations committed to substantially increasing their level of volunteerism with a long-term goal of mobilizing one million STEM mentors annually by the year 2020.

About Cognizant
Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and business process outsourcing services, dedicated to helping the world's leading companies build stronger businesses. Headquartered in Teaneck, New Jersey (U.S.), Cognizant combines a passion for client satisfaction, technology innovation, deep industry and business process expertise, and a global, collaborative workforce that embodies the future of work. With over 50 delivery centers worldwide and approximately 156,700 employees as of December 31, 2012, Cognizant is a member of the NASDAQ-100, the S&P 500, the Forbes Global 2000, and the Fortune 500 and is ranked among the top performing and fastest growing companies in the world. Visit us online at www.cognizant.com or follow us on Twitter: Cognizant.

About CGI America
The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. Established in June 2011 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America) addresses economic recovery in the United States. CGI America brings together leaders in business, government, and civil society to generate and implement commitments to create jobs, stimulate economic growth, foster innovation, and support workforce development in the United States. Since its first meeting, CGI America participants have made more than 200 commitments valued at $13.4 billion when fully funded and implemented. To learn more, visit cgiamerica.org.

SOURCE Cognizant