As part of an effort to encourage more young women to choose careers in technology, the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) and Bank of America will recognize 32 high school women for their accomplishments and aspirations in computing and technology at the Bank of America Technology Stars of the Future Showcase and Awards Ceremony, on Saturday, March 27, 2010, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The young women are winners of the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing, which recognizes high school women for their computing-related achievements and interests. Each winner will receive $500 cash, a laptop computer, an engraved award for both the student and her school and a trip with a parent or legal guardian to attend the Bank of America Technology Showcase and Awards Ceremony.

In prepared remarks for the ceremony, Cathy Bessant, Bank of America Global Technology & Operations executive, states, “One of the ways we can make sure women are better represented in information technology in the years ahead is to continue to partner with NCWIT to provide more opportunities like this program. We are counting on these young women in technology to change the face of IT wherever they may go.”

The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing was created to encourage the computing aspirations of young women, introduce them to leadership opportunities in the field and generate visibility for women’s participation in technology fields. Winners are acknowledged for their outstanding aptitude and interest in technology and computing, leadership ability, academic history and plans for post-secondary education.

The 32 young women chosen as national winners of the 2010 NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing were selected from an outstanding pool of 700 applicants, representing 49 of 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico; the 32 winners attend private, public and home-school institutions, and hail from big cities, suburban communities, and rural America.

“With technology jobs projected to grow faster than all other job sectors in the next decade, it’s imperative that we nurture the computing aspirations of women, who will make up half the professional workforce,” said Lucy Sanders, CEO and Co-founder of NCWIT. “Bank of America’s support for this award allows us to recognize and encourage talent that might otherwise be overlooked.”

Following are the 2010 winners of the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing:

About Bank of America

Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) is one of the world’s largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses, and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 53 million consumer and small business relationships with more than 6,100 retail banking offices, more than 18,500 ATMs and award-winning online banking with nearly 29 million active users. Bank of America is among the world’s leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. The company serves clients in more than 150 countries.

About NCWIT

NCWIT is the National Center for Women & Information Technology, a non-profit coalition of more than 200 prominent corporations, academic institutions, government agencies, and nonprofits working to improve U.S. innovation, competitiveness, and workforce sustainability by increasing women's participation in IT. NCWIT's work spans K-12 and higher education through industry and academic careers. NCWIT partners include AT&T, Avaya, Auburn University, Bank of America, Boehringer Ingelheim, Carnegie Mellon University, Cisco, Credit Suisse, EMC, Georgia Tech, Google, HP, Intel, Medco, Microsoft, MIT, Motorola, National Science Foundation, Pfizer, Purdue University, Qualcomm, State Street, University of Colorado. Walmart, and Zynga. Find out more at www.ncwit.org.