HERNDON, VA., November 10, 2004 - Cisco Systems, Inc., today announced it is hosting the Girls in Technology Summit in conjunction with the Cisco Women's Action Network (WAN), Herndon, Va., to increase awareness of career and education opportunities in IT. This one-day event will be held on Friday, November 12, 2004, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., inviting female high school students from Fairfax County to take part in workshops and hands-on activities.

"According to the American Association of University Women, girls represent 17 percent of those that take the Computer Science AP Exam, and women make up 9 percent of the recipients of engineering related BS Degrees," said Maribeth Luftglass, CIO for Fairfax County Public Schools. "Without proper IT recruitment strategies and training, women will continue to be left behind. This event is an excellent opportunity for us to directly address the gender digital divide, and increase women's awareness of IT training and career opportunities."

At the Girls in Technology Summit, special guests from Cisco Learning Institute, Virginia Tech and others will provide students with insight and real world examples of what a career in IT entails. Lunch will provide opportunities for students to take part in small group discussions with IT professionals, and ask questions one-on-one. Students will also participate in a hands-on challenge in which they will be established as a group of global technology consultants and presented with a mission to find technology solutions to specific problems and challenges from the medical, retail and hospitality industries. A breakout session for instructors will provide a forum to discuss strategies for successful recruitment and retention of females in high school IT courses.

According to the Computing Research Association, women currently represent approximately 19 percent of the undergraduates, 26 percent of MS students, and 20 percent of PhD students in computer science programs. The Cisco Networking Academy Program presents an excellent opportunity to help narrow the gender gap and increase female participation in the Internet economy. The Girls in Technology Summit is part of a larger Cisco initiative focused on increasing females' access to IT training and career opportunities, beginning with the Cisco Networking Academy Program. Cisco and the Cisco Learning Institute are working with Networking Academies worldwide to collect and disseminate information on best practice recruitment and retention strategies to increase female participation in computer science as well as other related IT degree programs and careers.

For more information about the Cisco Networking Academy Program, visit: http://cisco.netacad.net

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Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO), the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, this year celebrates 20 years of commitment to technology innovation, industry leadership and corporate social responsibility. Information on Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.

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