Marshall Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                Media contact:
February 16, 2009                                                      Sandra Arnette
                                                                                    410-393-7109

sandra.u.arnette@verizon.com

Marshall and West Virginia Universities Build Endowment Fund with $500,000 Grant from Verizon West Virginia

Grant to Support Schools’ ‘Bucks for Brains’ Programs Designed to Hire Faculty to Conduct Scientific Research That Will Attract Businesses to the State

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – With a $500,000 grant from Verizon West Virginia, Marshall University and West Virginia University (WVU) are one step closer to raising the necessary funds to hire faculty to conduct scientific research that would be used to strengthen West Virginia’s economy by attracting new businesses to the state.

Marshall and WVU – two of the state’s research universities – created endowments that will be matched with state funds. Through the schools’ “Bucks for Brains” programs, newly hired faculty also will find ways to patent, license and commercialize products that result from their research. The ultimate goal is for West Virginians to reap financial benefits from industries this investment creates – from bioscience to healthcare to manufacturing to technology.

“Verizon has been a leading proponent of economic development in West Virginia for decades,” said B. Keith Fulton, president of Verizon West Virginia. “Technology will play an important role in our state’s continued growth and future success. Our goal in supporting this program is to improve the communities we serve and live in by helping to create new, technology-based jobs right here at home.”

According to the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, studies show that regions populated with science, technology, engineering and mathematics professionals show more intellectual property creation, higher wages, positive health care statistics, more new business startups and jobs. In areas like North Carolina, where colleges and universities receive federal and state funding to attract the right people who can get grants and conduct research, the effort has generated billions of dollars into the state, although it can take time.

Through “Bucks for Brains,” Marshall and WVU can compete for up-and-coming scientists on an international level. Both schools already have developed plans for their respective shares of the funds, which they may start to receive by the first part of this year through 2010.

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Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 80 million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of nearly 224,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $97 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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VERIZON’S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon’s News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media contact: February 16, 2009 Sandra Arnette 410-393-7109 sandra.u.arnette@verizon.com Marshall and West Virginia Universities Build Endowment Fund with $500,000 Grant from Verizon West Virginia Grant to Support Schools’ ‘Bucks for Brains’ Programs Designed to Hire Faculty to Conduct Scientific Research That Will Attract Businesses to the State CHARLESTON, W. Va. – With a $500,000 grant from Verizon West Virginia, Marshall University and West Virginia University (WVU) are one step closer to raising the necessary funds to hire faculty to conduct scientific research that would be used to strengthen West Virginia’s economy by attracting new businesses to the state. Marshall and WVU – two of the state’s research universities – created endowments that will be matched with state funds. Through the schools’ “Bucks for Brains” programs, newly hired faculty also will find ways to patent, license and commercialize products that result from their research. The ultimate goal is for West Virginians to reap financial benefits from industries this investment creates – from bioscience to healthcare to manufacturing to technology. “Verizon has been a leading proponent of economic development in West Virginia for decades,” said B. Keith Fulton, president of Verizon West Virginia. “Technology will play an important role in our state’s continued growth and future success. Our goal in supporting this program is to improve the communities we serve and live in by helping to create new, technology-based jobs right here at home.” According to the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, studies show that regions populated with science, technology, engineering and mathematics professionals show more intellectual property creation, higher wages, positive health care statistics, more new business startups and jobs. In areas like North Carolina, where colleges and universities receive federal and state funding to attract the right people who can get grants and conduct research, the effort has generated billions of dollars into the state, although it can take time. Through “Bucks for Brains,” Marshall and WVU can compete for up-and-coming scientists on an international level. Both schools already have developed plans for their respective shares of the funds, which they may start to receive by the first part of this year through 2010. # # # Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 80 million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of nearly 224,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $97 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com. #### VERIZON’S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon’s News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.