Its employees are global too, since Lucent has offices or distributors in more than ninety countries. There are Bell Labs facilities in twenty countries, with major U.S. locations at the company's Murray Hill, NJ headquarters and in the Lisle-Naperville, IL area outside Chicago. Lucent and Bell Labs have an array of programs for students. In 1999, nearly a thousand students had jobs at the company. With a focus on minorities and women, the programs are increasing diversity in education even graduate education as well as cultivating talented potential employees for the company.
Some programs are available to students as early as their sophomore year in college.
Others support masters and PhD candidates. For example, the summer research program offers meaningful scientific and technical work to undergrads with a focus on women and minorities, notes Margie Deakin, manager of college recruiting. At Lucent, Don Gamble, director of university relations and college recruiting, compares notes with Margie Deakin, manager of college recruiting. In 1999, eighty-one students came to the company through Inroads, the national minority internship effort. Lucent recruiters for the college programs are often employees matched to their alma maters.