DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund Announces $200,000 Scholarship Program for Delaware Students

* DaimlerChrysler continues to support communities in which it operates * Governor Minner announces funds for high school graduates in technical automotive fields * Scholarships to be administered by Delaware Community Foundation

NEWARK, Del., March 14 -- The DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund today announced the creation of a $200,000 scholarship program to aid Delaware high school graduates seeking advanced education in a technical field of study related to the design, engineering, manufacturing and repair of automotive products at an accredited institution. The fund will be administered by the Delaware Community Foundation and was made public today by Governor Ruth Ann Minner during a ceremony at Paul M. Hodgson Vocational- Technical High School in Newark-Glasgow.

"Delaware needs an educated and skilled workforce that fills good jobs and can support families," said Governor Ruth Ann Minner. "Support from corporate citizens like DaimlerChrysler helps provide those jobs and, as announced today, that education."

Eligible curriculum ranges from, for example, automotive repair training at a community college to bachelor of science degrees in mechanical engineering. The Delaware Community Foundation will award up to 20 scholarships annually in the amount of $1,000 each. The scholarships will continue until the fund is depleted (at least 10 years from inception). Students must be residents of the state of Delaware not older than 23 years old at the time of application, have a high school diploma or equivalent certification, and demonstrate financial need.

"We're very pleased that DaimlerChrysler has established a scholarship fund at the Delaware Community Foundation to support post-secondary education for Delaware students planning a career in the automotive industry," said Fred C. Sears II, President and CEO, Delaware Community Foundation.

"There is a great need for funding for high school students who want to pursue studies in this field -- as well as for students already enrolled in a community college, trade school or university. With the scholarship fund at the Community Foundation, DaimlerChrysler will help us meet this need far into the future," Sears continued.

"Through its regular course of operations DaimlerChrysler is able to serve its own corporate goals and support the communities it operates in at the same time," said Chuck Kowalski - Plant Manager, Newark Assembly. "A skilled workforce helps keep our operations successful, and we are able to give back to the community."

DaimlerChrysler's Newark (Del.) Assembly Plant has about 2,200 employees and produces the Dodge Durango. The company's Newark Parts Distribution Center employs about 150 people. The company invested $180 million in the plant last year for upgrades to support the production of the all new Dodge Durango.

The company supports many local programs including Junior Achievement, United Way, Food Bank of Delaware, and Delaware Partnership for Technology. In November, DaimlerChrysler became Presenting Sponsor of "Project Delaware - World War II: Voices of War," a video production that will document the personal stories of Delaware's World War II veterans. It is scheduled to debut on Memorial Day 2005.

The DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund, now in its 51st year, is the primary source of charitable grants made by DaimlerChrysler Corporation and an integral part of the company's "Good Neighbor, Good Citizen" philosophy. The Fund annually supports hundreds of charitable organizations with an emphasis on community growth, arts and education in the United States and throughout the world.