ROUND ROCK, Texas, Apr 14, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) will provide three U.S. college and university customers $10,000 grants to be used to conduct computer collection events on campus this spring.

The grants are part of the Dell Higher Education Recycling Leadership Awards, a pilot program created to recognize select customers' commitment to leadership in the areas of technology innovation, environmental sustainability or campus community recycling.

Recipients of the Dell awards are the University of California-San Francisco, University of Colorado-Boulder and Miami Dade College-Kendall Campus. Each of the selected higher education institutions will conduct a computer collection event at the end of the academic calendar year, to coincide with the student move-out period.

"Today's college students and faculty are environmentally aware and technologically sophisticated," said John Mullen, vice president of sales, Dell Higher Education. "Dell is helping students expand their education outside the classroom, and into their daily lives, by raising campus awareness of responsible ways to dispose of old computers."

Dell initiated the awards program to raise awareness of responsible product end-of-life options, keep computers out of landfills, empower colleges with a model for successful campus collection events and educate college students -- the next generation of leaders -- about responsible computer recycling.

"Conducting a no-charge computer collection event offers colleges and universities an outstanding opportunity to provide a service to the local community and to demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability," said Pat Nathan, director, Dell Sustainable Business. "By recognizing these higher education customers with this award, Dell continues to spread the message that no computer should go to waste."

The college and university award winners received technical assistance with planning their recycling events in a series of educational forums held in March and led by the National Recycling Coalition (NRC). The purpose of the technical assistance program was to provide opportunities for sharing best practices and lessons learned, in addition to encouraging peer-to-peer interaction among the participating college and university recycling coordinators.

"We're seeing more colleges and universities that recognize the need to provide recycling options to students moving out of their dorms and apartments at the end of the school year," said Kate Krebs, executive director of the NRC. "From textbooks to computers to couches, these materials can often be recycled or reused, as long as they are kept out of landfills in the first place."

Business and public institution customers, including higher education institutions, can recycle or donate their unwanted computer equipment through Dell's Asset Recovery Services (ARS). For more information about Dell ARS, please visit www.dell.com/assetrecovery. Additionally, Dell currently offers consumers an easy and affordable home pick-up recycling option, available online at www.dell.com/recycling. This service is available at no charge when consumers purchase a Dell printer, Dimension(TM) desktop or Inspiron(TM) notebook.

To learn more about Dell's commitment to environmental responsibility, visit www.dell.com/environment.

About the National Recycling Coalition, Inc.

Founded in 1978, the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization representing all the diverse interests committed to the common goal of maximizing recycling to achieve the benefits of resource conservation, solid waste reduction, environmental protection, energy conservation and social and economic development. For additional information about the NRC, please visit www.nrc-recycle.org.

About Dell

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) is a trusted and diversified information-technology supplier and partner, and sells a comprehensive portfolio of products and services directly to customers worldwide. Dell, recognized by Fortune magazine as America's most admired company and No. 3 globally, designs, builds and delivers innovative, tailored systems that provide customers with exceptional value. Company revenue for the past year was $49.2 billion. For more information about Dell and its products and services, visit www.dell.com.

Dell is a trademark of Dell Inc.

Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.

SOURCE: Dell Inc.

Dell Inc., Round Rock Media Contacts: Bryant Hilton, 512-723-4780 Bryant_Hilton@Dell.com or Caroline Dietz, 512-724-2847 Caroline_Dietz@Dell.com