The future of American business depends on the next generation of diverse thinkers and
                                                        leaders, especially those now in college. Ford Motor Company wants to give 20 of those
                                                        students a greater chance of success through its "Economic Empowerment Through
                                                        Entrepreneurship" essay contest found exclusively on DiversityInc.com

                                                        Ford Motor Company will award scholarships of $5,000 each to the 20 undergraduates
                                                        who submit the best essays on the topic of economic empowerment through
                                                        entrepreneurship. The students must read four articles explaining the close relationship
                                                        between corporate America's support and the ability of communities and individuals to
                                                        prosper.

                                                        After reading the articles, the students are asked to write a maximum 1,000-word essay
                                                        and submit it online to a panel of judges administered by DiversityInc, the trade
                                                        publication for diversity. All essays must be received by 9:30 a.m. (EST) on Jan. 3, 2003.
                                                        The winners will be announced on DiversityInc.com on March 17, 2003.

                                                        "Ford Motor Company has a strong history in education, diversity and entrepreneurship
                                                        initiatives," stated George J. Frame, executive director, dealer development at Ford. "This
                                                        essay contest will give undergraduate students the opportunity to examine the
                                                        importance of a corporation developing relationships and being present and active in the
                                                        community. These types of initiatives reinforce our commitment to empower our youth
                                                        and future leaders."

                                                        Instructions for entering the contest are online at:
                                                        DiversityInc.com/empowerment

                                                        Any undergraduate who is a registered college student at an accredited undergraduate
                                                        institution of higher learning, who is a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years old, is eligible.
                                                        Applicants must read and comply with the official rules for this contest. Instructions for
                                                        entering the contest are online at: DiversityInc.com/empowerment. All applicants will
                                                        receive a complimentary 12-month subscription to both DiversityInc.com online magazine
                                                        and the bimonthly print publication DiversityInc., courtesy of Ford Motor Company.

                                                        The judging panel that will evaluate the essays consists of: Barbara Frankel, panel chair
                                                        and vice president and executive editor for DiversityInc Media; INROADS President
                                                        Charles Story; R. Fenimore Fisher, deputy director of the RainbowPUSH/Wall Street
                                                        Project; Virginia Victorin, Washington Mutual's corporate giving fund manager for
                                                        community relations; and Professor Carl Van Horn, the director of the John J. Heldrich
                                                        Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

                                                        The winners of the contest will be promoted on DiversityInc.com and in DiversityInc, the
                                                        bimonthly print magazine.

                                                        Ford Motor Company is the world's second largest automaker, with approximately 335,000
                                                        employees in 200 markets on six continents. Its automotive brands include Volvo, Mazda,
                                                        Lincoln, Ford, Mercury, Jaguar, Aston Martin, and Land Rover. Its automotive-related
                                                        services include Ford Credit, Quality Care and Hertz.

                                                        During the past decade, Ford has developed policies articulating its vision of diversity,
                                                        the value it provides the company and its expectations for performance. The company
                                                        invests millions of dollars a year in employee recruitment, training and education, as well
                                                        as supplier and dealer support to help create a culture that values and respects
                                                        diversity.

                                                        One of many initiatives is Ford Motor Company’s Dealership Management Trainee Program,
                                                        a four-year program that provides the trainee exposure to each profit center and
                                                        operational area of the dealership. It prepares the trainee for the intense pace of the
                                                        National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Dealer Candidate Academy. Rotational
                                                        job assignments include exposure to vehicle sales, finance, management, and a variety of
                                                        other departments. Candidates must be a graduate of the ASU Certificate in Dealership
                                                        Management Program, satisfactorily completed the Executive Leadership Program and
                                                        successfully concluded the ADEPM Corporate Experience Program. For more information,
                                                        see Ford's Minority Dealer Operations Web site.

                                                        To learn more about Ford Motor Company, its products and commitment to community,
                                                        visit the Ford Motor Company Web site.