The funding has been awarded to the university’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship in collaboration with the Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation’s Kentucky Commercialization Ventures in support of a new paid internship program called NKU INVENT.
Northern Kentucky University’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship and the Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation’s Kentucky Commercialization Ventures have received a grant from the National Science Foundation in the amount of $999,495. The grant will be utilized to implement a new paid internship program called NKU INVENT Start-up Internship Program, as well as a new collaboration with the Kentucky Commercialization Ventures called the KCV INVENT fellowship. In addition, the grant will benefit the Haile College of Business by supporting new hands-on experiences for students.
According to an article on Northern Kentucky University’s website, Dr. Hassan R. HassabElnaby, who serves as the dean of the Haile College of Business, was quoted as saying of the grant, "We are proud to partner with KCV and grateful to the NSF for recognizing the strength of this collaboration. Together, we are building more than internships. We are creating bridges between higher education, regional startups and the broader community. The Haile College of Business Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship has a long tradition of equipping students to think creatively and act boldly. This funding allows us to expand that impact in powerful new ways across Northern Kentucky and beyond."
The Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship already offers internship opportunities for startups, and the grant funding will further those efforts by building a network for mentorships, training, and collaborations between different industries. The NKU INVENT program will provide participants with seven weeks of training in innovation before being matched with a startup for a paid internship. Students will also receive stipends and have flexible scheduling to work around their courses.
Zac Strobl, the director of the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, said, “The NKU INVENT program will prepare students for high-growth careers in some of the most in-demand industries in our region. Thanks to this grant from the NSF and our partners at KSTC, we’re addressing the commonwealth’s critical workforce gaps in technology startups and the broader nationwide STEM workforce.”
For more information about Northern Kentucky University, visit the school’s website.