The Board of Regents’ Technical Education Authority committee approved the final round of FY25 internships funded by the Kansas Technology Innovation and Internship Fund and voted to forward the committee’s recommendation to the TEA for inclusion on its next consent agenda.

The move matters because the Legislature discontinued funding for the program; this round exhausts the remaining $27,027.99 in the fund, Director Brown said.

At the meeting Director Brown presented seven internship applications funded by the Kansas Innovative Technology and Internship Fund (citing “KSA 7432430” as the establishing statute) and described the dollar-for-dollar industry match required by the grant. “This grant does require a dollar for dollar match from the industry. It can be in kind or cash or a combination of the two,” Brown said. She summarized each intern’s requested award, placement, length and the courses expected to be updated after the internship.

The awards presented included: $4,894 for Eli Charles (WSU Tech welding program) to work at BG Automation in Derby for seven weeks; $3,000 for Michael Florence (Kansas City Kansas Community College HVAC) at Mr. Breeze Heating and Cooling in Leavenworth for three weeks; $3,600 for Kyle Hayes (Flint Hills Technical College industrial engineering) at Bradbury Group in Moundridge for three weeks; $5,400 for Brandon Fisher (Fort Scott Community College welding) in Fort Scott for nine weeks; $1,373 for Dean Grant (Fort Scott environmental water technologies) to intern with the City of Emporia utilities for nine weeks; $2,880 for Mindy Smith (Fort Scott cosmetology) to intern at The Main Room in Pleasanton for nine weeks; and $5,880 for Toni Summers (Fort Scott nursing faculty) at Community Health Centers of Southeast Kansas for seven weeks.

Brown said validating in-kind matches is done through industry letters describing the equipment, trainer time or supplies that will serve as match and noted the grant limits award pay to $30 per hour, with industry partners sometimes covering additional salary.

Dave Reist moved to approve the committee recommendation for presentation to the full TEA; Todd Zimmer seconded. Chair Sneddon called for objections and, hearing none, said the motion passed.

The committee’s action only forwards the applications to the TEA; the TEA will take the formal approval action at its upcoming meeting.

The committee’s vote was taken by voice; no roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting record.