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Oregon Tech asks Klamath County for $45,000 over three years to expand student innovation programs
Summary
Oregon Tech representatives asked the Klamath County Board of Commissioners to support Ready, Set, Innovate and Catalyze Klamath with $15,000 annually for three years (total $45,000) to fund stipends, awards and curriculum ties that link students with local businesses and mentors.
Oregon Tech staff on Dec. 11 asked Klamath County to provide $15,000 a year for three years to support two student innovation programs that connect high school and college students with community challenges.
Hallie Newport, a long-time faculty member at Oregon Tech, told the county the programs are designed to ‘‘create an intentional pathway for students who are interested in innovation and entrepreneurship’’ and to build university systems that sustain community–university collaboration. Newport described Ready, Set, Innovate as a fall event that introduces design thinking to high school and early-career college students. Catalyze Klamath, launched in 2022, is a day-long innovation competition that pairs student teams with community mentors and judges.
Rochelle Carvalho, senior leadership gift officer for the Oregon Tech Foundation, said the request responds to prior county support and new program needs. ‘‘So the ask is for a total of 45,000 over 3 years,’’ she said, explaining the additional funds would expand Ready, Set, Innovate support, increase awards at Catalyze’s 10th anniversary and provide stipends to help college students participate. Carvalho said the work is tied to curriculum planning (noting Business 335 as a course being encouraged for participating students) and that the Foundation recently received a second Lemelson Foundation grant to build curriculum related to the events.
Program history and outcomes cited to the county include roughly 95 students participating in Catalyze’s first year and about 124 in later years, sponsors such as Cascade Health Alliance, and past winners sent to external competitions. Presenters emphasized the events bring community volunteers, mentors and local businesses into student projects and said the investment is intended to deepen those community connections and help recruit local talent.
County staff said the funding request will be routed to the finance committee for review (targeted for end of January) and that staff will follow up with Oregon Tech after that meeting. No formal vote or county funding decision was recorded in the work session.
The work session adjourned at 3:30 p.m.
