April 29, 2023

By Janice Phelan
Communications and Marketing University of Central Missouri-Missouri Innovation Campus

Missouri Innovation Campus (MIC) program 2022 cohort students were recently paired with industry-leading companies through the nationally recognized program’s unique internship program. The high-school juniors will participate in valuable three-year, paid internships with their assigned businesses.

Companies recently matched with interns, along with the students’ MIC degree program, include SS&C (Software Development), Olsson Engineering (Design and Drafting), eHawk (Software Development), Black & Veatch (Design and Drafting), McKesson (Software Development and Cybersecurity), UMB (Big Data and Software Development, Lead Bank (Big Data), Community America (Big Data), Tyler Technologies (Software Development), Burns & McDonnell (Design and Drafting) and Cyderes (Cybersecurity).

The MIC program, which began in 2012, is a partnership involving the University of Central Missouri, Metropolitan Community College, the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District and metro-area businesses.

Students enrolled in the MIC program have the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree in a high-demand field just two years after high-school graduation – with little or no student debt. A vital component of the successful program is its three-year paid internships, beginning just after each student’s junior year in high school. The interns are able to apply what they are learning in the classroom while working as a valued team member at the companies.

MIC program participants begin this accelerated bachelor’s degree program at the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District’s Summit Technology Academy where they are enrolled in one of these capstone courses – Big Data and Business Analytics, Cybersecurity, Digital Electronics/Engineering Technology/Design and Drafting, Software Development/Computer Science, Software Engineering and Computer Information Systems.

Preparing for the three-year internships starts several months before the students are placed with each company. Beginning in fall 2022, students begin participating in resume writing and interviewing skills workshops, mock interviews and a job readiness/soft skills workshop. In addition, the students’ families participate in a parent informational meeting about the internships.

MIC program students begin their internships in June with each business creating relevant, real-life job experiences over the three-year placement. Among the program’s graduates, 91 percent traditionally accept a position with the company where they interned with close to 99 percent accepting a job with a MIC program partner.

For more information about the Missouri Innovation Campus program, visit ucmo.edu.