Kent State is joining forces with 13 other higher education institutions to support the microelectronics industry.

In March, Intel introduced the Semiconductor Education and Research Program for Ohio as part of the company’s promise to invest $100 million into education collaborations with universities across the country, of which $50 million dollars was allocated to Ohio institutions.

Out of the 80 institutions participating in this program, Kent State’s proposal led the university to be selected as one of eight leading universities to spearhead the program.

The network of Ohio institutions includes:

• Baldwin Wallace University
• Cuyahoga Community College
• Hiram College
• John Carroll University
• Lake Erie College
• Lakeland Community College
• Lorain County Community College
• Malone University
• Mount Vernon Nazarene University
• Muskingum University
• Notre Dame College
• Walsh University
• Wilberforce University

“Intel is excited to be in Ohio, the new Silicon Heartland and home to what will be one of our most sophisticated semiconductor manufacturing plants in the world,” said Jim Evers, Intel vice president and Ohio general manager, in a press release from the university. “Higher education plays a key role in the future success of our industry. We’re proud to support these institutions from every corner of the state as they work to build the workforce of tomorrow.”

The university plans to use the 3-year, $1.1 million grant they’ll be receiving to scale up current educational opportunities, develop new curricula, and establish new facilities to facilitate the program.

Intel anticipates that this initial iteration of the program will generate nearly 9,000 graduates for the microelectronics industry and provide more than 2,300 scholarship opportunities.

Grant recipients were announced on the same day, Friday, as the Intel groundbreaking ceremony for its new facility in New Albany, Ohio, where President Joe Biden was in attendance.

“Kent State is well suited to answer Intel’s charge to help the region and the nation meet key technology challenges, such as addressing the demand for semiconductors,” said Kent State President Todd Diacon in the press release. “This grant presents us with a great opportunity to empower this network of academic institutions to take the lead in the future of microelectronics in ways that tangibly advance the workforce.”

Matthew Brown is photo editor. Contact him at [email protected].