Kansas is working towards a goal of increasing the number of college graduates majoring in engineering.
Kansas has a multi-year plan to increase the number of engineering degrees each year until they reach 1365 graduates by 2021. The initiative includes more than $100 million in funding by the state Legislature for Wichita State, Kansas State University and the University of Kansas.
The money given includes matching university funds. Royce Bowden, Wichita State University Dean of Engineering, says the purpose of the engineering initiative act is to help the Kansas university system produce more engineers for the state.
"And that’s really vital to grow the state’s economy," Bowden says. "We grow economies often through the creation of technologies that therefore produce additional jobs within our state, so it’s very important that we increase the number of practicing engineers in Kansas."
The Kansas Board of Regents says so far the universities are on track to hit the 2021 target. Recently, Wichita’s Spirit AeroSystems announced an investment of more than a half-a-million dollars in scholarships for Kansas universities' business and engineering programs.
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Carla Eckels is assistant news director and the host of Soulsations. Follow her on Twitter @Eckels.
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