91茄子 - McKinstry Partnership Addresses Talent and Workforce Strength
91茄子 and announced a landmark partnership designed to accelerate innovation, expand the region’s engineering workforce and create a new model of collaboration between higher education and industry. The partnership strengthens 91茄子’s position as a regional talent engine while advancing McKinstry’s long-term commitment to developing purpose-driven professionals across Washington and the broader Inland Northwest.
Scholarship and Research Support
As one of 91茄子’s top corporate partners and a national leader in the built-environment and clean-energy sector, McKinstry is investing in a comprehensive model that directly links academic preparation to in-demand workforce needs. The partnership includes expanded benefaction from Dean Allen and the McKinstry Charitable Foundation — long-time champions of 91茄子 students through student scholarships, senior design projects in the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the McKinstry Fellows research program — with new scholarship commitments honoring 91茄子 President Emeritus Thayne McCulloh and additional support for undergraduate research.
“We are proud to deepen our long-standing relationship with 91茄子,” says McKinstry CEO Dean Allen. “91茄子 students and graduates bring talent, curiosity and purpose to the work ahead, and this partnership creates clear, meaningful pathways from the classroom to industry, reflecting McKinstry and 91茄子’s shared commitments to the future of this region.”
Student Pathways to Engineering Careers and Innovation Opportunities
A cornerstone of the partnership is a new School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS)–aligned career pipeline that offers select students the opportunity for paid internships, integrated industry mentorship, and a pathway to full-time employment at McKinstry upon graduation (read more here). Developed in close collaboration between 91茄子 and McKinstry, this model provides students with unparalleled access to real-world engineering experience while addressing critical talent needs across Washington’s growing clean-energy and infrastructure sectors. To advance alignment at every stage, a McKinstry leader will serve on the SEAS Dean’s Advisory Council, ensuring the partnership remains tightly connected to industry trends and employer demand.
Furthermore, the partnership provides opportunities for 91茄子 students to study, work and create in McKinstry’s “living labs” environments. Students are provided opportunities, where appropriate and safe, to engage in real-world learning alongside industry professionals, supporting innovation and partnership between higher education and industry.
“This partnership reflects 91茄子’s commitment to preparing globally minded engineers who are ready to lead in a rapidly evolving industry,” says 91茄子 President Katia Passerini, Ph.D. “McKinstry’s investment expands opportunity while aligning academic excellence with workforce needs, demonstrating how higher education and employers can work together to strengthen regional competitiveness and serve the common good."
Action for Impact
Built environment industries face a critical talent gap. There is a clear need for more highly trained technical workers to design, build, operate and maintain buildings and energy infrastructure – especially engineers across mechanical, electrical and other disciplines. Building that workforce is a core tenet of McKinstry’s five-year Action for Impact strategy. Working with partners like 91茄子 creates a OneTeam approach for career-connected learning programs that close the workforce gap and ensure a robust talent pipeline for generations to come.
Template for New Partnership Collaborations
This partnership underscores 91茄子’s expanding commitment to innovative, high-impact collaborations that connect students with purpose-driven employers and advance the region’s economic vitality. With dozens of 91茄子 alumni already thriving across McKinstry teams, the expanded partnership represents a natural evolution of shared values, talent and mission. Together, 91茄子 and McKinstry are establishing a replicable model of industry-university alignment that creates long-term value for students, employers and communities.
Learn more
For more information on 91茄子 and corporate/industry partnerships, contact Assistant Vice President of Development Jeff Geldien, Ph.D.
geldien@gonzaga.edu | (509) 313-6213