The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, in the Haslam College of Business, has partnered with the Spark Innovation Center at UT’s Research Park at Cherokee Farm to sponsor five Spark Scholar internships for the 2025-26 academic year.
Mutually Beneficial Program
The Spark Scholar interns will work with technology startups in roles such as materials processing research, product development, marketing, communications and business development. By collaborating directly with founders and leadership teams, students gain real-world experience in an environment fueled by innovation, creativity and rapid growth. They learn what it takes to launch and scale a business while contributing across departments ranging from data and technology to management, marketing and finance. Open to all majors and degree levels, the program welcomes diverse talents and perspectives.
In addition to supporting students, the program also benefits participating companies by providing skilled student talent at an accessible rate. The Anderson Center offsets 50 percent of interns’ wages, making it easier for startups to access fresh ideas, unique skills and motivated support as they grow.
According to Breanna Hale, the Anderson Center executive director, sponsoring Spark Scholar internships directly aligns with the center’s mission.
“By helping fund internships for students at startups working with the Spark Innovation Center, we’re not just supporting education — we’re helping fuel innovation, bridging opportunity with experience and shaping the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders,” she says.
Lilly Tench, executive director of the Spark Innovation Center, echoes Hale’s enthusiasm for the collaboration.
“We’re thrilled to partner with the Anderson Center to expand the Spark Scholars program and provide more opportunities for UT students to get hands-on experience working with cutting-edge technology startups,” says Tench. “Spark has partnered with the Tickle College of Engineering’s Center for Materials Processing to develop and grow the Spark Scholar intern program with excellent results. The new partnership with the Anderson Center will allow us to expand Spark Scholars and provide opportunities to a broader range of students.”
About the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
The Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, housed in Haslam, is the front door to entrepreneurship at UT, connecting entrepreneurs and innovators at every stage with the resources, networks and expertise needed to solve real challenges. By cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset across campus, connecting entrepreneurs with resources and mentorship they need to grow and collaborating with the UT and regional ecosystem, the ACEI is developing an entrepreneurial culture where Volunteers are empowered to identify unmet needs and take bold action to create value through new ventures.
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Leah McAmis, senior editor, leah@utk.edu
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