In October 2025, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ACEI) launched a partnership with the Spark Innovation Center’s Spark Scholars program to strengthen how student interns support startups by turning academic learning into practical experience.
The program connects UT students from all academic backgrounds with startups through jointly sponsored internships, giving students real-world experience while helping startups access talented student support at an affordable cost. Along the way, students work with both the Spark Innovation Center and the startups it supports, gaining a behind-the-scenes look at how new ventures grow and operate.
Internship Success
Through her startup internship, Katie Cummings, a junior management major from Marietta, Georgia, has taken on a program operations and administrative roles. She focuses on building a sense of community that’s essential in startup environments, supporting founders with pitch development and organizing events community events, like a social hour.
“This experience has taught me that entrepreneurs don’t just need resources; they need community and confidence, and I’m proud that through the program I’ve been able to contribute on both of those fronts,” she says.
Gavin Gajjar, a senior finance major from St. Louis, Missouri, is a portfolio operations intern who brings a more analytical lens to supporting startups. His efforts center on creating structure and clarity, including mapping the energy supply chain within the Oak Ridge corridor and developing metrics to better evaluate progress.
“By quantifying success indicators for our startups, we can transition from anecdotal support to data-driven mentorship, ensuring each founder receives resources tailored to their specific growth stage,” says Gajjar.
Ellie Pollion, a graduate Master of Science in Management and Human Resources student, also serves as a portfolio operations intern. Through her internship, she has gained exposure to both the entrepreneurial and clean-tech spaces while expanding her portfolio of administrative and HR-focused resources.
“The experience has strengthened my ability to work with organizations at various stages of growth and tailor solutions to their specific needs,” Pollion says. “Overall, it has prepared me to contribute to growing businesses by combining strategic thinking with practical, adaptable support.”
Together, the student interns reflect the program’s focus on providing direct exposure to the realities of building and growing a business while contributing tangible value. Cummings noted that the experience creates mutual benefit: students gain applied experience beyond the classroom, while startups receive support in areas they may not otherwise have the capacity to address.
A Growing Program
Spark Innovation Center program manager Lily Lovingood emphasizes the impact of the program’s growth since the fall of 2025.
“The expansion of support for the Spark Scholars program allows us to provide our network of startups with more access to student skillsets,” she says. “The possibilities for students and our companies to benefit from this program are endless.”
The collaboration between the ACEI, and Spark Innovation Center has expanded opportunities for students across disciplines while strengthening support for participating startups. Together, the partners are building a more connected pathway between students, faculty and startups across the university ecosystem.
About the Spark Scholars Program
The Spark Scholars Program is open to all full-time UT undergraduate and graduate students in good academic standing. The program supports internship opportunities across a wide range of roles based on student skills and company needs. For more information on how to apply as a student or request a scholar as a company, visit the Spark Innovation Center website or contact Lovingood at lillian@tnresearchpark.com.
About the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Housed in the UT Haslam College of Business, the ACEI is the front door to entrepreneurship at UT. It connects Volunteers with the expertise, resources and collaborators at UT and across the regional ecosystem to advance ideas, tackle bold challenges and turn entrepreneurial ambition into results. At the ACEI, Volunteers are empowered to identify opportunities and take bold action to create value through new ventures.
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Author:
Allison Kelly, Anderson Center director of marketing, akelly9@utk.edu
Contact:
Leah McAmis, senior editor, leah@utk.edu
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