BOERNE KENDALL COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HOSTS “HOME TO TEXAS” PROGRAM INTERNS

July 29, 2023 BOERNE, TX—The Boerne Kendall County Economic Development Corporation (BKCEDC) sponsored Kendall County’s participation in the Home to Texas Program. 4 University of Texas students from Kendall County returned to their home community to complete an internship.

“Home to Texas™ is a scholarship-funded summer program affiliated with the University of Texas at Austin that connects first-year students with internship and research opportunities in their hometown communities.

Many students from small or rural communities come to UT Austin; however, few return to their hometowns after graduation. As a result, many Texas communities lose a significant talent base of future professionals and leaders. In response to this emigration of talent, the School of Undergraduate Studies and Texas Career Engagement have partnered to host the Home to Texas program (an initiative started by IC2 Institute). Undergraduate student participants return to their hometowns after their first year at UT Austin to complete a full-time summer internship and to engage in community research. The goals of this program are three-fold: to develop a strong professional foundation early during the student’s UT experience, to build connections for a potential future in the student’s home community, and to help prepare the next generation of community leaders.

This summer, Schneider Engineering, Connexa, Agave Design Studio, Fulcrum Construction TX, and Das GreenHaus, Kendall County’s first business incubator, all hosted interns from the program.

The BKCEDC held a reception to recognize the students and employers who participated in this year’s program at Das GreenHaus and were joined by representatives of the program including Dr. Brent Iverson, of UT Austin. Amy Story, President/CEO of the BKCEDC stated, “Our participation in this program is critical in our efforts to bring back the talent that leaves our community for higher educational opportunities and enables us to show them that many strong career possibilities exist in their hometown.”

The BKCEDC is a 501(c)(6) public, private not-for profit membership organization whose mission is “to promote business opportunities that will strengthen and grow a vibrant and diverse economic future for Kendall County.”