The partnership serves engineers and engineering technologists as well as computer science and mathematics majors who are utilized extensively in design, customer service, technical sales, and production. Other majors throughout the university are also provided opportunities in communications, management, and economics. Faculty, students, and administrators participate in consulting, summer work, internships, and co-op programs. Daktronics, Inc. employees serve on program and college advisory councils and search committees to review curriculum, to provide input on courses needed, and to help identify and select appropriate internship and co-op experiences. At the institutional level, the partnership receives administrative and academic support through the individual departments and programs involved.
Students can receive credit for internships and co-op programs through their respective programs.
Assigned faculty monitor students progress and corporate experiences. The benefits to the university include student learning experiences, input to program design, exposure to practical design challenges and practicing professionals through individual and classroom interactions. The benefits to the company include training future employees in the culture of the company and observing students in many different work situations. The students are productive members of the company workforce. Also, it is important to conduct annual or semiannual reviews with faculty, students, and industry mentors present.