Supporting a Capstone Project

Support of Collaborative Experiences (CoEx) offers a unique platform for industry partners to tap into a integrated relationship where they can form close connections with students.

Much like an internship, this platform allows your company to form close connections with emerging talent while providing students with invaluable real-world experience. Partnership increases your name recognition and showcases your company as a potential employer.

Real World Experience in the Classroom

CoEx Capstone courses simulate an engineering consulting firm within an academic setting. Students participate in interdisciplinary teams of three to eight members, guided by both a aaculty advisor and an industry advisor. These teams include both on-campus and online students to mirror today’s remote and hybrid job markets. Each student contributes approximately 250 hours of work over two semesters.

CoEx Capstone Sponsorship

The $7,500 sponsorship fee covers program participation for both semesters. This fee does not include the project budget for materials or equipment; the Industry Supporter remains responsible for those costs based on the agreed-upon constraints in the application. Once the program accepts the project and staffs it for the Fall semester, the CEM will invoice the supporter.

Note: As a sponsorship for a non-profit educational program, results are not guaranteed. Project work does not constitute contract engineering.

Project Budget Funds

We recommend that industry supporters administer their own project budgets. This ensures direct control over expenditures like materials and travel while teaching students about industrial procurement processes. If a supporter prefers CEM to administer the budget, the supporter must provide additional funds plus a 20% administration fee to the CEM Finance Department.

Intellectual Property

Supporters should identify any proprietary material before the project begins. The CoEx teams and CEM respect all proprietary information and possess extensive experience managing sensitive data. Any additional non-disclosure or IP agreements must follow UND policies.

CoEx Project Application

We aim to define fall semester projects by the first week of August. Because we accept projects on a first-come, first-served basis, we place additional projects on a waiting list for the following semester once slots fill. 

How to Apply

• Request an application from the Collaborative Experiences Director.
• Complete the application and return to the Collaborative Experiences Director.
• The application requires:
  • Technical and financial representative contact information.
  • A brief project description with expected objectives.
    • Students use these descriptions to select their preferences, and faculty use them to develop staffing plans. You may also request example files from the Collaborative Experiences Director for reference.
• Once CEM approves the application, the Finance Department will send an invoice for payment. If you need assistance defining your project scope or success criteria, please contact the Collaborative Experiences Director.