The Partnership for Inclusive Innovation launched the sixth annual PIN Summer Intern (PSI) program in May with an event at Fort Valley State University’s location in Warner Robins, Georgia. The program is shaping up to be the biggest yet.

This summer, 103 students are working on 51 projects across 27 communities in Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, and Texas. Selected from nearly 700 applicants — a 73% increase over last year — these students are tackling real-world challenges ranging from AI applications in North Georgia to Native American initiatives in Whigham, Georgia, and Bracketville, Texas.

By pairing students from different years, majors and institutions, the PSI program gives the next generation of innovators hands-on experience addressing complex challenges while delivering practical solutions to communities across the region.

A collaboration with the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) has funded 17 projects in several counties in Middle and South Georgia and is a large part of the program’s expansion this year. The opportunity to make an impact across a broad swath of Georgia is part of why the SCRC was interested in working with PIN, said SCRC Executive Director Christopher McKinney.

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