Студенческая структура Louisiana Tech удвоила количество корпоративных партнеров за 11 лет

Innovation Gravity: How a student-led agency doubled Louisiana Tech’s corporate footprint The Louisiana New Product Development Team marks 11 years of bridging the gap between student talent and major economic growth. RUSTON, La. — An on-campus student organization that evolved into a product development agency 11 years ago continues to prepare Louisiana Tech University students for the workforce. The Louisiana New Product Development Team (LA NPDT) provides students with hands-on internship opportunities and career paths after graduation. Through the program, participants help clients design prototypes, master advanced software, and build practical engineering skills. “Being on campus, not only do we get access to this talent pool and ideas, but also we are immersed in a dynamic environment where ideas flow and innovation is essentially everywhere you look,” Konstantin Dolgan, CEO of NPDT, said. “That helps with the type of business we do.” Roshan Yadav, a Louisiana Tech graduate student who works with the program, said his skills have improved significantly through the hands-on experience. “With NPDT, we are able to explore big and advanced instruments that help us scale up small projects or research to a bigger formulation,” Yadav said. University leaders view the program’s growth as a major driver of local economic development. Dr. Donna Gallacher, Chief Innovation Officer at Louisiana Tech, said corporate partnership expansion has accelerated over the last decade. “Looking back over the past 11 years, we’ve more than doubled our corporate partner footprint on campus,” Gallacher said. “We now have two multi-tenant facilities where corporate partners come and nest to be next to students. That is a testament to the impact because it’s creating gravity where companies want to be here, and that definitely has an economic impact.” Copyright 2026 KNOE. All rights reserved.