Meridian Way Wind Farm was recognized by Cloud County Community College (CCCC) and the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) with an Employer Engagement Initiative Champion Level Award during a luncheon held Wednesday, April 8, on the Concordia campus of CCCC.

Operations Manager Justin Steinbrock, Site Lead Technician Lucas Chavey, Site Administrator Michelle Graham, and Vestas Technician Brent Vanous were present at the luncheon and on hand to accept the award.

CCCC nominated Meridian Way Wind Farm for this workforce education award because of significant contributions to the College's Wind Energy Technology (WET) program and students.

Steinbrock and Chavey serve as members of the CCCC Wind Energy Technology Advisory Council and consult with faculty members and students on career opportunities in the wind industry.

Meridian Way Wind Farm provides Wind Energy students with paid internship opportunities at their wind farm. They provide tours, presentations, and guest speakers for the students to gain valuable learning experiences about an operational wind farm and its substations.

In addition to the learning opportunities Meridian Way Wind Farm provides for the students, they donate equipment and money to support the WET program at CCCC. Meridian Way Wind Farm makes annual donations to the CCCC Foundation for the WET program to provide student scholarships.

The Kansas Board of Regents Employer Engagement Initiative recognizes business and industry for partnerships with education. The initiative provides a platform for community colleges and technical colleges to recognize key employers for contributions to the system, institution, program, and students. As of January 2015, more than 80 employer partnerships have been recognized. For more information about the Kansas Employer Engagement Initiative, visit kansasregents.org.