By NICOLE COOKE

(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) – Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon will be at the University of Central Missouri Thursday morning to speak about the Missouri Innovation Campus.

The press conference will begin at 11:15 a.m. in Elliott Union 237B. Nixon will be making remarks about the MIC, as well as signing Senate Bill No. 381, which will establish within the state treasury the “Innovation Education Campus Fund.”

“It specifically notes the existing Missouri Innovation Campus as an entity that would be eligible for such funding,” said Jeff Murphy, assistant director of media relations for UCM. “We look forward to hosting the event, and appreciate the governor’s strong support of the Missouri Innovation Campus.”

Students attending the MIC will be in attendance, as well as faculty, staff and administrators who are involved with the initiative.

The Missouri Innovation Campus is a collaborative effort of business partners, including the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District, the University of Central Missouri and Metropolitan Community College.

According to the UCM website, students begin the program during their junior year of high school, taking required courses for graduation, as well as college credit courses that will allow them to graduate high school with an associate’s degree. The final two years focus on completing a bachelor’s degree at UCM.

“The goal of the MIC is to connect businesses with a highly trained workforce,” the UCM website states. “The Missouri Innovation Campus also uses an accelerated model designed to reduce student debt and increase degree completion.”

The first programming, IT essentials, started in August 2012. The second program, engineering technology, will be implemented this August.

For more information about MIC, visit ucmo.edu/about/mic.