Partnership will connect K-12 STEM learning, career discovery, and workforce development to Indiana’s growing musculoskeletal innovation ecosystem

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind., Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Five Star Technology Solutions is proud to serve as a partner in the newly designated NSF IMPACT Engine in Indiana, a statewide initiative bringing together education, industry, research, health care, and workforce organizations to strengthen Indiana’s position as a global leader in musculoskeletal health innovation.

Led by Indiana University, the NSF IMPACT Engine includes more than 170 partners across the state and was selected as part of the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engines program. The Engine will receive $15 million in its first two years, with the potential to receive up to $160 million over 10 years as milestones are achieved. Partners have also committed an additional $179 million to support the initiative.

As an IMPACT partner, Five Star will help strengthen connections between K-12 education and rapidly evolving STEM careers that support Indiana’s musculoskeletal and orthopedic industries. Five Star will bring its experience working alongside schools and educators to help expand high-quality STEM learning, career-connected experiences, and pathways that prepare students for future opportunities in the Warsaw area and communities across Indiana.

“Five Star has always believed that powerful STEM learning happens when students can connect what they are learning in the classroom to real opportunities in the world around them,” said Dr. Jason Roseberry, CEO of Five Star Technology Solutions. “The IMPACT Engine gives us an incredible opportunity to work alongside educators, employers, and community partners to create those connections at a much larger scale. We’re excited to build on the strong STEM work already happening in the Warsaw area and help develop learning experiences and career pathways that can benefit students across Indiana and beyond.”

Workforce development is a central component of the IMPACT Engine. Priorities include expanding K-12 STEM and student pathways, increasing access to work-based learning and internships, strengthening employer-educator partnerships, and creating training and credentialing opportunities aligned with evolving industry needs.

The Warsaw area will play an important role in that work. Warsaw Community Schools’ STEM practices and methodologies were identified as a cornerstone of the K-12 programming included in the Engine’s grant application, creating an opportunity to build on strong local practices while developing approaches that can benefit educators and students well beyond the region.

A key partner in connecting the IMPACT Engine’s innovation and workforce goals to the Warsaw region is OrthoWorx, which works to advance the orthopedic industry and strengthen the talent pipeline that supports it. Five Star’s focus on STEM education and career-connected learning complements that work by helping students and educators better understand the opportunities available within one of Indiana’s most important industry sectors.

“OrthoWorx is proud to serve as a partner in the NSF IMPACT Engine, a transformative opportunity to position Indiana as a global leader in musculoskeletal health. At OrthoWorx, we believe thriving ecosystems are built through meaningful collaboration and sustained by a strong pipeline of talent. We are excited to help expand access to STEM learning and career discovery so more students can see their future in this growing field,” said Ryan Christner, CEO of OrthoWorx.

For Five Star, participation in the IMPACT Engine builds on years of work helping schools create meaningful STEM learning experiences and supporting educators in bringing those experiences to life. Five Star’s Learning Services include STEM professional learning, instructional coaching, strategic planning, and other supports designed to help schools prepare students for an increasingly technology- and innovation-driven future.

Through the IMPACT Engine, Five Star will help strengthen the bridge between what students experience in school and the opportunities available in their own communities. By connecting educators more intentionally with industry, supporting authentic STEM instruction, and helping students understand the careers connected to the science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing happening around them, Five Star and its partners aim to strengthen Indiana’s future talent pipeline.

The broader IMPACT Engine is designed to accelerate musculoskeletal innovations from research to real-world use while developing the workforce needed to sustain that growth. The coalition aspires to train more than 1,900 workers, launch more than 85 startups, bring at least 30 innovations to market, and generate more than $535 million in economic impact for Indiana.

Five Star Technology Solutions looks forward to working alongside OrthoWorx, Warsaw-area educators and employers, Indiana University, and partners across the state to expand access to STEM education, strengthen career pathways, and help more students see themselves as part of Indiana’s future innovation economy.

About Five Star Technology Solutions

Five Star Technology Solutions partners with K-12 schools to create the conditions for educational success through learning, technology, installation, and strategic services. From instructional coaching and STEM professional learning to technology infrastructure and support, Five Star works alongside school leaders and educators to help transform learning and prepare students for the future.

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SOURCE Five Star Technology Solutions