CRANE, Ind., July 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL), in partnership with WestGate Academy, is sponsoring the 2025 Summer Intern Program, a series of events designed to connect students with Southern Indiana’s growing defense and technology ecosystem.
Support from NSTXL powers recreational and professional development programming that fosters connections between interns, local employers, and the regional innovation community. This year’s series offers a unique blend of career exposure and community-building, providing 130 interns from more than 22 universities with a firsthand look at what life and work could be like in Southern Indiana.
“The WestGate Summer Intern Program gives students a firsthand look at how their skills can contribute to real national security challenges,” said Tony Kestranek, Vice President of NSTXL. “It’s about creating early connections that spark long-term interest in solving problems that matter, right here in the WestGate and Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) ecosystem.”
NSTXL’s sponsorship allowed WestGate to organize immersive activities such as kayaking, a Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari amusement park trip, and networking events across multiple counties. These offerings are paired with professional sessions focused on topics like hypersonics, microelectronics, and national security missions, with agency leaders such as Dr. Angie Lewis, Technical Director of Naval Surface Warfare Center, NSWC Crane, and Therron Thomas at Crane Army Ammunition Activity (CAAA) sharing insights into how collaboration, innovation, and shared priorities are driving impact within the defense ecosystem.
NSTXL plays a dual role in Indiana’s innovation landscape as the sponsor of this internship program and as the consortium manager for the Strategic and Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S²MARTS) Other Transaction Agreement (OTA), which is a rapid acquisition agreement for the Department of Defense (DoD) and is sponsored by NSWC Crane. S2MARTS reflects the broader mission that NSTXL supports by accelerating innovation, fostering collaboration, and strengthening the talent pipeline that programs like this help grow. The program introduces students to the types of national security challenges and technologies that drive S²MARTS efforts, making this internship a key contributor to the larger ecosystem.
NSTXL manages S²MARTS to connect government and industry in solving critical national security problems in areas such as microelectronics, hypersonics, and trusted systems. These efforts, along with NSTXL’s direct investments in workforce development and regional engagement, help position Southern Indiana as a key hub for defense innovation. Programs like the WestGate Summer Intern Program play a foundational role in that vision by building early connections between emerging talent and mission-focused work.
About NSTXL
NSTXL is the consortium manager for the Strategic & Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S²MARTS) Other Transaction Agreement. S2MARTS is the premier rapid OT contracting vehicle for the Department of Defense (DoD) in trusted microelectronics, strategic and spectrum mission, and other critical mission areas. The Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Crane Division created S²MARTS to grow and engage an elite network of innovators, shorten the path to defense prototype development, and advance national security efforts.
For media inquiries contact:
press@nstxl.org
