Intel’s addition expands the Semiconductor Pathways Fund to six industry participants as the coalition works toward keeping 6,700 students on track to graduate by 2028. Last Mile Education Fund announced Intel’s participation Nov. 4, but did not disclose how much the chipmaker would contribute.
The fund is working toward a $20 million goal, Last Mile said. Its awards average less than $3,000 and are intended to help students nearing graduation bridge immediate financial gaps, including unpaid tuition, car repairs or housing emergencies. The Nov. 4 announcement says students within four semesters of graduation may qualify in areas including engineering, robotics, materials science and semiconductor manufacturing. It describes support for engineers and technicians pursuing degrees and credentials.
Applied Materials, Lam Research, KLA Foundation, AMD Foundation and Cadence Design Systems are the other participants, according to Last Mile. The nonprofit launched the fund in November 2025. Last Mile said the AMD Foundation joined in March 2026 with a $500,000 philanthropic investment over three years. The Nov. 4 announcement does not disclose Intel’s amount or break down how the overall goal is allocated among participants. Students are the intended award recipients.
Ruthe Farmer, Last Mile’s founder and CEO, said Intel’s participation reinforced the coalition’s shared commitment to ensuring “solvable financial setbacks don't cost a student their degree.”
The workforce projection provides context for the initiative. The Semiconductor Industry Association and Oxford Economics estimated in a 2023 study that U.S. semiconductor employment could increase by nearly 115,000 jobs by 2030. At degree-completion rates in place when the study was prepared, 67,000 jobs could go unfilled, the study estimated. Those figures are forecasts, not a count of current vacancies. The fund’s awards are intended to address unexpected costs for students close to completion, while the coalition’s stated target is to keep 6,700 students on track by 2028.
