State leaders on Wednesday announced the first funding — $1 million — for a program aimed at increasing the number of engineering graduates in Kansas.

The state funds will be divided evenly between Kansas University, Kansas State University and Wichita State University to conduct planning on ways to recruit and retain more engineering students.

Gov. Sam Brownback, Kansas Department of Commerce Secretary Pat George, Senate President Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, Kansas Board of Regents Chairman Ed McKechnie, Andy Tompkins, president and chief executive officer of the regents, and others were on hand for the announcement.

In future years, the program will provide $3.5 million per year in grant funding to each of the three schools and will require a dollar-for-dollar match provided by the universities. The future funding will come from state gambling revenue.