PEKIN, Ill - This summer, middle school students can explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) careers during “Meet a STEAM Professional.” This program, offered by University of Illinois Extension and 4-H, will allow young people to get a behind-the-scenes look at STEAM careers as local professionals take students on a tour of their day-to-day tasks and career paths. Students will be introduced to passionate adults in career fields that the students may never have considered before.

Session topics will include:

• Medicine & Anatomy with Shannon Egli, JUMP Simulation – July 1 at 1 p.m.
• Music: The Arts in Education with Mary Papich, The Jazz Education Network – July 8 at 1 p.m.
• Engineering with Ursula Towne, Caterpillar and Society of Women Engineers – July 15 at 1 p.m.
• Arts & Animals with Jenn Gordon, Arts Partners of Central Illinois and Adrienne Bauer, Wildlife Prairie Park – July 22 at 1 p.m.
• Insects with Erica Goett, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research – July 29 at 1 p.m.

Sessions will take place each Wednesday throughout July, at 1 pm, through Zoom video conferencing platform, and are offered at no cost to the participants. Those interested can see complete details and registration link at go.illinois.edu/MeetSTEAM. Registration is requested by the Monday preceding each session. Zoom links will be emailed to those registered on the morning of each respective session.

The Meet STEAM Professional series is led by 4-H Youth Development Educators Judy Schmidt and Emily Schoenfelder who serve in Fulton, Mason, Peoria, Tazewell counties. The STEAM Professionals in this series are Extension partners who support career exploration events and activities in a variety of Extension programs. For more information about STEAM programs, in addition to other youth and adult programs offered through Extension visit their website at extension.illinois.edu/fmpt.

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About University of Illinois Extension: University of Illinois Extension is the flagship outreach effort of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, offering educational programs to residents of all of Illinois' 102 counties — and far beyond. Extension provides practical education you can trust to help people, businesses, and communities solve problems, develop skills, and build a better future. U of I Extension offers educational programs in five broad areas: energy and environmental stewardship, food safety and security, economic development and workforce preparedness, family health, financial security, and wellness, and youth development.

About 4-H: Illinois 4-H strives to help youth learn skills for living. University of Illinois Extension provides 4-H programs in every county in Illinois. Illinois 4-H aims to impact the lives of 200,000 youth each year through sustained learning clubs and groups and short-term programming.

Source - Emily Schoenfelder – 4-H Youth Development Educator, Fulton-Mason-Peoria-Tazewell Unit eschoe@illinois.edu | 309.347.6614