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For more than a decade, Terrence Southern, a global leader in robotics engineering, has mentored youth in Detroit, MI and Dallas, TX. He saw a growing need and interest in underserved communities to have early access to industry-relevant STEM programming. In 2012, Illuminate STEM was founded.
The future economy is being reshaped by artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and other emerging technologies. The demand for skilled talent is growing but access to the education, technology, mentorship, credentials, and career-connected experiences that prepare young people for these opportunities remains uneven.
The challenge isn't a lack of talent. It's a lack of access and pathways.
That’s the gap Illuminate STEM was built to close. We develop talent from within communities by connecting young people to hands-on STEM education, emerging technology, mentors, industry-recognized credentials, employers, and career-connected experiences.
To encourage, empower and equip youth and emerging talent with the skills, mentorship, credentials, and career-connected experiences needed to succeed in STEM and high-demand careers creating pathways to economic mobility while building the workforce of tomorrow.
We introduce young people to emerging technologies, STEM professionals, mentors, industries, and career possibilities that expand what they believe is possible.
We develop technical skills, confidence, creativity, leadership, and problem-solving through hands-on STEM education, mentorship, and career-connected learning.
We connect participants to credentials, real-world experiences, employers, and pathways into high-demand careers that can create lasting economic mobility.
We don’t measure success simply by how many students participate. We measure how far they are prepared to go.
The ultimate outcome is bigger than learning to program a robot, fly a drone, design a 3D model, understand artificial intelligence, or master a technical process.
Terrence Southern is a nationally recognized leader in robotics, advanced manufacturing, and workforce innovation. He began his career as a computer scientist and robotics engineer, installing thousands of industrial robots across Fortune 500 manufacturing facilities.
Throughout his career, Terrence saw a growing disconnect between emerging technology and access — particularly for young people and communities historically left out of STEM pathways. That experience led him to found Illuminate STEM.
"Illuminate STEM inspired me to become a robotics engineer and mentor other youth just as was done for me and all the other students on the robotics team."
Our team at Illuminate STEM is made up of a group of individuals who share a common goal – to expose the next generation to the fascinating world of science, technology, engineering and math.
When young people gain access to opportunity, they don’t just change their career trajectory—they have the potential to strengthen their families, their communities, and the industries that depend on their talent.
