Get Involved

Overview

There are two ways to get involved in the Grow Our Own Minority Participation Program. One way is to refer a young person to the program or to be a student who wants to participate in the initiative. The other way is to have a program or event that you would like minority youth to attend and to work with Hanson Professional Services Inc. as a community partner. Below are more detailed descriptions of how to connect to the program’s work.

Student Participants

High achieving minority youth in middle school, high school and college are eligible for participation in the Grow Our Own Program. Students must have demonstrated an interest in the fields of science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics (STEM) through coursework, extracurricular activities or independent study. They must also have secured a reference from someone familiar with their interests and their aptitude and then submitted a completed referral form to Hanson Professional Services Inc. Since Grow Our Own is organized around an academic calendar, the deadline for referral forms is in the month of November. This helps to ensure spring and summer program placements for participating youth.

To connect a young person that you know to STEM related events, programs, internships or mentorships, download the Minority Student Referral Form and send a completed document to Kevin Seals at Hanson. Forms can be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or faxed to (217) 788-2503.

Program Partners

Community, business, academic, civic and faith-based organizations that conduct STEM related programs and events are invited to partner with Grow Our Own to extend their opportunities to its participating youth. Representatives from interested organizations must attend an October workshop to learn more about the initiative’s goals and operations. They must also submit a Community Program Information Form that provides the following details:

• Program name and focus
• Targeted age or grade level
• Program capacity (number of students served)
• Program duration (starting and ending dates)
• Participation fee / cost
• Participation benefits
• Description of the application process (i.e. where can applications be found, when are they due, when are selections made etc.?)

To learn more about becoming a community partner, call Kevin Seals at (217) 788-2450 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Community Program Information Forms can be emailed to the electronic address above or faxed to (217) 788-2503.