IEEE Industry & Community Outreach Summit

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The IEEE Industry & Community Outreach Summit brings together IEEE leadership, industry professionals, educators, students, and community partners for a multi-day program focused on STEM education, workforce development, and industry–community collaboration.

Anchored by the visit of the IEEE President-Elect, the summit integrates K–12 outreach, university engagement, professional development, and community programming designed to connect students, practicing engineers, educators, and local leaders. Programming emphasizes the human side of engineering, lifelong learning, and pathways that support individuals at every stage of their technical careers.

This summit strengthens regional STEM ecosystems, highlights IEEE’s global commitment to education and professional growth, and builds sustainable partnerships across IEEE Regions 4 and 5, with models that can be adapted and replicated by other IEEE Sections.


  Date and Time

  Location

  Hosts

  Registration


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  • Peoria, Illinois
  • United States
  • Contact Event Hosts
  • Co-sponsored by Society of Women Engineers




Agenda

February 22nd, 2026

Morning | Women & Community Leadership Brunch

Venue: Peoria Women’s Club
Audience: 50–100 (community leaders, philanthropists, AAUW, senior professionals)

Focus:

  • Humanitarian impact of engineering

  • Outreach to girls and women in STEM

  • Building sustained local WIE engagement

Program Elements:

    • Welcome & networking brunch

  • Remarks by IEEE President-Elect

  • Local & Chicago WIE leadership participation

  • Emphasis on continuity beyond the visit

Afternoon | Caterpillar Engineering Day (Family-Friendly)

Venue: Caterpillar Visitor Center
Time: 2:00–5:00 PM

Audience: Engineers, families, K–12 students, university students

Activities:

  • Hands-on STEM demos (circuits, robotics, AI-enabled systems)

  • IEEE education & humanitarian outreach booth

  • Engagement with Caterpillar recruiting and engineering leaders


February 23rd, 2026

Morning | High School STEM Outreach

Confirmed School: Metamora Township High School
Time: 8:30–10:00 AM

Messaging Focus:

  • Engineering as a viable, attainable career path

  • What to do after graduation

  • Practical perspectives from industry and IEEE volunteers

Format:

  • Opening talk by IEEE President-Elect

  • Follow-on perspective by non-Caterpillar industry leader

  • Student Q&A

Midday–Afternoon | Caterpillar Engineering Headquarters Program

Time: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Audience: ~50 practicing engineers and executives

Session 1: Executive & Leadership Perspective

Presenter: IEEE President-Elect

Topic:

Progress Over Perfection: Engineering Careers, Digital Transformation, and Lifelong Learning

Key Themes:

  • Progress over perfection in engineering practice

     

  • Adapting to digital transformation

     

  • The role of professional communities in career resilience

Session 2: Professional Engineer Perspective

Presenter: Jessica Bian

Topic:

More Power to Your Future: Life-Long Learning through IEEE

Key Themes:

  • Half-Life of knowledge is decreasing

     

  • Danger of becoming technologically obsolete

     

  • Workshops, webinars, mentorship, coaching and other programs IEEE provides.

Session 3: Early Career & Talent Pipeline Perspective

Presenter: Maxwell Mamishev
Undergraduate, Electrical Engineering (UIUC); IEEE member since high school

Topic:

Why Early Engagement Matters: Developing the Next Generation of Engineers

Key Themes:

  • Value of early technical engagement and mentorship

     

  • How IEEE supports students from high school to industry

     

  • Preparing young engineers for professional success

Evening | Industry & Community Networking Dinner

Venue: Distillery Labs
Time: 6:00–8:30 PM

Co-Sponsors: SWE, Peoria Chamber, Women’s Business Council

February 23rd, 2026

Morning | High School Outreach

School: Peoria High School

Focus:

  • Academic pathways and opportunity awareness

  • STEM careers as tools for upward mobility

  • Relationship building with school leadership

Midday–Afternoon | University & Student Engagement

Location: University of Illinois Springfield
Participants: ISU, UIUC, Bradley, UIS students

Program Includes:

    • Women in Engineering “Ask Me Anything” lunch

    • Student project competition & judging

    • IEEE Student Branch collaboration session

  • Award presentations by IEEE leadership