Download This Version in Microsoft Word format
TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR STEVEN BROWN, AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER FOR GENERAL ELECTRIC AND THE FOUNDER OF THE DREAMS, IMAGINATION AND GIFTS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, AND TO CONGRATULATE HIM FOR RECEIVING THE 2018 BLACK ENGINEER OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE.
Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to learn that Steven Brown of Greenville County received the 2018 Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) for Community Service at the BEYA STEM Conference in Washington, D. C., on February 10, 2018; and
Whereas, Mr. Brown was recognized by BEYA, and has gained national exposure, for his efforts to help young people in his hometown of Williston reach their potential by founding the Dreams, Imagination and Gifts (DIG) Development Program; and
Whereas, he grew up in rural South Carolina where big dreams were limited by a lack of resources and demographics, and he wanted to use his training and talents as an engineer, not only to help build the world, but also to help build dreams for young people; and
Whereas, a few years ago, Mr. Brown was challenged by a speaker at a conference to find his true purpose and passion in what he hated, and he realized he hated that people could not reach their full potential because of external limitations beyond their control, including many of his talented peers while growing up in Williston; and
Whereas, a way to ensure that youth in rural areas like Williston, regardless of race, gender, economic status, or border barriers, will have the same opportunities as their peers in bigger cities, he founded DIG four years ago in his hometown to promote STEAM: science, technology, engineering, arts, and math; and
Whereas, DIG provides an afterschool program, an annual STEM Festival in downtown Williston, and a summer camp that gives young people an idea of just what can be achieved; and
Whereas, on Saturday, April 21, 2018, Mr. Brown plans to hold the third annual DIG STEM Festival in Williston, a free event that attracts thousands of people each year and gathers various industries and businesses to showcase the importance of STEM in the job force; and
Whereas, thanks to a partnership with the South Carolina Coalition of Mathematics and Science at Clemson University, DIG is poised to grow throughout Barnwell County and the rest of the Central Savannah River Area so that young people there can utilize their God-given gifts and imagination to reach their potential and dreams which they now see are possible; and
Whereas, Mr. Brown is now dreaming big himself as he hopes to see DIG chapters throughout all rural communities, but he wants to continue to locate DIG's main office in Williston, regardless of how expansive the program becomes; and
Whereas, his receipt of the BEYA award could help position the program to expand nationally as the DIG program's story was shared with ten thousand conference attendees through articles published in the BEYA magazine and through the connections he made with large industries whose executives attended the BEYA event; and
Whereas, the House of Representatives of the State of South Carolina values the significant work that Steven Brown has contributed to Barnwell County, and the members applaud his efforts to expand the DIG program to reach young people with the message and the tools to dream big. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Steven Brown, an electrical engineer for General Electric and the founder of the Dreams, Imagination and Gifts Development Program, and congratulate him for receiving the 2018 Black Engineer of the Year Award for Community Service.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Steven Brown.
This web page was last updated on March 20, 2018 at 4:09 PM