Written By: Danielle Scharf, Student Initiatives Committee Chair

The Student and Faculty Initiatives Committee promotes the advancement of the profession by fostering the close association of professionals with transportation planning and engineering students.  This committee is responsible for the majority of the student awards and student events planned in conjunction with the Western District Annual Meeting.

This committee was established in 2002 and many different awards and activities have been added to the program in the years since.  Now that the program consists of nine awards and two large events, it was time to reassess how the program funds were being allocated to each.  The Western District Board discussed a proposed reallocation of funds in great detail at its last two board meetings and approved the following changes on January 22, 2016.

Student Chapter Award

The purpose of the Student Chapter Award is to recognize student chapters that have shown outstanding accomplishments and activities.  Previously, the winning chapter has received a plaque, $300 for the chapter’s general fund and $1000 for travel reimbursement to attend the Annual Meeting.

The award has been simplified and the winning chapter will now receive a plaque and a $1000 award.  If the winning student chapter also receives the International award, then they will be provided with an additional $1000 from the Western District for travel support to the International meeting.

Up to two additional student chapters have received Honorable Mention with a certificate and $50 for the chapter’s general fund.  Going forward, Honorable Mentions will still be given to up to two student chapters, but will consist of a certificate only.  All student chapters will continue to receive $100 for submitting an annual report.

Student Paper Award

The purpose of the Student Paper Award is to encourage student members of the District to conduct and report on independent research and investigation of transportation engineering subjects and to provide a means for recognizing outstanding accomplishment in this area. The Student Paper winner in the past has received a plaque, a $500 award, an additional $500 in travel funds to attend the Annual Meeting, free meeting registration and three free hotel nights.

Going forward, this award will consist of a plaque, a $500 award and free annual meeting registration.  The monetary award on this one was reduced in part so we could provide a monetary award for the Outstanding Student Awards and make our three individual student awards consistent with one another.

Student Traffic Bowl

The objectives of the Student Traffic Bowl are to encourage students to become more active members of the Institute, to enhance their knowledge of the transportation engineering and planning profession and of the Institute itself, to strengthen the programs of the ITE student chapters, and to foster a collegial spirit amongst the students and professionals. Approximately 12 student chapters participate in this event at the Annual Meeting each year.  In the past, the winning chapter has received the Western District Student Traffic Bowl traveling trophy and $2000 from ITE International for travel assistance to the Collegiate Traffic Bowl Grand Championship at the ITE International Annual Meeting.

Going forward, the Western District will now be providing an additional $1000 in travel support for the student traffic bowl winners.

James H. Kell Student Competition

The James H. Kell Student Competition is intended to give student members attending the Annual Meeting an opportunity to apply transportation and traffic engineering classroom knowledge to a specific “real-world” problem.  The competition also gives students the chance to meet and interact with students from other schools.

The District issues a request for proposals inviting ITE Student Chapters to define and run the Student Competition at the Annual Meeting.  The winning Student Chapter is awarded $1500 to cover material costs and help defray travel expenses to attend the Annual Meeting.  In the past, an additional $1000 has been split amongst the winning teams (usually the top three teams) at the discretion of the host chapter.

The reallocation of funds will still include $1500 for the RFP winners, but the competition prize will be reduced to $300 for the 1st place team.  The 2nd and 3rd place teams will still receive certificate awards and their participation will still count towards the Student Chapter Annual Meeting Award.

Student Website Award

The purpose of the Student Website Award is to encourage student chapters to document their activities and accomplishments and promote the benefits of ITE membership.  The winner has in the past received a certificate and a $200 award, while honorable mention received a certificate and a $50 award.  Going forward, these awards will consist of a certificate only.

Outstanding Student Awards

The purpose of the Outstanding Student Awards is to recognize both an undergraduate and graduate student that have shown exceptional dedication to the transportation profession, extraordinary enthusiasm for ITE and unwavering professionalism in transportation research or an intern position.  In the past, the winners of these two awards have received a plaque only.

Going forward, the winners of these two awards will now receive a plaque, a $500 monetary prize and free registration at the Annual Meeting to match the award given to the Student Paper winner.

Outstanding Educator Award

The purpose of the Outstanding Educator award is to recognize an educator who has shown extraordinary creativity in teaching, taken exceptional measures to spark student interest in the transportation profession, provided unwavering encouragement for student endeavors or shown unequaled service to ITE.  This award has in the past consisted of a plaque and will to continue to in the future as well.

Western District Fellowship

The Western District Fellowship predates the entire Student Initiatives Program and the award process has been conducted by ITE Headquarters. In recognition of this award, the winner received a plaque and a check for $1000.  Because there have been many years where we did not receive any eligible applicants through this process, and because the Western District now has many other student awards, the Board has decided to eliminate this award going forward in order to reallocate the funds to our other student initiatives.

Student Chapter Annual Meeting Award

A new award as of two years ago, the Student Chapter Annual Meeting Award recognizes overall participation by a student chapter in all of the annual meeting activities.  The winner of the Student Chapter Annual Meeting Award receives a traveling trophy and bragging rights for the entire year.

Final Remarks

While some of the monetary awards have decreased, many new monetary awards have been added.  The total annual investment in the Student Initiatives program is essentially the same at approximately $15,000.  These changes have also allowed the Board to budget for a $1000 contribution for the Student Leadership Summit on an annual basis.  The Data Collection Program will still be funded at $5000 and faculty advisors will still receive dues vouchers when their student chapters submit an annual report.

Thank you to the Western District Board, and President Cathy Leong in particular, for taking the time to work through this funding reallocation and for your continued support of our student members.  Please contact Danielle Scharf at dscharf@sandersonstewart.com with any questions.