Membership

Students/Younger Members

Student Chapters

ITE has 150+ chartered Student Chapters.  These Student Chapters offer young people a chance to begin to create their networks, develop leadership skills, and find out about how to develop their career.  The connection between a Student Chapter and local professionals is key to the both the experience of the student member and the growth of ITE.  There are a number of regular programs that ITE regularly supports our members being a part of to develop leadership and connections.

 

Student to Professional Transition Videos

ITE’s Women in ITE Committee and Student to Younger Member Transition Task Force recently collaborated on this project to assist students and young professionals navigate the beginning stages of careers in transportation.  Our District Rising Stars and 2021 Young Leaders to Follow were interviewed on a variety of topics ranging from career options to the importance of certifications. See the videos here.

 

Student Leadership Summits

The ITE Student Leadership Summit originated in the ITE Western District in 2014 at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The summits are entirely planned by students, for students. Through the promotion of leadership and professional development, these events aim to guide future transportation professionals. Approximately 100 students, both undergraduate and graduate, typically attend these one- to three-day events. In addition, ITE’s professional members typically provide support through sponsorships and participation in the summit’s program.

Student leadership summit have been held across the U.S, Canada, and in the ITE Australia and New Zealand Section. Thousands of students have participated in these events. They are a source of great pride for both our students and professional members, helping to grow the number of transportation professionals across the world.

Student Chapters can request funding from the ITE Legacy Fund at ITE HQ by contact Colleen Agan at cagan@ite.org.  Support is usually in the amount of $1,000 for a live event.

An outline of best practices related to hosting an event is available here.

An ITE Journal write up of a successful student leadership summit from 2016 at Iowa State is available here. 

A how-to guide on putting together a Student Leadership Summit was presented through the ITE Learning Hub and is available here.

 

Ideas for Student Activities

One of the LeadershipITE groups in 2022 put together an analysis of students activities that take place around ITE. For some background on activities taking place, click here.

Traffic Bowl Competitions

Each year ITE student chapters from Canada and the United States participate in a competition known as the ITE Collegiate Traffic Bowl. This competition features teams comprised of up to 3 students testing their knowledge of ITE, transportation planning and engineering topics as well as some fun categories. Since 2009 when the traffic bowl was introduced throughout Canada and the United States, a total of 115 chapters have participated in at least one traffic bowl at either Section or District level events. The winners of the ITE District competitions advance to compete in the Collegiate Traffic Bowl Grand Championship, which is conducted annually at the Institute’s International Annual Meeting and Exhibit.

In the past 5 years, 100 student chapters have participated in this event, making it the most popular event across our Student Chapters.  Each District has a traffic bowl coordinator who help to host the event for the District competitions and will help determine which Student Chapters will have teams. 

The Traffic Bowl Committee assesses the rules and regulations each year.  All of that information, as well as District coordinators, the District schedule of events, and past winners are on the ITE Traffic Bowl page as well a promotional video: https://youtu.be/-ZPZBOn5GHs. 

This competition is a fun way for students to challenge and network with other Student Chapters. Sections and Districts will typically help support the competition with prizes and travel assistance for the winning teams.  

 

LeadershipITE (LITE)   

The world of transportation has been transforming at a rapid pace.  The challenges and opportunities created by these changes impact society and people’s quality of life in ways hardly predictable. Now, more than ever, we need transportation leaders that can effectively communicate, collaborate and advocate to help our communities navigate this evolution.  Our community must have the skills to not only engage but to lead. Developing the next generation of leaders is one of our key objectives.

To this end, ITE has established LeadershipITE. It is a program to grow and empower leaders (not just younger members) within the transportation industry so that they are well prepared for greater roles within their professional capacity as well as within ITE and other associations.  Since 2014, LeadershipITE has been identifying, developing, and engaging leaders to ensure that ITE and its members are positioned to participate and shape the future of transportation.

LeadershipITE is the only leadership program built specifically for transportation professionals by transportation professionals.  Led by Shelley Row, PE, CSP, a professional engineer and former USDOT executive, the program has been developed from the ground up to give transportation leaders the tools and leadership knowledge that is tailored to the transportation world.

     

    Program Goals and Eligibility

    Target participants will represent the diversity of our community in age, gender, ethnicity and discipline. These individuals will engage in an intensive program that addresses the challenges and opportunities facing the transportation profession and ITE. Through this program, participants will explore current issues in transportation; develop and hone leadership competencies; and build the professional network required to excel as leaders in ITE, in their places of employment and communities.

    Specifically, the LeadershipITE program is built to ensure that participants will:
    •    Be self-aware so they are confident and comfortable with themselves and their skills
    •    Understand, accept, empower and adapt for others
    •    Be a high-functioning communicator
    •    Be an effective networker in and advocate for the transportation industry
    •    Be more confident in their role within ITE and as LITE alumni

    To be eligible to participate in LeadershipITE the applicant must:
    •    Be an active ITE Student, Member or Fellow in good standing with ITE.
    •    Be able to demonstrate contributions to ITE through volunteer activities.
    •    Be willing to work with their employer, District and Section for financial support of the registration fee.

     

    LeadershipITE Marketing Materials For Districts, Sections, and Chapters to Share at Their Meetings

    Scholarship Opportunities

    Many of our District, Sections, and Chapters offer students scholarships each year. It is best to check directly with your local section to find out what scholarships they have available as well as the application process, but you can find these scholarships available on the international level.

     

    Diversity Scholars Program

    The purpose of this program is to increase the participation of underrepresented populations in the transportation profession by supporting increased diversity at the undergraduate level.  Diversity in transportation is critical as practitioners seek to fully understand the transportation needs of communities in the development of equitable mobility improvements to many areas of our society. 

    Understanding that success at the university level, in particular for first generation college students, requires a multi-faceted approach, there are four cornerstones to this program:

    • Financial support (a total of up to $20,000 in scholarship support: up to $4,000 annually per student for up to 5 years of undergraduate enrollment)
    • ITE Student Chapter engagement
    • Mentoring
    • Internship Opportunities 

    This program is open to any U.S. high school student of African-American; Native American, Alaskan, and Hawaiian; or Hispanic/Latino heritage with an interest in a career in transportation and seeking to study transportation engineering, planning, or in a related-field at a school with an established ITE Student Chapter.  Preference will be given to first generation college students and low household income. An objective of the Diversity Scholars Program is to help those with the greatest need. Applicants eligible for Pell Grants (as determined through the FAFSA application process) will be given priority, but those not eligible for Pell Grants will still be considered.

    Graduating high school students who are accepted into the ITE Diversity Scholars Program are eligible to continue in the program, so long as they maintain acceptable progress toward graduation in the field of transportation engineering, planning, or a related field, and fulfill the minimum established standards for GPA (specific criteria listed under eligibility requirements).

    Find out more about ITE’s current diversity scholars: Meet ITE's Diversity Scholars

     

    Leadership Opportunities and Younger Member Events

    Districts, Sections, and Chapters are encouraged to create volunteer committees and opportunities for younger members to participate.  This means creating younger member activities and hosting events for younger members to network and socialize.  

    The ITE Younger Member Committee has put together this best practices document on how to support their younger members.

     

    Mentoring Programs

    Districts, Sections, and Chapters should consider creating mentoring programs or accessing the Matson and Hammond mentoring program available through the ITE e-Community. 

    Information on how to get started is here.

    A program manual to help with either the international mentoring program or the development of a program at either the district, section, or chapter levels is available as well as many resources including preparation materials, expectations, getting to know each other documents, mentoring agreements, and evaluations.