Complete all pages and mail materials to:

STIPDG Intern Program
P.O. Box 44088
Washington, DC 20026-4088

The Summer Transportation Internship Program for Diverse Groups (STIPDG) is an important part of the Department of Transportation's intermodal effort to promote the entry of women, persons with disabilities, and members of diverse groups into transportation careers where these groups are underrepresented. Exciting new opportunities are available for students in a wide variety of fields, including but not limited to:

• Engineering
• Planning
• Economics
• Transportation Management
• Environment
• Hazardous Materials
• Aviation
• Business
• Public Administration
• Management Information Systems
• Law
• Criminal Justice
• Marketing

A Commitment to Diversity

As the transportation field grows, the Department of Transportation (DOT) is continuing its long-standing commitment to promote workplace diversity. The internship program is one of many DOT programs aimed at fostering and ensuring equal opportunity.

About the Program

The internship program offers interns an exciting 10-week agenda of transportation research, work experience, and field trips to introduce them to the many aspects of the complex field of transportation. Students of various disciplines will work on current issues facing the transportation industry. Each intern may have the opportunity to:

• work at the U.S. DOT in a selected modal administration, in either Washington, D.C., or in selected field offices around the country,
• participate in field trips to transportation related organizations and facilities,
• discuss current transportation issues with key officials,
• participate in and attend workshops, seminars, and field trips based on assignment and location, and
• prepare a written report and make an oral presentation at the end of the internship.

During the program, interns will reside in the Washington, D.C., area or selected field locations. Travel expenses to and from each student's home to his/her assigned duty location and temporary housing accommodations will be provided to interns whose work assignment location is more than 50 miles (one-way) from their residence. As this is a paid internship program, interns will receive a bi-weekly stipend.

The colleges and universities attended by participating interns are encouraged to grant three (3) academic college credits to the interns upon the completion of the program. However, the college or university officials at each institution are the final arbiters of any decision to do so. Students should discuss the possibilities with their institutions. For further information, contact:

Requirements

1. Applicants must be U. S. citizens currently enrolled in a degree-granting program of study at an accredited institution of higher learning at the undergraduate (college, university, or Tribal College) or graduate levels. Tribal Colleges may include junior colleges and community colleges.
2. Undergraduate applicants must be students who will be juniors or seniors in the fall of 2004 or will have completed their "first year" of school if attending a Tribal College.
3. Students who graduate during the spring or summer semester of 2004 are not eligible for consideration for STIPDG unless: (1) they have been accepted for enrollment in graduate school; or (2) have been accepted for enrollment in an institution of higher education, if a junior college/community college student. A copy of the letter of acceptance to graduate school or the institution of higher education must be submitted with the STIPDG application. If the acceptance is pending, the student must indicate that when the application is submitted.
4. Students currently enrolled in a degree-granting program at the graduate level at an accredited institution of higher learning may apply.
5. Undergraduate and graduate students must possess, at the time of application, a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or the equivalent.
6. Law students may apply if they will enter their second or third year of law school in the fall of 2004.
7. Selection for participation in the STIPDG will be based on an expressed interest in pursuing a transportation-related career and:

• GPA or class standing
• Reference from a professor or advisor. Additional references may be submitted
• Essay on your transportation interest(s)
• Areas of interest outside of school
• Completeness of application package

8. Former interns may apply but will not receive preferential consideration.
9. All qualified applicants are considered regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, or martial status.

Conditions of Appointment

The STIPDG is a full-time program. Failure to comply with the program policies, requirements, and guidelines will constitute grounds for termination. Although the STIPDG is funded by the DOT, interns are not DOT employees during the program and will not receive Federal employee benefits and privileges. The acceptance of a student as a STIPDG participant does not constitute an offer of later employment, but does not preclude such an offer being made to eligible candidates who meet the qualifications required for positions in DOT.

Application Materials

Applicants must submit all of the following to be considered:

1. Completed application form, (stipdg.pdf, 95KB - requires a PDF viewer or stipform.htm). The Internet address is: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/education/stipdg.htm.
2. Copy of the most recent college transcript, or grade record.
3. Reference from a professor or advisor. Additional professional references may be submitted.
4. Essay on your Transportation Interest(s).
5. Biographical Sketch/Resume.
6. Applicant Area(s) of Interest form with no more than three (3) preferred geographical locations for internships.
7. Law Students must also submit a writing sample.

Applicants who fail to submit all of the required materials by the closing date may not be considered. Applicants are encouraged to specify which of the agencies within the DOT best represent their interests. However, placement of interns will be determined by DOT needs. Interns will generally be assigned to a mentor(s) and a project assignment based upon their areas of interest and major. However, where one-to-one matches cannot be made, applicants may be offered assignments in related areas of interest. Project assignments will vary based upon availability. Not all agencies listed will have STIPDG assignments and we cannot assure placement in a particular agency.

Things to consider before applying to the Summer Transportation Internship Program for Diverse Groups:

1. Each intern is expected to remain in the program for the full length of the program commitment (10 weeks). Vacations or non-emergency absences will not be allowed during the 10-week internship.
2. Interns will be expected to arrive on or before the start date of the program and remain until the conclusion of the program. Early departure will result in forfeiture of future stipend payments.
3. DOT will provide shared housing for all interns accepting assignments more than 50 miles (one-way) from their residence. Actual housing accommodations will vary by location. However, college or university housing, where available, is the preferred housing choice of the Program Administrators.
4. Interns will be expected to use public transportation to commute to and from their work location. In some locations the use of a privately owned vehicle may be the preferred method of transportation while commuting to and from designated assignments. However the use of a privately owned vehicle is not a requirement for participation in the program.

The application form may be reproduced. To obtain additional copies, or to inquire about application materials contact:

STIPDG Intern Program
P.O. Box 44088
Washington, DC 20026-4088
E-Mail: lorraine.day@fhwa.dot.gov - (202) 366-1159
or karen.waters@fhwa.dot.gov - (202) 366-6149

Applicants should submit all materials to the following address:

STIPDG Intern Program
P.O. Box 44088
Washington, DC 20026-4088

About the Agencies

The U.S Department of Transportation consists of modal administrations that focus on specific areas, or modes, of transportation. The Department employs approximately 60,000 civilian and military personnel around the nation. DOT must ensure the safety and reliability of the entire transportation system, protect the interests of consumers, conduct planning and research for the future, and assist states, cities and other communities in meeting their local transportation goals. A brief description of the modal administrations and responsibilities of each is given below.

Office of the Secretary

Leadership of the DOT is provided by the Secretary of Transportation, who is the principal adviser to the President in all matters relating to federal transportation programs. The Office of the Secretary (OST) oversees the formulation of national transportation policy and promotes intermodal transportation. Other responsibilities range from negotiation and implementation of international transportation agreements, assuring the fitness of U.S. airlines, enforcing airline consumer protection regulations, issuance of regulations to prevent alcohol and illegal drug misuse in transportation systems and preparing transportation legislation.

Federal Highway Administration

The primary mission of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is to ensure that the nation's highway transportation system is safe for public use and able to move people and goods economically and efficiently. Of major concern are the social impacts of the highway system such as safety, environmental quality, and intermodalism - providing efficient links to other transportation modes. Other responsibilities include:

• administering the Federal-aid Highway Program
• promoting highway safety and environmental concerns
• providing technical assistance to the states
• providing technical assistance to other nations
• researching and developing new highway technology
• administering a technology transfer program
• administering the Federal Lands Highway Program

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) primary mission is to improve truck and bus safety on the nation's highways by addressing important safety issues and preventing commercial-motor-vehicle-related fatalities and injuries. The FMCSA regulates approximately 630,000 companies, 4 million trucks and buses, and 3 million drivers. The FMCSA activities that contribute to highway safety include the following:

• administering direct-Federal safety programs
• increasing enforcement on high-risk carriers and drivers
• participation in research and technology initiatives
• strengthening commercial motor vehicle equipment and operating standards
• increasing education, outreach, and safety awareness
• enhancing partnerships with State and local government agencies, industry, safety advocacy groups, and other interested parties

Federal Transit Administration

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) assists in the development of improved mass transportation equipment, techniques, and facilities in cooperation with state and local authorities. FTA encourages the planning and development of area-wide urban mass transportation systems, and provides technical and financial assistance to state and local governments. Other responsibilities include:

• assisting in the implementation and regulation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and providing funding in the area of rural and specialized transportation initiatives
• providing assistance to a variety of University Research Programs, and initiating transportation demonstration programs for American Indian Tribes
• providing human resources training for American Indian Reservation transit system personnel
• providing assistance to the Advanced Public Transit Systems (APTS)
• providing assistance to minority and women owned and operated firms that do business in the transit field

Federal Railroad Administration

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) administers and enforces the Federal laws and regulations designed to promote safety on railroads and at highway-rail crossings. Other responsibilities include:

• conducting research and development in support of improved railroad safety, the national transportation policy, and the future requirements for rail transportation
• promoting high speed rail development and magnetic levitation transportation technology programs
• administering financial assistance programs for certain railroads; and
• providing a unified national rail transportation policy

Research and Special Programs Administration

The Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) has headquarters in Washington, D.C. and l0 regional offices around the country. RSPA also oversees a research and development facility, the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts; and the Transportation Safety Institute in Oklahoma City, which provides safety training programs to DOT and other agencies. RSPA manages a number of diverse and intermodal programs which include:

• pipeline safety
• hazardous materials safety
• transportation safety training
• emergency transportation activities
• technology transfer, university partnerships, and research and development

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) is an operating administration of the DOT. The agency was formed in December 1992 as required by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991. The goals of BTS are to improve the knowledge base for public decisionmaking, and to improve public awareness of the nation's transportation system and its consequences. The BTS analyzes transportation systems using statistics gathering and mapping techniques.

Federal Aviation Administration

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has the responsibility for developing and maintaining a common civil-military system of air navigation and air traffic control. The Air and Airway Development Act of 1970 made the agency responsible for a new airport aid program funded by a special aviation trust fund. The same Act authorized FAA to establish minimum safety standards for airports and to issue operating certificates to air carrier airports meeting those standards. FAA also achieved a semi-automated air traffic control (ATC) system based on a marriage of radar and computer technology.

Maritime Administration

The overall mission of the Maritime Administration (MARAD) is to promote the development and maintenance of an adequate, well-balanced, U.S. merchant marine, sufficient to carry the nation's domestic waterborne commerce and a substantial portion of its waterborne foreign commerce. MARAD also ensures that the merchant marine is capable of serving as a naval and military auxiliary in times of war or national emergency.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1970, as the successor to the National Highway Safety Bureau. NHTSA carries out safety programs under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 and the Highway Safety Act of 1966. It also carries out consumer programs established by the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act. It sets and enforces fuel economy standards; helps states and local communities reduce the threat of drunk drivers; and promotes the use of safety belts, child safety seats, and air bags.

Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation

The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) is a wholly-owned government corporation created by statute on May 13, 1954, to construct, operate and maintain that part of the St. Lawrence Seaway between the Port of Montreal and Lake Erie, within the territorial limits of the United States. The mission of the SLSDC is to serve the U.S. intermodal and international transportation system by improving the operation and maintenance of a safe, reliable, environmentally responsible deep-draft waterway, in cooperation with its Canadian counterpart. The SLSDC also encourages the development of trade through the Great Lakes Seaway System, which contributes to the comprehensive economic and environmental development of the entire Great Lakes region.

This is an electronic version of Publication No. FHWA-AD-99-002
HAHR-3/4-99 (IOM)E