Overview

On July 26, 2010 U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the expansion of the Women‘s Internship program to encourage young women to pursue careers in transportation.

The U.S. DOT Women’s Internship Program will now expand from one to all eleven Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) regions, enabling young women from colleges and universities across the country to participate. Administered through the department’s 11 Small Business Transportation Resource Centers (SBTRC) which provide resources, technical assistance and outreach to all 50 states and U.S. territories, each SBTRC will be responsible for placing qualified female college students in transportation related internships throughout their regions.

The expanded program, based on a successful pilot with Spelman College that Secretary LaHood announced with Congressman John Lewis and OSDBU Director Neal in Atlanta in 2009, is part of a broader effort led by the White House to ensure that federal programs and policies take into account the distinct needs and concerns of women and girls.

Program Goals

The goals of the program are to increase the participation of women in the transportation industry and prepare young women to become our nation’s future leaders. To accomplish these goals, the program will:

1. Identify the current situation for women participation in the transportation infrastructure industry, address those challenges, and seek to improve the status quo;
2. Educate young women on the exciting opportunities available in the transportation infrastructure industry and inspire them to enter the science, engineering, and technology fields;

•     GPA - 2.8 or higher to qualify
•     Letter of interest from the student
•     Letter of Recommendation
•     Interview