United States Department of Transportation

2017 Summer Transportation
Internship Program for Diverse Groups (STIPDG)

Internship Period: June 5^th - August 11^th, 2017

The Summer Transportation Internship Program for Diverse Groups (STIPDG) provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable professional experience and skills that will complement your academic pursuits. This hands-on program is designed to mentor and cultivate tomorrow's leaders, strengthen their understanding of the transportation industry and prepare them for future public service opportunities.

The STIPDG is a paid internship program open to all qualified candidates without regard to their race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited by state or local law.

The 2017 STIPDG application period is now open. To apply, please click here.
Applications will be accepted through January 20, 2017.

The Summer Transportation Internship Program for Diverse Groups (STIPDG) is for students in all majors.

(A) THE STIPDG PROGRAM OBJECTIVE

The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is accepting applications for the STIPDG Internship Program. Funded by the FHWA's Office of Civil Rights' On-the-Job Training Supportive Services Program, the objective of the STIPDG is to provide college/university students with hands-on experience and on-the-job training while working on current transportation-related topics and issues. The STIPDG is open to all qualified applicants but is designed to provide qualified women, persons with disabilities, and members of diverse groups with summer opportunities in transportation where these groups have been under-represented.

Please refer to the information below for the "STIPDG Eligibility Requirements" and the "How to Apply for the STIPDG/Application Requirements”.

(B) THE STIPDG ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

1. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
2. Applicants must be currently enrolled in degree-granting programs of study at accredited U.S. institutions of higher education recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. (See U.S. Department of Education's accreditation database to verify your school and/or program of study.)
3. Undergraduate applicants must be juniors or seniors for the upcoming Fall Semester. Undergraduate applicants from Junior, Tribal, or Community Colleges must have completed their first year.
4. Law Applicants must be entering their second or third year of law school in the upcoming Fall Semester.
5. Applicants who are scheduled to graduate during the Spring or Summer Semesters of this academic year are not eligible for consideration for the STIPDG unless: (1) they have been accepted for graduate school enrollment; (2) they have been accepted for enrollment at an institution of higher education; or (3) their acceptance is pending. In all instances, the applicant must submit with their completed application, all required documentation (with the school's logo) reflecting their status. There will be no exceptions.
6. Former STIPDG interns may apply but will not necessarily receive preferential consideration.
7. Applicants will be evaluated based on the "completeness" of the application and the Required Documents listed below. Priority will be given to those with GPA's of 3.0 or better (for the Major and/or Cumulative).
8. Applicants must be available and able to participate through the duration of the 10-week program.
9. Applicants must submit a completed application, to the webpage listed above, no later than January 20, 2017.
10. Upon acceptance into the program, participants are required to go through a background investigation to determine suitability to work for U.S. DOT.

The United States Government does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor. The STIPDG is open to all applicants based on the eligibility requirements that follow and based on the merit of the "Required Documents" requested under "C."

(C) HOW TO APPLY FOR THE STIPDG/APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

To receive full consideration and review, applicants must complete and submit all required information and documents requested online. Refer any questions or inquiries regarding your application to the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars (TWC) at (202) 238-7900 or DOTSTIPDG@twc.edu.

1. The STIPDG Application - (http://stipdg.e.twc.edu/); fully address the information requested.
2. Copy of Your Transcript/Grade Record/Report - submit your most recent reflecting your Cumulative GPA. Priority will be given to Applicants with GPA's of 3.0 or better.
3. One Reference - print the form contained within the online application, have it completed by a department chair, professor, advisor, or employer to include comments, if possible and submit it with your application.
4. Your Resume - submit one reflecting work experience, volunteerism, awards, leadership, and extra-curricular activities; preferable supporting the type of transportation experience you are seeking.
5. A Writing Sample - Undergraduate Students: submit a typed essay, one-page, double-spaced, minimum 12-point type, on your transportation interests, describing how your participation in the STIPDG will enhance your educational and career plans and goals.
   Graduate Students: submit a writing sample (not to exceed 2 pages) representing your educational and career plans and goals.
   Law Students: submit a legal writing sample (not to exceed 5 pages).

Application documents can also be mailed to:

STIPDG Internship Program
The Washington Center For Internships and Academic Seminars
1333 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036

Special Notes/Suggestions:

• Applicants who fail to submit a COMPLETE Online Application by the closing date will not receive full consideration, review, or be forwarded for ultimate selection.
• All applicants are encouraged to mark/identify as many occupations, offices, interests and geographical locations as applicable to your career goals. By marking more than one interest and geographical location, you are increasing your opportunities for placement.

(D) HOW THE STIPDG APPLICANTS WILL BE EVALUATED/SELECTED

Applicants are encouraged to submit all "Required Information" as soon as possible as selections may be identified on an on-going basis. All application packages will be reviewed, scored, and evaluated based on the merit and completeness of the "Required Criteria:"

1. The STIPDG Application — (http://stipdg.e.twc.edu/ ); fully address the information requested. Note: If you applied to the STIPDG in the past, you must use the account information previously created. For assistance to retrieve your account information, please follow the prompts on the application portal or contact TWC at DOTSTIPDG@twc.edu.
2. Copy of Your Transcript/Grade Record/Report — submit your most recent reflecting your Cumulative GPA. Priority will be given to Applicants with GPA's of 3.0 or better.
3. One Reference — print the form contained within the online application, have it completed by a department chair, professor, advisor, or employer to include comments, if possible and submit it with your application;.
4. Your Resume — submit one reflecting work experience, volunteerism, awards, leadership, and extra-curricular activities; preferable supporting the type of transportation experience you are seeking;
5. A Writing Sample — Undergraduate Students: submit a typed essay, one-page, double-spaced, minimum 12-point type, on your transportation interests, describing how your participation in the STIPDG will enhance your educational and career plans and goals; Graduate Students: submit a writing sample (not to exceed 2 pages) representing your educational and career plans and goals, and Law Students: submit a legal writing sample (not to exceed 5 pages).

(E) THE STIPDG DEADLINE FOR SELECTING PARTICIPANTS

The FHWA's Office of Human Resources (OHR) is responsible for selecting anywhere from 80 to 100 students, including Law, Graduate, and Undergraduate rising juniors and seniors from across the country to participate in the STIPDG. Applicants submitting COMPLETED applications will be reviewed and evaluated immediately upon receipt. The FHWA's Office of Human Resources will work with the U.S. DOT sponsoring offices to select the final number of assignments and participants based on the availability of funding for the program, and to include a wide variety of Transportation-related disciplines. Furthermore, where possible, students selected to participate in the STIPDG will be assigned to a Mentor and project based on their areas of interest and/or majors. If applicants cannot be matched with a project based on their areas of interest and/or major, applicants may be offered assignments "not directly related" to their areas of interests and/or majors instead. All students will be notified of their status in writing via e-mail no later than May 1. Students selected for participation will have three (3) business days to reply via e-mail to the offer of employment before the offers may be made to other qualified applicants. Note: Participants will be required to sign a Code of Conduct and Participant Agreement.

(F) About the STIPDG PROGRAM EXPERIENCE: MANAGEMENT/BENEFITS

The STIPDG is a critical component of the U.S. DOT/FHWA's student recruitment efforts. The STIPDG is committed to ensuring a quality experience in transportation. The program is unique because of the many program benefits and features that are listed below.

STIPDG PARTICIPANTS' BENEFITS

• STIPDG Stipends: Since the STIPDG experience is a special training opportunity and not a Federal job, participants do not receive annual or sick leave or other Federal Government benefits during their 10 weeks. As mentioned above, students are not Federal employees and become employees of TWC. Law and Graduate participants will receive a total stipend not-to exceed $5,000, and Undergraduate participants will receive a total stipend not- to-exceed $4,000, for their 10 weeks. The bi-weekly stipends are subject to taxation in accordance with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and are distributed via the payroll account of TWC. TWC also will be responsible for forwarding a W-4 and I-9 to all STIPDG participants for that tax year.
• STIPDG Housing: During the program, participants will reside in housing procured by TWC. TWC is responsible for coordinating and paying for all housing for STIPDG participants. TWC, not the student, is responsible for all STIPDG housing arrangements. TWC verifies with the FHWA that the housing is decent, safe, FEMA-approved, and ADA-compliant and accessible. Housing will be in close proximity to the worksites for approved assignments and can include placement in the Washington, D.C. area or throughout the United States. Actual housing accommodations will vary by location and can include college/university quarters. Housing accommodations can and typically do require shared-living arrangements with other interns. Participants may opt not to accept the shared housing, but will not be reimbursed by TWC, U.S. DOT, FHWA, or other participating sponsoring offices, for housing obtained independently. Housing is provided solely for STIPDG participants and cannot be used for non-participants. Participants who fail to honor the STIPDG housing requirements will forfeit all remaining stipends and other related benefits and will be immediately removed from the program.
• STIPDG Transportation and Related Travel: Through TWC, the STIPDG Program pays for all travel and transportation expenses associated with relocations for participants whose permanent residence is more than 50 miles (one-way) away from their assignment location. TWC, not the student, will be responsible for procuring and securing, all primary transportation and travel related to the participants' assignments. This specifically includes travel expenses to and from the participants' homes to their assigned summer assignment locations and back, travel associated with approved conferences, workshops, and field trips specific to the assignments, and travel associated with closeout activities in Washington, D.C. Again, this only applies when the assignment is more than 50 miles (one-way) from the participants' residence.
• A Special Note Regarding College Credit: Colleges/Universities with students selected for the STIPDG 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 authority on final decisions. Students should discuss arrangements with their institutions, prior to starting the program.

For further information about the STIPDG, Contact:

Program Manager,
Crystal Taylor, (202) 366-2907
Crystal.Taylor@dot.gov

Frequently Asked STIPDG Q & A's

Admission to the Intern Program

Participants' Benefits and Responsibilities

Housing, Transportation, and Expenses