March 22, 2009
Happy Spring MOVITE!
Your board has been quite active already this year with our three major goals for 2009.
- Be active at the local level
- Have great meetings
- Support our students
Local Activities
MOVITE’s chapters have been busy! Brian, Sarah, and Tony have provided you updates in this Journal to give a snapshot of what is happing around the MOVITE region. Some random examples to note:
- LOCATE won the 2008 Nebraska Governor’s Transportation Safety Challenge Award. What can we say but WOW! What a positive example for us all!
- Even without a local chapter, Iowa is reaching out. Iowa MOVITE members have held several activities this year. Perhaps we have a new budding chapter in the works?
- Missouri’s Chapters have undertaken a letter writing campaign to support Missouri’s primary seatbelt law. Let your voices be heard Missouri!
See the latest MOVITE Journal for more information regarding local activities!
2009 Meetings
The local host committees in Arkansas and Missouri are well on their way to ensuring that we have great meetings next year. Please plan on attending both of these events! Check the news and events page for updated information regarding all MOVITE events!
Spring Meeting: April 29 - May 1, 2009
- Embassy Suites in Rogers, Arkansas
- Come to hear what transportation columnist Robert J. Smith has to say about managing our relationship with the media and what the public thinks about us.
Fall Meeting: September 20-22, 2009
- Springfield, Missouri
- http://ocite.org/movite2009.html
- Come find out more about Smarter, Safer, and Sustainable Transportation
Student Support
We have launched a new Midwestern ITE Student Support Committee to support student chapters across not only MOVITE, but the whole Midwest ITE District. This committee has two primary goals: 1) better communication with students and 2) more student activities.
Communication:
- Several email blasts have gone out to all Midwestern ITE student members soliciting 1) student chapter reports, 2) student scholarship applications, and 3) student paper contest submissions. Over $10,000 in cash awards are available to MOVITE students through scholarships, grants, and awards in 2009!
- We have launched a new Midwest ITE Students Facebook page to better keep in touch with our student members and friends. Feel free to sign up if you are interested! Search for “Midwest ITE Students”.
Activities:
Several student activities are being planned for the District’s Annual Meeting, which will be held Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells, WI, June 17-19, 2009.
- Student Poster Contest - $1200 in cash prizes are available
- Traffic Bowl – Braggin’ Rights!
- Student Reception – meet your neighbor!
MOVITE is only as strong as our membership is active. What can you do?
- Nominate your next State Director. MOVITE is currently seeking nominations from Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas for the next election cycle.
- Nominate someone special for a MOVITE award. Award nominations are due June 1st.
- Attend the Rogers and Springfield MOVITE meetings and bring a friend with you.
- Talk with Brian, Tony, and Sarah about their business plan. Talk to me about what you’d like to see out of MOVITE this year.
- Attend a chapter meeting or host an ITE webinar at your office.
- Make a professional presentation to your local student chapter and/or take a student out to lunch.
- Publish a technical article in the MOVITE journal.
Thank you for your support of MOVITE!
Shawn Leight
2009 MOVITE President
Read Past President's messages for the section!
