The National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI) program provides funding to educational institutions to host intensive summer programs designed to promote awareness of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) educational and career opportunities among disadvantaged and at-risk middle and high school students around the country. Partner State DOT’s are responsible for providing technical assistance, guidance, training and support to participating institution host sites. Participation in the NSTI is free for students who have an interest in learning more about the transportation industry, its various modes (e.g., highways, aviation, transit and maritime) and how they might pursue post-secondary education concentrating on some aspect of transportation, and the career opportunities therein.

The Western Transportation Institute (WTI), a transportation research institute housed in the College of Engineering at Montana State University (MSU), has hosted an annual National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI) for 15-20 high school students since 2005. The two-week residential program has introduced over 200 high school participants to career opportunities in transportation. Camp activities are designed to enhance participants’ problem-solving, communication, and critical thinking skills and to introduce them to the broad array of opportunities available in transportation and other related STEM fields. Students live on the MSU campus while participating in a multidisciplinary academic curriculum, which includes guest speaker presentations, hands-on laboratories, and field trips. Participants additionally gain leadership skills while working on team design-build projects.