As students across the country enjoy their summer breaks and schools prepare for the year ahead, the WTS Foundation continues our 2022 Annual Giving Campaign. This year’s campaign has a year-end fundraising goal of $85,000.

What does $85,000 represent? The gift of opportunity.  

Donations to the WTS Foundation expand educational opportunities for high schoolers and undergraduates – some whose sights are already set on jobs in transportation, and some who are unaware of our industry as a career prospect. The WTS Foundation exists to encourage and support students involved at WTS Chapter levels across the country and build a formidable pipeline of future leaders.

As the new chair of the WTS Foundation, this year’s appeal is especially important and special to me. Having served 16 years with this organization at varying levels, I have borne witness to the remarkable things our scholarship recipients have accomplished, like Britton Hammit Johnson, a WTS Foundation scholarship recipient. Britton is an example of a scholarship honoree who I have had the pleasure of getting to know personally and witness her advancement with the support and networking opportunities of WTS. She has matured from an outstanding student to a teacher, a government fellow, an analyst, and now a project manager focusing on the intersection of technology, research, and practice – an amazing career path and story in which future scholars can find motivation and inspiration.

Britton says, “WTS scholarships awarded to me from WTS Colorado and WTS Arizona increased my financial freedom as a student and enabled me to finish my first four years of college debt free. These scholarships were incredibly generous, and I cannot express enough gratitude for their support of my education and the confidence these scholarships gave me as I began my transportation career.  The friendships that I’ve built in various committees and chapters have shaped my experience as a young professional, and I will cherish them forever.”

WTS is a membership of benevolent people – we give to others not only through the decisions we make during our day-to-day professional careers, but also through grassroots volunteerism, mentoring and sponsoring, event planning, educational programming, and so much more. And as a giving community, we have an excellent opportunity to build upon the momentum from May’s WTS International Annual Conference in Seattle, where members, corporate partners, chapters, conference attendees, and other supporters pledged over $36,000 dollars during the awards gala.

An additional $49,000 is no small feat, but it is an attainable goal with your support. As you enjoy the splendors of summer – warm weather, vacations and travel, time with family and friends – consider a donation that will make a student’s learning experience come Fall much brighter.

I am so proud and honored to lead the WTS Foundation during this time of growth. Together, we can bolster the future of our industry. Please help reshare our message on social media, like our #FoundationFridays posts, and on behalf of our Board and members, thank you for your efforts to support the next generation of leaders in our industry – we appreciate your membership, your insight, and your continued support.

Karen Good
2022–24 Chair, WTS Foundation