Remarks for Secretary Lyndo Tippett
HBCU Interns Meeting
Monday, June 6, 2005 at 10 a.m.
Raleigh, N.C.
Thank you, Willie, for that introduction.
According to Woody Allen, "Eighty percent of success is showing up," so you are all already ahead of the game.
I want to congratulate each of you on being selected for this program.
You have all been chosen by your schools and the department based on the impressive work that you have submitted.
You should be proud of your accomplishments thus far, and I hope you are looking forward to an exciting and rewarding experience at NCDOT.
Over the next few weeks, you will work with a broad range of professionals in your various organizations.
As you participate in your internships, I hope that you will see what a wide variety of careers are available within the transportation field.
We tend to think of engineers or construction crews when we think of building roads, but there are many other people involved in our operations.
For example, while the engineers are vital for designing the roads, our biologists are just as crucial in the planning phase of a project.
The Department of Transportation employs people from all disciplines and academic backgrounds.
Business, communications, engineering and environmental science are just a few of the fields that our employees come from.
Internship programs like the one your are participating in are key to bringing new life to the department.
These internships are an outstanding way to expose new professionals to the field of transportation and give you hands-on experience that will benefit you throughout your careers.
The DOT works hand in hand with schools across the state to provide opportunities for students to learn about careers available in the transportation field, and programs like this one are key to the continued success of the department.
Maintaining partnerships with the colleges and universities of North Carolina is very important to Governor Easley and to this administration, and we certainly gain from the knowledge and ideas that exceptional students like you bring to DOT.
I encourage each of you to make the most of your summer with us, and I thank you for your willingness to share your time and talent with the department and the citizens of this state.
Once again I want to congratulate you on being chosen for this program.
I wish you luck in your endeavors this summer and the years to come.
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