ASSE’ Student Numbers on the Rise

Student participation in the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) increased by five percent in 2004, ASSE reported this week, which illustrates an increase in interest by students in the occupational safety, health and environmental field.

As the result of an ASSE faculty advisor recruitment campaign 26 colleges and universities with occupational safety, health and environmental (SH&E) programs increased membership in their ASSE student sections by at least five percent. In August of 2004 ASSE had 943 students enrolled in student sections and by December the number went up to 1,168 students. There are 61 ASSE student sections. In total, ASSE has 1,585 student members.

“This is great news,” ASSE President Gene Barfield said. “As more and more companies are realizing that developing and implementing effective safety and health management systems in the workplace reflect positively on the bottom line, the demand for safety, health and environmental professionals has been and will continue to be on the increase. To fill the void now and in the future, we need to continue to recruit students into this important field of study and offer them the tools they need to succeed.”

Pennsylvania’s Slippery Rock University recruited 46 new student members, Oklahoma’s Northeastern State University recruited 27 students and Indiana University of Pennsylvania recruited 24 students. As a result of increased interest in the field of occupational safety and health and the commitment of the ASSE faculty advisors, new ASSE student sections have also been established at colleges and universities throughout the U.S. These include the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and the University of Utah.

An ASSE student section is for students planning careers in the occupational safety, health and environmental field. Through the program students, in working with a local ASSE chapter and faculty advisor, are able to participate in ASSE professional development programs, Practice Specialties, the ASSE Members Only Web site and mentoring. The annual student membership fee is $15 and upon graduation ASSE provides the students with a one-year complimentary associate membership.

To qualify as an ASSE student member one must be enrolled either part-time or full-time in an accredited college degree program in occupational SH&E or one of its relevant specialties; have declared an intention to enter the SH&E field to the faculty advisor; or not be presently employed full time as a SH&E professional, thereby not eligible for consideration as a regular member.

In addition to student sections at schools, ASSE supports student activities and studies through ASSE Foundation scholarships and research grants; through ASSE chapter mentoring programs; access to internship and job listings through ASSE’s job information database NEXSTEPS; regional ASSE student leadership conferences; and, by sending students each year to ASSE’s annual professional development conference and exhibition through the ASSE Practice Specialties and the ASSE Foundation.

For more information on student sections check ASSE’s Web site at http://www.asse.org under member services and under student member information.