The Local Sections Council has prepared this sample application to assist student local sections in preparing an application that accurately reflects the section's activities for the past nine months.
Please use the following document as a general guide only. The document is not intended to be a list of specific requirements for winning the AIHA Student Local Section of the Year Award.
The following sample application contains examples of the type of activities the selection panel may consider favorable when judging a section’s application. Please remember that submitted applications are evaluated on overall quality.
The selection panel hopes this sample application will not only enhance the student section chances for winning the AIHA Student Local Section of the Year Award, but will also improve the section’s services to its members.
Judging Criteria
Types and quality of section meetings devoted to furthering the industrial hygiene education, research, and professionalism
Quality and scope of applied research activities sponsored by, or participated in, by the student section
Type and quality of community and / or campus activities sponsored by, or participated in, by the student section
Scope and quality of endorsed activities by the student section’s faculty advisor and appropriate sponsoring local section officers
Percentage of eligible students belonging to the student section and the percent (or amount) of student members attending each Student Section meetings
Quality of the student section newsletter
Presence and / or quality of job placement activities (career nights, resume books, sponsoring student section attendance at AIHce)
Financial stability of the student section and the presence and / or quality of revenue-producing activities
Degree of participation of student section members at sponsoring local section meetings and other functions (may be geography dependent)
Documentation
Supporting documentation is encouraged. Please do not provide copies of by-laws, minutes of student meetings, curricula descriptions, course descriptions, or other materials that do not directly relate to the student section's activity.
Inclusion of the following support documentation is recommended:
A one-page summary of the college / university’s program for safety and health
A one-page summary of the history and development of the student local section
A one-page summary of the student local section’s year (i.e. goals and objectives, and how they were achieved)
A one-page summary of the student local section’s long-range goals and their action plan to achieve these goals
Sample Application
I. Professional Development
A. Section meetings devoted to furthering industrial hygiene education, research and professionalism
Example:
Meeting Date Topic Speaker Number Attended
9/1 OSHA'S Proposed Ergonomics Dr. Bob Smith 50 or 50% Standard
10/1 Industrial Hygiene Careers In Ms. Jane Doe, OSHA 33 or 33% Government Area Office Director
11/1 IH Field Trip Acme Chemical Co. 80 or 80%
12/1 Safety and Industrial Hygiene Mr. Ken Jones, State 70 or 70% Information on the Internet University
and so on... The use of practitioners as speakers is encouraged as much as possible.
B. Student or section based research, new ideas, concepts and methods through which the student section enhances the body of industrial hygiene knowledge
Examples:
One or more students are researching the physiological strain imposed on urban fire fighters wearing soft body armor (bullet-proof vests).
The section developed a computer-based training program for bloodborne pathogens and biohazards control for use at the university hospital.
One or more students is studying the role of the computer mouse in cumulative trauma disorders and the ergonomic problems associated with railroad handbrakes.
One or more students is evaluating perchloroethylene exposure control practices at area dry-cleaning establishments.
C. State the significance of these activities to the industrial hygiene profession
Examples:
The evaluations of perchloroethylene exposure methods practiced by area dry cleaning establishments was compiled by the students and examples of well-designed systems were incorporated into a report provided to the County Chamber of Commerce for free distribution to all county establishments.
The interactive, computer-based training program for bloodborne pathogens and biohazards control developed by the students was used for annual OSHA refresher training by 73 university hospital employees.
and so on....
II. Community and Professional Enhancement
A. Section sponsored community activities
Example:
The Student Section, in cooperation with the local AIHA section, sponsored an activity for the Safe Kids Campaign. The section formed a committee to prepare an educational program on household poisons and flammable materials that would be directed at students in grades 2-4. Materials were developed and presented at four local grade schools. The learning tool, Career Works for Kids, was also discussed and distributed to the school children.
B. Section participation in other community activities.
Examples:
The Student Section participated with the local section AIHA and other county organizations to present a one-day conference on home radon testing and remediation issues. The students helped with the distribution of education materials and demonstrations on how to use charcoal cannisters and other radon testing equipment.
The Section, in cooperation with the local health department, helped conduct "Is Lead a Problem In My House?" learning sessions for students and faculty at the local high school. Five classes were given to a total of 200 students and faculty members. The sessions were videotaped to help evaluate training techniques. (Be specific - explain what the section did.)
C. Section sponsored campus activities.
Examples:
The Student Section, in cooperation with the local AIHA section and the university's industrial hygiene/safety school, offered an evening job placement fair. Twenty-six area companies and institutions were represented.
The Section, in cooperation with the fraternity/sorority organizations and the local student ASSE section, conducted fire awareness programs including escape procedures for 21 fraternities and sororities. Approximately 450 students were trained.
D. Recognition
The Student Section created an award to recognize the outstanding section member of the year and made its first presentation.
The Section contributed to and interviewed for a campus newspaper article on a campus environmental health issue.
III. Student Section Participation
A. Percent of eligible students involved in the Section.
Example:
Presently 60% of the students enrolled in the industrial hygiene and safety program are Student Section members. Of this, 5% are freshman, 10% sophomores, 25% juniors, 40% seniors, and 20% graduate program students.
Note - Faculty advisor must be an AIHA member.
B. Percent of Section members attending monthly meetings.
Note - Place these percentages in the Section meetings chart.
C. Annual publication and distribution of a Section roster.
IV. Endorsements
Letters should be from sponsoring local section officers, faculty advisors, and etc. The more, the better. Those from faculty advisors and local section officers must indicate that the writer has read the application and agrees that it accurately reflects the activity of the Student Section. Letters should be as specific as possible.
V. Other
This area should include activities not classified above that the section was involved in that are indications of excellence, and placed the Section well above others (e.g., published four section newsletters over course of school year). These areas should be described in detail.
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