Attendees and sponsors: register today at the registration link here!
2026-2027 Student Leadership Summit
The third Mid-Colonial District Student Leadership Summit (SLS) will be held at The University of Pittsburgh on November 9, 2026.
The summit was designed to foster leadership skills, promote professional development, and facilitate valuable career and networking opportunities for both students and professionals in the field of transportation engineering.
In addition to the technical and professional development sessions, the summit will feature the Mid-Colonial District Traffic Bowl. The winner will advance to the 2027 ITE International Collegiate Traffic Bowl Championship at the ITE International Annual Meeting in July 2027 in Calgary, Alberta.
What’s a Student Leadership Summit?
The Student Leadership Summit originated in the Western District in 2014 and have been hosted across the U.S., Canada, and in the ITE Australia and New Zealand Section. They are planned by students, for students. ITE’s professional members typically provide support through sponsorships and participation in the summit’s program. For more information, visit ITE International.
Schedule and Technical Program
The schedule and technical program are below:
8:30 AM: Registration Open
9:00 – 9:30 AM: Welcome & Opening Networking
9:30 – 10:30 AM: Session One: On-Ramp to Your Career
Early-career engineers share how they broke into the industry and found their footing. Discover which career path fits you best and get a survival guide for your first two years on the job.
Speakers: Erik Stellato, Anna Goetz, Connor Mondock
10:30 – 10:40 AM: Break
10:40 – 11:45 AM: Session Two: I-376 Commercial Street Bridge Slide-In Replacement Showcase
PennDOT and HDR take you behind the scenes of the Commercial Street Bridge replacement in Pittsburgh. Follow the project from planning to the slide-in, and learn how the team tackled the challenges of rebuilding a major interstate bridge.
Speakers: James Bumstead, John Myler
11:45 AM – 2:00 PM: Lunch & Career Fair
Grab lunch and meet recruiters and engineers from leading transportation firms. Explore internship, co-op, and full-time opportunities, and get your questions answered by the people doing the work.
Featuring: AECOM, Bowman, HDR, Dewberry, Jacobs, TPD, and more!
2:00 – 3:30 PM: Session Three: From Traffic Flow to Workflow: AI in Transportation
Industry, research, and startup leaders explore how AI is reshaping transportation engineering. Learn where it’s being used today, how to apply it, and which skills will set you apart.
Speakers: Karen Lightman, Theo Wyss-Flamm, Jon Kostyniuk, Chris Rodriguez, Ash Duong, Mansha Swami, Kamar Amine
3:30 – 3:45 PM: Break & Traffic Bowl Pre-Game Meeting
3:45 PM: 2027 MCDITE Traffic Bowl
Venue
O’Hara Student Center
3900 O’Hara St, Pittsburgh PA
The O’Hara Student Center is the main Student Union building at University of Pittsburgh and will host all events.
Transportation & Parking
A map of nearby parking options is available here: Parking
Accommodations
Unfortunately, hotel room blocks are not available for the Student Leadership Summit. A number of hotels convenient to the SLS are listed below.
Please be aware that the University of Pittsburgh Campus is quite hilly. Options 3-5 are located near campus but are downhill from the O’Hara Student Center. Options 6-8 are best served by personal vehicle.
- Courtyard by Marriott Pittsburgh University Center (100 Lytton Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213) – 0.25 mi
Marriott Find & Reserve – Choose Dates, Rooms & Rates
- The Oaklander Hotel, Autograph Collection (5130 Bigelow Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15213) – 0.25 mi
The Oaklander Hotel, Autograph Collection | Hotel in Pittsburgh’s Collegiate District
- Hilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh University Place (3454 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213) – 0.5 mi
Hilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh Hotel in Oakland, PA
- Residence Inn by Marriott Pittsburgh Oakland/University Place (3341 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213) – 0.7 mi
Residence Inn Pittsburgh Oakland/University Place | Long-Stay Hotel with In-room Kitchens
- Hampton Inn Pittsburgh University/Medical Center (3315 Hamlet St, Pittsburgh, PA 15213) – 0.9 mi
Hampton Inn Hotel in Pittsburgh at University Center
- Hotel Indigo Pittsburgh University-Oakland by IHG (329 Technology Dr, Pittsburgh, PA 15219) – 1.3 mi
Pittsburgh Hotels | Hotel Indigo Pittsburgh University – Oakland
- Hyatt House Pittsburgh-South Side (2795 S Water St, Pittsburgh, PA 15203) – 1.7 mi
South Side Pittsburgh Hotel | Extended Stay | Hyatt House
- SpringHill Suites by Marriott Pittsburgh Southside Works (2950 S Water St, Pittsburgh, PA 15203) – 1.7 mi
SpringHill Suites Pittsburgh Southside Works | All-Suite Hotel
Financial assistance is available for students to cover the cost of accommodation, including the annual funding provided by MASITE/CAPSITE and the Mid-Colonial District.
Sponsor the SLS
We are offering a variety of sponsorship tiers for organizations who wish to support the 2026-2027 MCDITE Student Leadership Summit! Sponsors can register online through the registration link here!
Thank you to our sponsors: AECOM, Bowman, Dewberry, HDR, Jacobs, Michael Baker International, and TPD!
