NEWS RELEASE: California High-Speed Rail Recognized for Industry-Leading Student Outreach

January 27, 2023

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California High-Speed Rail Authority’s (Authority) student outreach program “I Will Ride” has received the prestigious Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award from the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) Sacramento chapter. This annual award recognizes a transportation organization that has contributed significantly to promoting diversity, inclusion and multi-cultural awareness.

“California high-speed rail is about providing safe, efficient and sustainable transportation for the next generation,” said Authority CEO Brian Kelly. “We are proud to lead the industry in providing opportunities for students and educators to take on these jobs in the future of transportation.”

“I Will Ride” is a student-outreach program dedicated to connecting students to information and career opportunities on the nation’s first high-speed rail system currently under construction. Led by the Authority’s Student Engagement and Outreach coordinator, the program employs a variety of methods to connect with students, including conducting virtual and in-person presentations to high school and college students around the state about the program, coordinating on high-speed rail construction site visits for students in the Central Valley, sponsoring student conferences and competitions, mentoring capstone projects and even sponsoring a train exhibit at Kids Discovery Station, a children’s museum in Merced. In 2022, the Authority conducted a total of 64 student outreach events, reaching close to 3,000 students or professionals that work with students in some capacity.

“Collaborating with the Authority for ‘I Will Ride’ has allowed the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) to impact the lives of many K-12 students, igniting a passion and understanding of high-speed rail and an interest in transit and mobility careers,” said MTI Director and WTS International Board Director Dr. Karen Philbrick. “From curriculum to Central Valley construction tours, our parallel vision for building the transportation workforce pipeline of the future is being achieved.”

To learn more about the program, and to sign up for the monthly “I Will Ride” newsletter with California and nationwide transportation and rail-related job, internship and scholarship opportunities, visit https://hsr-test.hsr.ca.gov/i-will-ride/.

The Authority was recognized by both the WTS Sacramento and Los Angeles chapters in 2022 as Employer of the Year. WTS is an international organization dedicated to shaping the future of transportation for the public good through the global advancement of women. The Sacramento chapter supports hundreds of professionals not only within the Sacramento region but also Northern California and the Central Valley. More information can be found at: www.wtssacramento.org and www.wtsinternational.org.

The Authority has begun work to extend the 119 miles under construction to 171 miles of future electrified high-speed rail. The project has more than 30 active construction sites in California’s Central Valley, creating nearly 10,000 construction jobs to date. The Authority has environmentally cleared 422 miles of the high-speed rail program from the Bay Area to the Los Angeles Basin.

Visit www.buildhsr.com for the latest construction information.

The following link contains recent videos, animations, photography, press center resources, and latest renderings: https://hsra.app.box.com/s/vyvjv9hckwl1dk603ju15u07fdfir2q8

These files are all available for free use, courtesy of the California High-Speed Rail Authority.