As the occupational safety, health and environmental (SH&E) profession continues to grow as do the number of students pursuing this career, the American Society of Safety Engineers’ (ASSE) Columbus-based Central Ohio Chapter announced that they have organized and chartered an ASSE Ohio University (OU) Student Section, according to a recent press release. The student section will provide tools to help students connect with local, national and international SH&E professionals, access to scholarships, career guidance, professional development and more.

Long-time ASSE member, OU professor and student section advisor Helmut Paschold worked for several years with students and ASSE members to form this section. The section met in January.

Many ASSE members, including past presidents and Society Fellows, began as ASSE student section members. Membership in the section not only helps students now, but long after they graduate. Student section membership provides ongoing professional development programs, access to scholarships (more than $100,000 in scholarship funds) and grant opportunities, access to career and job information (at www.nexsteps.org) and more. ASSE student members also have access not only to top local SH&E professionals, but to an online directory of more than 32,000 ASSE members located worldwide. Membership also provides mentoring through professional career guidance.

ASSE also offers a free student leadership conference at locations throughout the U.S. each November that provide not only a professional development program, but classes in leadership with top SH&E professionals from around the globe. At the conference, members and staff help with career preparedness such as with resumes, mock job interviews, and review student career goals and provide guidance. The next student leadership conference will be held in Chicago. Benefits for student members include a free year of membership (over $120 value) just after graduation; a free practice specialty subscription for the first year of membership; student rates for the annual ASSE professional development conference; access to all recorded webinars via the student online access portal for free. Student membership costs $15 a year. For more information on becoming a student member please contact chapterservices@asse.org and www.centralohioasse.org for information on the new OU student section.