SAME Camps – Mentors & Staff

Be a Camp Mentor or Camp Staff

SAME’s annual STEM/Engineering & Construction Camps offer young members, non-commissioned officers, teachers, strategic partner staff, and individuals with a STEM background a valuable opportunity to support tomorrow’s leaders and future engineering and STEM professionals.

2025 STEM/Engineering & Construction Camps

*Mentors must be on site one day prior to the dates listed below.

U.S. Army Camp
Vicksburg, Miss. • June 8-14, 2025

U.S. Marine Corps Camp
Camp Lejeune, N.C. • June 22-28, 2025

U.S. Air Force Academy Camp
Colorado Springs, Colo. • June 22-28, 2025

U.S. Navy Camp
Jacksonville. • June 22-28, 2025

U.S. Navy Camp
Port Hueneme, Calif. • July 20-26, 2025

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How to Become a Mentor

Criteria:

• Experienced as a communicator, coach, guide, leader, and mentor with youth
• Physically fit and available for the entire period

Apply:

• Complete the application package for a specific camp location
• Mentor/Staff Application Form

Cost:

• Meals and lodging will be provided by the individual camps
• Travel and transportation support will be provided by the SAME Foundation and/or local Posts (with limitations)

Deadline to apply: April 4, 2025

Questions? Contact SAME Camps POC: Amy McGeever.

Apply to be a mentor

What’s In It For YOU?

When you become a mentor, your expertise will inspire rising 10th–12th graders as they start their STEM journey!

• Impact Lives: Play a pivotal role in shaping future students by sharing your expertise and passion for STEM.
• Network With Peers: Connect with like-minded professionals from SAME Posts and partner organizations.
• Build Your Leadership Skills: Enhance your leadership experiences by motivating campers through hands-on, interactive STEM challenges.
• Earn Professional Recognition: Stand out in your field as you contribute to the highly respected SAME Camps Program.

Find the value. Be the value. Make the difference.

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Your journey starts here as a SAME Camp Mentor! Don’t miss this chance to be part of a fulfilling experience. Our future STEM leaders need YOU! Do you know someone that would make a good mentor or staff? Have them submit an application.

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Do you know someone that would make a good mentor or staff? Have them submit an application.

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Mentor & Staff Application Descriptions

Mentors, Assistant Mentors (AM), and Squad Leaders spend the week (though some camps can accommodate shorter-term commitments) at a camp working with outstanding high school students from around the world. These individuals are assigned to groups of students to help guide, train, educate, coach, lead, and mentor the campers through each day’s activities. Mentors and AMs will work with the staff and students from first call in the morning until lights out and be with the campers 24 hours per day for the week of the camp. Additionally, mentors and AMs are asked to stay in contact with their campers after the camp is over, continue in the mentoring process, and assist in guiding the student in their future academic and professional choices.

Support Loggies

Loggies spend the week working to provide the logistical materials and supplies for all camp activities. They serve as back up support for the mentors, Assistant Mentors, and Squad Leaders. Shorter term commitments may be possible.

Criteria for Mentors

• Ideally an SAME member, or member of another professional organization, sustaining member or strategic partner staff, or a teacher with a STEM background
• Valid driver’s license
• Must be able to successfully pass background check
• Record of active participation in SAME or another organization
• Obtain an endorsement from the organization sponsoring you, such as the Post President, Post STEM Coordinator, or a Fellow of your SAME Post or another leader in your organization
• Have experience in mentoring/coaching young students
• Preference is given to mentors that can spend the entire week at camp. However, the priority is to have mentors that are fully engaged (mentors and assistant mentors are encouraged to minimize distractions from mobile devices, emails, phone calls, etc.), so shorter-term commitments may be possible
• Experienced and working in the STEM field, including teachers – we encourage a very broad and diverse set of STEM backgrounds to provide better exposure for the campers
• Be physically fit – you will be on your feet much of the day

Criteria for Assistant Mentors, Squad Leaders, and Support Loggies

• Have experience in mentoring/coaching young people
• Available for the duration of the camp
• Be physically fit – you will be on your feet most all day
• Must be able to successfully pass background check

In addition, to apply for a position at the Air Force Academy Camp, you must be:

• College/Academy student in a STEM major
• Enrolled in a ROTC program (preferred but not required)

“Having an opportunity to volunteer and participate at STEM Camps was one of the first things that excited me about SAME. It is awesome to see students and Young Professionals try and explore the variety of STEM opportunities and career paths while they collaborate to solve our nation’s toughest problems. The mentors and staff are an instrumental part of that collaboration, and they are critical in motivating and inspiring our innovative minds at these Camps. I am truly grateful for the opportunity I had as a mentor and look forward to continuing to help in the years to come!

Capt. Arpan Patel, USAF(Camp Mentor)

Criteria for Staff Positions

• Ideally an SAME member, or member of another professional organization, sustaining member or strategic partner staff, or a teacher with a STEM background
• Record of active participation in SAME or another organization
• Valid driver’s license
• Must be able to successfully pass background check
• Obtain an endorsement from the organization sponsoring you, such as the Post President or a Fellow of your SAME Post or another leader in your organization
• Have experience in volunteering or working in a camp environment
• Some staff positions may require a full week-long commitment. The priority is to have staff that are fully engaged (staff are encouraged to minimize distractions from mobile devices, emails, phone calls, etc.). Shorter-term assignments may be arranged. Some event positions are for a specific period
• Experienced and working in the STEM field, including teachers – we encourage a very broad and diverse set of STEM backgrounds to provide better exposure for the campers
• Be physically fit – you will be on your feet much of the day. Those engaged as logistics support should be able to occasionally lift 50 lbs

Application Process

• Submit an application using the link below
• Completed applications will be forwarded to the individual camp directors who will make the final selections
• Camp directors will contact the selected applicants to coordinate travel instructions and go over roles and responsibilities

Mentor/Staff Application Form

If you have questions about serving as a mentor/staff, please contact SAME’s Camps Project of STEM Camps: Amy McGeever.

PLEASE NOTE: Mentors/Assistant Mentors/Squad Leaders/Loggies are encouraged to ask their Post, organization, or firm to fully support or mitigate their transportation cost. SAME will help connect you with a local Post for travel assistance. Airport pick-up, meals and lodging will be provided.