Community Mission
The College Outreach Community leads collaborative efforts between SAME and academia to identify and resolve national security infrastructure-related challenges and supports Post’s efforts to mentor and develop future STEM professionals at the collegiate-level. The community serves as a bridge between academia, Posts, government (military and civilian), and the private sector. The community provides guidance to the network of student chapters across the Society, promotes internship opportunities from SAME sustaining members, and will establish a new engineering competition for students designed to address the nation’s grand challenges.
Overview
The SAME College Outreach Community strives to organize programs and present opportunities to future military and civilian members of the A/E/C profession that will foster networking within their professional community, build leadership skills, and provide job opportunities to recent graduates. Additionally, students with an active membership within SAME have at their disposal a wealth of knowledge and experiences from professionals throughout the A/E/C community of practice.
Executive Community Structure
Vice Chairs
Danielle Hughes, Communications
Jeffrey Allen, Academia Engagement
Staff Liaison
Sarah Feighery, Program Manager
2026 SAME Undergraduate Innovation Design Challenge
Submissions for the 2025-26 SAME Undergraduate Innovation Design Challenge are due by February 6, 2026. This competition, led by the College Outreach COI, evaluates design projects that are being developed by student members as part of their degree curriculums and highlights the innovative thinking of the next generation of STEM professionals.
Learn more about the Innovation Design ChallengeUpcoming National Webinars
Related TME Articles – College Outreach
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Reversing the Shrinking Industrial Base
Incentivizing companies to remain as advanced small businesses, without needing to transition to the large fully open competition market, coupled with difficulties for new small businesses to enter federal acquisition, has resulted in a steady pattern of decline in the nation’s defense industrial base, carrying with it risks to innovation, global standing, and national security. -
Fulfilling the Mission
Rear Adm. Dean VanderLey, CEC, USN, Commander, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, sits down with TME to discuss the Department of the Navy’s Systems Command for shore facilities and expeditionary equipment, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) and its varied responsibility that directly support warfighter lethality. -
A Roadmap for Clean Energy on Kwajalein Atoll
A recent effort led by U.S. Army Space & Missile Defense Command to meet the Army Climate Strategy for operations on Kwajalein Atoll studied potential courses of action that would help the remote installation reach 100 percent carbon-pollution free electricity by 2030. -
Pioneering Sustainability in the Federal Sector
As America undergoes a transformative shift to renewable and sustainable power systems, continuing to meet the energy needs of mission-critical installations requires a comprehensive approach that considers economic and cyber factors along with emerging technologies.
