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
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The Hidden Cost: Why Schedule is the Biggest MILCON Premium
Military construction (MILCON) cost discussions often focus on dollars per square foot, but one of the most significant portion of the overall cost is time. Every month added to a project can increase costs through -
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AI as Load Shock: Rethinking Energy Security and Mission Assurance
The rapid expansion of AI computing, electrification, and mission-critical digital infrastructure is fundamentally altering the energy security landscape. While AI is often discussed as a software capability or data challenge, its most immediate national security impact is physical: unprecedented, concentrated, and inflexible electrical demand that stresses grid infrastructure and traditional resilience assumptions.
Related TME Articles – College Outreach
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The Benefits of DC-Powered Lighting Solutions
As military bases and government facilities advance renewable energy initiatives, DC-powered LED luminaire technologies can provide reliable lighting and controls, both saving energy and helping to promote installation resiliency. -
Consolidating Cybersecurity Systems at Cheyenne Mountain SFS
In a first for the Department of the Air Force, Cheyenne Mountain SFS recently integrated dozens of supervisory control and data acquisition and facility-related control systems, as well as related hardware components, into a single enterprise network architecture. -
Increasing Engineer Interoperability
Held this spring at Tyndall AFB, Readiness Challenge X welcomed an unprecedented number of engineer teams from across service branches and allied nations, reinforcing readiness across the U.S. military and international partners. -
The Northernmost Theater: A Crucial Frontier for National Security
With abundant natural resources and a critical geographic positioning, the Arctic continues to rise in importance to America’s strategic interests, requiring an ongoing evolution of military, economic, and diplomatic policy.
