

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
-
Improving NAVFAC’s Facilities Construction Community
Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command has implemented a series of process improvements across its construction workforce to increase recruitment, validate and standardize mastery of processes and procedures, and recognize accomplishments of personnel. -
Modernizing Dry Dock No. 1 at Naval Base San Diego
A recent project to modernize Dry Dock No. 1 at Naval Base San Diego will allow the facility to service modern vessel types while increasing its reliability for decades. -
Streamlining Federal Construction with Alternative Delivery Methods
Alternative delivery methods offering early involvement of the construction contractor during design offer a valuable tool to help address cost and schedule overruns in federal projects, increase collaboration, and grow the number of companies willing to bid. -
Designing and Constructing Secure Spaces at China Lake
As part of the earthquake recovery program at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, nearly 300,000-ft2 of secure space must be constructed, requiring an integrated team of government owners, stakeholders, and industry members.