College Outreach Community

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.

Community Chair

Chris Poulos
Director Of Business Development, Akima, LLC

Past Chair
Marilyn Zenko

2026 SAME Undergraduate Innovation Design Challenge

Submissions for the 2025-26 SAME Undergraduate Innovation Design Challenge are due by February 26, 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.

Upcoming National Webinars

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  January 14, 2026

  Webinar

  Journey to SAME Fellow Webinar

  No two careers are the same and our paths may twist and turn as we carry our passions towards out goals. However, those detours don’t need to come at the expense of our long-term goals and achievements! In fact, they may be some of the most rewarding and challenging experiences. Thinking through and making a game plan during these seasons to make sure our long-term goals stay on track is incredibly important if we want to meet those goals.
• 
  January 21, 2026

  Webinar

  Assessment and Inspection Process for Sites with General Radioactive Materials

  A framework has been recently developed which provides a standardized approach in conducting a Preliminary Assessment (PA) and Site Inspection (SI) for sites with a known presence or potential presence of General-Radioactive Materials (G-RAM).
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  January 22, 2026

  Webinar

  Business Impacts of the FAR Revisions and Contract Vehicle Realignment

  The government contracting landscape has been redefined through recent revisions to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FARs). All businesses alike and federal agencies are operating under a totally new set of rules based on recently released FAR 19 revisions and contract vehicle realignment.
• 
  January 27, 2026

  Webinar

  Credentialing for Successful Careers

  This webinar will provide an overview of professional credentialing pathways for individuals transitioning within or into the A/E/C, national security, and public service sectors.

Related TME Articles – College Outreach

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  Building a Modern Health Facility in a Historical Environment

  November 16, 2022

  In constructing a new dental, physical therapy, and behavioral health clinic within the historical medical district at Schofield Barracks, the design-build team needed to deliver a modern building that fit in a century-old aesthetic.