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 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.

Upcoming National Webinars

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  March 5, 2026

  Webinar

  Sensor-Enabled Security & Readiness Monitoring

  Today, installations and critical facilities face growing operational and security demands. The ability to monitor assets remotely and generate actionable intelligence has never been greater to sustaining mission readiness.
• 
  March 18, 2026

  Webinar

  Successful Microgrid Projects for Dept. of War

  This webinar shares practices which are proven to provide successful outcomes on Garrison (fixed) microgrid projects for the Department of Defense (Department of War). Based on real-world expertise, the presenter will discuss various perspectives including that of supplier, integrator, microgrid owner, and specifier.

Related TME Articles – College Outreach

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  The Use of Tilt-Up Concrete Walls in Fast-Paced Building Construction

  November 16, 2022

  As part of the Hurricane Florence Recovery Program at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, the time and cost savings of tilt-up concrete walls were leveraged in constructing a new state-of- the-art training facility.
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  Meeting Evolving Aircraft Maintenance Requirements

  November 16, 2022

  To modernize aircraft maintenance operations and support flying missions for years to come, McGhee Tyson ANGB recently completed the largest construction project in its history: a 57,000-ft2 KC-135 maintenance hangar and shops.
• 

  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.