

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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Designing Hangars for the Aircraft of Today and Tomorrow
Redesigning a maintenance hangar for the New Jersey Air National Guard required not only meeting current requirements but incorporating flexibility to address the needs of tomorrow’s aircraft. -
Using Snow and Ice to Construct a Dry Gap Crossing
With an increased focus on potential future competition in the Arctic, the U.S. Army Engineer Research & Development Center’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory is advancing technology that would enable the construction of gap crossings with snow and ice. -
The Use of Tilt-Up Concrete Walls in Fast-Paced Building Construction
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. -
Meeting Evolving Aircraft Maintenance Requirements
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.