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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- 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. -
- 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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Measuring Readiness for Power Projection Platforms
A cross-functional working group established by the Air Force Installation & Mission Support Center set out to validate and operationalize a new infrastructure readiness tool that would be designed to monitor installations as power projection platforms. -
Building Futures with SkillBridge
A program within the Defense Department allows businesses to engage servicemembers during their final 180 days of military service in preparation for their transition into the civilian world—delivering a mutually beneficial arrangement for both America’s veterans and participating organizations. -
Enhancing Wildfire Recovery Through AI-Powered Detection
To aid in recovery efforts after the 2023 Maui wildfire, an AI-driven computer vision program was developed to identify burnt vehicles in Lahaina and expedite debris removal. -
Empowering Decision-Making with BUILDER Dashboards
A newly developed interactive BUILDER SMS dashboard gives military leaders the power to make faster, smarter decisions by turning complex facility condition data into easy-to-understand visuals—helping streamline planning, optimize resources, and improve readiness.
