Skip to content
Mead & Hunt Site Logo
  • Markets
    • Aviation
    • Cultural Resources
    • Education
    • Federal
    • Food & Beverage
    • Justice
    • Renewable Energy
    • State & Local
    • Transportation
    • Water
  • Services
    • Architecture & Interiors
    • Construction Services
    • Engineering
    • Environmental
    • Fabrication & Custom Manufacturing
    • Planning
    • Sustainability & Resilience
    • Technology
  • Portfolio
  • News
  • About
    • Purpose & Values
    • Meet Our Team
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Corporate Responsibility
    • Locations
    • Our History
    • Events
  • Careers
    • Career Opportunities
    • Why Work Here?
    • Scholarship Opportunities
Menu
  • Markets
    • Aviation
    • Cultural Resources
    • Education
    • Federal
    • Food & Beverage
    • Justice
    • Renewable Energy
    • State & Local
    • Transportation
    • Water
  • Services
    • Architecture & Interiors
    • Construction Services
    • Engineering
    • Environmental
    • Fabrication & Custom Manufacturing
    • Planning
    • Sustainability & Resilience
    • Technology
  • Portfolio
  • News
  • About
    • Purpose & Values
    • Meet Our Team
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Corporate Responsibility
    • Locations
    • Our History
    • Events
  • Careers
    • Career Opportunities
    • Why Work Here?
    • Scholarship Opportunities
Mead & Hunt Site Logo
  • Markets
    • Aviation
    • Cultural Resources
    • Education
    • Federal
    • Food & Beverage
    • Justice
    • Renewable Energy
    • State & Local
    • Transportation
    • Water
  • Services
    • Architecture & Interiors
    • Construction Services
    • Engineering
    • Environmental
    • Fabrication & Custom Manufacturing
    • Planning
    • Sustainability & Resilience
    • Technology
  • Portfolio
  • News
  • About
    • Purpose & Values
    • Meet Our Team
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Corporate Responsibility
    • Locations
    • Our History
    • Events
  • Careers
    • Career Opportunities
    • Why Work Here?
    • Scholarship Opportunities
Menu
  • Markets
    • Aviation
    • Cultural Resources
    • Education
    • Federal
    • Food & Beverage
    • Justice
    • Renewable Energy
    • State & Local
    • Transportation
    • Water
  • Services
    • Architecture & Interiors
    • Construction Services
    • Engineering
    • Environmental
    • Fabrication & Custom Manufacturing
    • Planning
    • Sustainability & Resilience
    • Technology
  • Portfolio
  • News
  • About
    • Purpose & Values
    • Meet Our Team
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Corporate Responsibility
    • Locations
    • Our History
    • Events
  • Careers
    • Career Opportunities
    • Why Work Here?
    • Scholarship Opportunities

SAME Camp: Preparing Future Leaders for STEM Careers

  • August 22, 2023
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on Email
all the campers pose in matching red shirts under a sculpture of a bee. They are holding pipes fitted to spell "SAME"

I was recently privileged to serve as a volunteer with the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Engineering and Construction Camp at Naval Base Ventura County. The camp is a one-week experience for rising high school juniors and seniors from across the country. SAME sponsors these camps at five military base locations. Held in conjunction with the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps, SAME’s Engineering & Construction Camps offer an unparalleled experience for students to experience hands-on learning in collaboration with military engineers and SAME members.

students sit around a table working with popsicle sticks on a project.

The 40 students arrived by plane and by car – one even piloted a private plane to and from the event – and were eager to start getting their hands dirty on engineering and STEM tasks. Projects included building and then breaking a concrete beam, and a popsicle-stick bridge; building and operating both a small aerial vehicle and a small underwater vehicle; and building and racing cardboard boats. Each task included both a design phase and a construction phase. The campers also heard from a variety of senior speakers from the military STEM community. The Navy’s Civil Engineer Corps Officers School, Seabee School, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC), Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), and even the Seabee museum all generously supported the camp with personnel, facilities, and resources.

Recent reports indicate that the U.S. is facing a significant need to develop adequate talent in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, with the number of jobs requiring substantial STEM expertise growing by 34% over the last decade. The SAME Engineering and Construction Camps attempt to help fill these shortfalls by giving these talented young students the opportunity to experience engineering first-hand.

As a first-time volunteer at the camp, I was mostly assigned to routine support and logistics duties, from transporting students, food and materials, to prepping project demonstrations. I was also able to use my experience to advise the students, along with the other camp staff, squad leaders, and mentors, as they developed their designs and completed their construction for each project. As the only Army veteran on the staff – all others were Navy military or civilians – I was also able to present an alternate viewpoint when it came to career options.  All of the campers indicated interest in a future STEM career; many of them also indicated an interest in potentially joining the military.

Overall, my experience volunteering at the SAME Engineering and Construction Camp was rewarding and worthwhile. I enjoyed sharing my knowledge to shape young minds, and hopefully inspired a few to pursue a career in STEM or the military. Mentoring students and sharing experiences from our careers is a great way for engineering and construction professionals to strengthen the future of our industry.

Michael Herman headshot

Mike Herman

Mike is commander of the Army Component of the California State Guard and a civil engineer and project manager with Mead & Hunt. He has extensive experience collaborating on military projects, especially California Army & Air National Guard; California state projects; and USACE projects. When not at work, Mike is a regular runner and skier, and loves to travel.

Linkedin Envelope
PrevPrevious
NextNext

Most Popular

Pursuing Equity in Transportation
September 27, 2023
EPC/Renewable Energy Group Recognized As Valued Supplier
September 19, 2023
Electric Vehicle Charging Demand Needs: A Comprehensive Approach
September 13, 2023
Pat Carnahan to Head Mead & Hunt’s One Water Group
August 30, 2023

Main Menu

  • Home
  • Markets
  • Services
  • Portfolio
  • News
  • About
  • Careers
  • Home
  • Markets
  • Services
  • Portfolio
  • News
  • About
  • Careers

Useful Links

  • Ebids
  • Equipment & Parts
  • GSA Schedules Program
  • U.S. Government Contract Vehicles
  • Policy for Third-Party Recruiters
  • Transparency in Coverage
  • Ebids
  • Equipment & Parts
  • GSA Schedules Program
  • U.S. Government Contract Vehicles
  • Policy for Third-Party Recruiters
  • Transparency in Coverage

Get in touch

  • Apply Today
  • Contact Us
  • Locations
  • Title VI
  • Apply Today
  • Contact Us
  • Locations
  • Title VI

Connect with us

Linkedin Facebook Instagram Vimeo

© 2023 Mead & Hunt, Inc. All rights reserved.

  • Privacy & CCPA Policy
  • Do Not Sell
  • Site Map
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Read full privacy policy
ACCEPTREJECTSETTINGS
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Powered by CookieYes Logo