This summer, the SAME Foundation launched its inaugural Fundraising Campaign to build support for its compelling purpose of “fostering engineering leadership for the nation.”
For nearly a century, SAME, through the lasting contributions of its members, partners, and stakeholders, has played a critical role at every phase of progress in the engineering, architecture, and construction fields. In 2016, with a vision to strengthen and expand the Society’s philanthropic efforts in order to help develop and sustain the next generation of military, government civilian, and A/E/C industry leaders, the SAME Foundation was established.
“Never before in history has our A/E/C community faced as much change as we do today,” wrote Col. John Mogge, Ph.D., RA, F.SAME, USAF (Ret.), President of the SAME Foundation Board of Directors, in a letter this summer, announcing the inaugural fundraising campaign. “Technology and civilization are accelerating rapidly. Disruption is constant. Material scarcity, capacity shortfalls, artificial intelligence, machine learning, climate change, and other factors are impacting our ability to plan, design, build and maintain the infrastructure necessary to sustain a secure nation underpinned by a resilient economy.”
“Our nation must have a continuous pipeline of quality engineering and STEM leaders to address these complex national security and infrastructure challenges,” Mogge continued. “The SAME Foundation was specifically created to attack this need by leveraging the charitable capacity of our Society and of engineering and related professions.”
A Plan for the Future
The SAME Foundation has outlined a three-tiered plan to invest in programs that will provide great value to the profession, and the nation, as SAME heads into its second century of service beginning in 2020.
Realizing the Potential of our National Leader Development Program. To help develop America’s next generation of world-class military, government civilian, and industry leaders, the SAME Foundation kicked off our national Leader Development Program in May 2019. Our inaugural class of participants from across SAME will develop leadership skills through coaching, training, service projects, and other independent and collaborative study. Additional investment is needed for year two and to expand the number of members in future years.
Inspiring High School and College Students to Pursue Engineering/STEM Careers. SAME’s Engineering & Construction Camps have an impressive record over 20 years of producing thousands of engineers and STEM leaders. We currently are supporting camps in seven locations and developing a program to help young members from the architecture, engineering, and construction profession be able to serve as mentors. Additional investment is needed to grow these efforts that develop leaders for our profession, and our nation.
Preparing Veterans for Success in the A/E/C Profession. Our nation needs the leadership, work ethic, and selfless service of America’s veterans, in and out of uniform. The SAME Foundation is committed to helping veterans and active duty servicemembers become better qualified while they are in uniform, and for when they transition. They defend America; now let’s help them build it. Additional investment is needed for credentialing, education, and transition assistance to prepare veterans for success in the A/E/C profession.
Becoming a Founding Supporter
Founding Supporters of the SAME Foundation will receive benefits that showcase their contribution to future engineering leaders.
When you donate $100 or more, you will be recognized as a Founding Supporter at the bronze level. The SAME Foundation will show its appreciation by listing your name in The Military Engineer, provide you with a Founding Supporter ribbon at SAME events, and give you regular updates on how your gifts are making a difference. If you are able to help with a tax-deductible gift of $500, you will be recognized at the silver level, receive all the benefits above, plus be invited to join members of our Board of Directors for special events. And, if you donate an especially generous $1,000, you will be welcomed as a Founding Supporter at the gold level, receive all of the above benefits, and you will also be presented a Founding Supporter gold lapel pin and be recognized in a special manner during SAME’s Centennial year in 2020.
The SAME Foundation is poised to build on an enduring legacy of service. In 2018 alone, SAME, through its members and Posts, continued to make lasting contributions to our communities, our nation’s heroes, and our next generation of leaders by: awarding over 800 scholarships, totaling more than $1.1 million; spending 16,500 hours conducting STEM outreach and 5,000 hours supporting veterans and wounded warriors; providing nearly 11,000 hours of volunteer community service; donating $350,000 to STEM programs; and giving $130,000 to wounded veteran initiatives.
America’s future is bright. Let’s help making it brighter. Learn more about becoming an SAME Foundation Founding Supporter at www.same.org/donate.
