The motion to make the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) a recognized Mercer student organization passed unanimously March 3.
The group, headed by sophomore Matthew Long, is part of a national organization that has over 50 student chapters across the nation. They focus on “maintaining the support of American engineering,” Long said.
SAME got its start at Mercer last year when Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins approached the university about being a mentoring post for the organization. Once that relationship was established, they began to invest in individual students like Long, who they sent to a SAME leadership conference in Phoenix, Arizona.
Long said that this organization is different from other engineering-focused groups on campus in that they don’t just pull from students who are in the engineering school. Long himself is an accounting major. For him, it’s all about the “networking opportunity" that SAME provides.
The national organization also has a strong emphasis on service. They support the Wounded Warrior Project and QL Plus, which aims to provide engineering solutions like prosthetics for those who have served in the military. The Mercer chapter would also aim to improve engagement with the Bibb County public school system in order to promote STEM education.
SAME meetings will be once a month and will have speakers sponsored by Robins Air Force Base to discuss problems in engineering, how the professional force works, and to answer questions from the students.
SGA Vice President Victoria Conley spoke in favor of the organization and said that “[SAME] could be a really big thing for Mercer.”
The Society of American Military Engineers is Mercer's new kid on the block
