The ACE Mentor Program offers students and mentors year-round opportunities to stay involved beyond the traditional program experience. These special programs and initiatives provide additional ways to learn, grow, connect, and be recognized for outstanding achievements. Opportunities include scholarships, externships, camps, competitions, awards, and other recognition programs designed to support and celebrate ACE participants.
Summer Work Experiences which include high school externships are an essential part of the ACE program to excite young people about opportunities in the construction space. Each summer, high school students are eligible to apply for a work experience with one of the participating firms. To find out about available opportunities, please contact your team leader or affiliate leader.
What employers are saying
“The ACE internship experience was an honor to be apart of, and the ACE student assigned to us was a pleasure. Our student was willing to learn, professional, and had an excellent work ethic. We would be more than happy to take on an ACE student in the future.”
What students are saying
“This externship has completely opened my eyes as to how exciting a career in engineering or construction can be. I ended up learning so much that I will hopefully be able to pass on to my ACE team and peers…”
Summer Camps are exciting opportunities to keep ACE students engaged year-round. There are local and National camp options all around the country. Camps offer hands-on projects, mentorship from industry professionals, and real-world exposure to the Built Environment. Campers gain valuable technical and teamwork skills and build connections for their career pathways.
The purpose is to introduce trades to students for exposure to the entire industry and not just a part of it. Recruitment of students, mentors, volunteers, sponsors, donors, & community partners. Introduce ACE and the mission to the community and bolster relationships within the AEC communities.
The Transformative Partner Program (TPP), a 1 to 1 mentoring program for ACE alumni, was established in 2022 to support and track ACE’s strategic goal of “throughput”. Through TPP, ACE alumni are paired with an industry mentor who provides support throughout post-secondary education and ultimately helps them achieve their goal of entering as a full-time employee of the AEC industry.
Affiliates can nominate one mentor for this award.
Eligibility: One previous program year and current year participation. Registered and marked active in database.
Schedule:
11/3-Nominations Open
1/29-Nomination Deadline
3/12-Winners Announced
4/26-Recognition at National Board Meeting
Affiliates can submit one school champion to be recognized nationally.
All submittals will be recognized.
Eligibility: One previous program year and current year participation.
Schedule:
11/3-Submittals Open
1/29-Submittal Deadline
3/12-Exemplary School Champions Announced
Schedule:
11/13 – Nominations Open (Recommended deadline for nominations is 1/22)
2/3 – Student Application Deadline
3/30 – Announcements
ACE National Scholarship
Affiliates can nominate one student to apply for the national scholarship. These funds are to be used for post-secondary studies.
ACE National Trades Stipend
Affiliates can nominate one student to apply for the national Trades Stipend. These funds are to be used for apprentice fees, tools and other trades related needs.
In 2026, 20 students were awarded $350,000 in scholarships.
The ACE Mentor Program of America proudly celebrates the inaugural class of inductees into our newly established Founders Hall of Honors—a tribute to those whose vision and dedication helped shape ACE into what it is today.
Edmund (Ed) Worthy (Posthumous)
Founder of the Greater Washington DC affiliate
Jack Tipton
Driving force behind ACE Tennessee since 2005
John Woodman (Posthumous)
Expanded the GNY program and led national growth into Philadelphia, Greater DC and Chicago
Jon Magnuson
Founder of ACE Washington
Terry Dooley (Posthumous)
Founder of ACE LA
A new year of ideas, innovation, and opportunity begins today with the launch of the 2027 CIRT National Design + Construction Competition, presented by the Construction Industry Round Table (CIRT) in partnership with the ACE Mentor Program of America.
CHALLENGES
For 2027, teams can choose from three challenges reflecting important questions and opportunities facing the built environment. Each challenge asks teams to consider not only what they would design or build, but how and why their solution could work in the real world—including functionality, materials, constructability, cost and community impact.
- Rising Tide Regenerative Coastal Multi-Family Housing
- Forgotten Infrastructure Adaptive Reuse + Community Transformation
- Design + Construction Innovation Center Learning, Technology + Industry Collaboration