The Architecture, Construction and Engineering (ACE) Mentor Program is a free experience for interested students to work together, under the guidance of knowledgeable mentors, to present end-of-year projects for awards and scholarships.
Senior Anna-Bella Madison at the Wilson Academy who participated in the ACE Program believes the first-hand experience has been transformative for her knowledge in the fields of Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM).
“Architecture can be taught in school, but the interaction with people who are in the field every day and their work makes the whole thing more alive and thrilling,” Madison said.
ACE South, which is the most accessible campus to Midtown students due to its proximity, meets every Tuesday for two hours at Georgia Tech’s Cadell Building. Georgia Tech sponsors the program and provides mentors to the students.
“The presence of mentors in the areas of architecture and engineering has opened up the doors for me to comprehend how projects evolve in the real world,” Madison said. ”They offer great support, and they always encourage us to be more innovative.”
ACE provides new mentors each meeting, specialized in subjects such as civil engineering, architecture, mechanical engineering and plumbing and electrical engineering. Midtown junior Isla Murphy, who is currently in her second year with ACE, has found that mentors have opened her eyes to possible career opportunities.
“The input they provide gives me a real-world understanding of how it all works,” Murphy said. “Their guidance has motivated me to explore architecture further and study it in college, utilizing these skills in my future.”
Engineering Drafting and Design teacher Melissa Nunnick first introduced the program to Murphy, but the program is easily accessible to anyone interested.
“I discovered ACE through Instagram,” Madison said. “I kept investigating it and then I realized that it would be the perfect program for me since I am so fascinated by architecture and design.”
ACE is a useful tool to aid students in taking the next step in the engineering, architecture or construction world, Madison said.
“I am lucky to have had the chance to learn a lot through the program, such as teamwork and design planning,” Madison said. “The ACE industry is very diversified in terms of jobs; I need to thank it for the assistance in narrowing down the side of architecture that I really like.”
The current assignment for ACE students is to design a cultural destination’s building’s structure, interior, functionality and budget anywhere in the world. Midtown junior and two-year member Sienna Zizzi is excited about this project cycle.
“We are currently working on a cultural destination located in Morocco, which is a building that will display history, traditions, culture and a unique architectural design,” Zizzi said. “This building is meant to attract tourists to visit Morocco and gain a better understanding of the culture there, which is very interesting.”
Murphy, who is also working on the Morocco project, believes the program emphasizes trends in the engineering field and encourages students to make the best designs possible.
“We are incorporating net-zero and sustainable aspects to our design to make this destination stand out from existing destinations,” Murphy said.
In April, students present their projects to an audience of ACE students, their mentors and parents. Awards and scholarships are handed out to celebrate the students’ hard work.
“My favorite part of this internship is the end-of-year presentation banquet because it feels so rewarding,” Murphy said. “So many months of work go into it.”
Not only does ACE benefit students by developing skills, but it also awards thousands of dollars in scholarships to accomplished students. Juniors and seniors enrolled in the program with an 80% attendance rate are eligible, with the highest scholarship amount awarded being $35,000.
“As a junior now, I find it very exciting that the work I put in every week could grant me money to help me with my future,” Zizzi said. “It’s not everywhere that you get scholarship opportunities like that.”
ACE not only provides life-changing scholarship money, but it also provides skills that could change students’ minds about their career path, give them room to grow, and become the future of the design world.
“I would highly recommend this mentorship program to others interested in architecture, engineering, design or construction,” Murphy said. “It’s such a cool, rewarding program that exposes you to new perspectives and the opportunity to work with like-minded students and mentors.”
