Mentors
Thanks to our many mentors who have helped us this past year in making our affiliate such a success. View our list of mentors.
Board of Directors
Our board is comprised of local industry leaders who make a significant contribution to our chapter. We are grateful for their continuing support. View our board members.
Please note that as of October 2, our affiliate's mentor and student application period has closed.
About Us
One of two affiliates chosen from more than 90 regional ACE programs as “Affiliate of the Year,” the ACE Chicago mentoring program takes a “hands-on” approach to helping students learn about careers in architecture, construction, engineering and related professions.
Since our founding, we have touched the lives of over 600 high school juniors and seniors from 25 Chicago public schools. During the 2006-2007 school year, 160 students and 90 mentors participated in the program.
Using a variety of engaged learning approaches, the program involves students in activities that help them build skills they can carry over to school subjects, such as graphic design, art, math and engineering. At the same time, these activities give them a strong foundation on which to base future careers.
We also offer a program that provides paid summer internships at ACE’s participating firms. This program, which includes an orientation and ongoing oversight during the summer, gives students a chance to earn a salary (hourly wages have ranged from $10-$18), as well as gain valuable work experience and contacts.
In addition to these highly sought after summer internships, we have awarded 137 renewable four-year college scholarships worth $301,000.
Our Projects
ACE Chicago uses a range of creative activities to introduce students to careers in the building industry. For example, student teams might be provided with a list of architectural or structural elements and told to “gather” them from local buildings using a digital camera. Or each team might be given sets of architecture, engineering and construction drawings and asked to answer various design and technical questions about them.
Working with mentors on these kinds of activities helps students learn the basics of the building industry by applying abstract concepts to concrete situations.
Team Information
Team 1
We meet Wednesday evenings from 5:00pm-7:00pm at various locations in the downtown area.
Team 2
Team 3
Team 4
Team 5
Team 6
Participate in ACE!
If you’d like to experience ACE’s challenges, opportunities and rewards for yourself, just contact the ACE leader listed in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
