Seattle, WA

ACE 2024-2025

It has been an incredible 2024-2025 ACE program year! More than 370 students participated on 16 mentoring teams in Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, and virtually. We are proud of all they have accomplished this year!

Students or alumni can check our online Opportunities Matrix for information about summer camps, internships, scholarships, industry events, and more. We keep this listing updated with information for students, from the middle-school level to alumni. Some opportunities are for ACE students, while others are for any student interested in the building industry or STEM activities.

We are still maintaining a list of students interested in ACE who would like to be informed when applications for the 2025-2026 program open over the summer. Please email us if you’d like to be added to this list.

About Us

Since 2001, the ACE Mentor Program of Washington has helped 5,000+ students learn all about the architecture, engineering, and construction professions. Are you fascinated by the art of architecture? Are you interested in how buildings withstand earthquakes? Are you intrigued by sustainable “green” building design? Are you wondering how a building can start out as an idea and become reality? Join the ACE program! Our program is free to students, thanks to donations from local firms, mentors, parents, and other supporters. To date, we have also awarded just over $1.5 MILLION in scholarships to students who pursued A/E/C fields at the university level. During the ACE Mentor Program, teams visit major construction sites, complete projects, and meet bi-monthly at mentor firm offices. Qualifying high school seniors are awarded scholarships and many students remain in touch with industry professionals for continued mentoring with career choices, college and internship applications, and future employment opportunities.

Find us on social media! Our pages have exciting industry links, local ACE events, program information, and details on what our teams are up to! Find us at www.facebook.com/SeattleACE, follow us on Instagram @acementorseattle, and connect with us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/seattleace/.

Project Presentations

Each year the teams are assigned a project. Students and their mentors work diligently preparing for the Final Presentation Night where each team showcases their year-long effort. Over the years, team projects have included a new basketball arena for the Sonics, community centers in South Lake Union, a ski lodge on Steven’s Pass, a new Seattle Aquarium, high-rise towers on Lake Washington, and many more.

Student Scholarships

The ACE Mentor Program of Washington has a strong student scholarship program which has awarded a total of $1.5 million its inception in Washington state in 2001. Passing the $1.5 million mark is a magnificent milestone and one we are incredibly proud of! Seniors who have participated in ACE for at least one year and plan to pursue an ACE-related field in college are eligible to apply for an ACE scholarship.

Congratulations to the scholarship recipients for 2025, who received their awards at the beginning of June:

  • Alfred Ryan Esquivel Gonzalez, a graduate of Newport High School, received the $2,500 Mortenson Award and a $5,500 ACE Award, for a total award of $8,000. Alfred Ryan will attend Lake Washington Institute of Technology in the fall to study construction management, and plans to transfer to University of Washington.
  • Angelina Nguyen, a graduate of Interlake High School, received the $2,500 Mackenzie Award and a $5,500 ACE Award, for a total award of $8,000. Angelina will attend the University of Washington to study mechanical engineering.
  • Brooke VanRavenswaay, a graduate of Curtis Senior High School, received the $2,500 Seneca Group Award, $2,500 Cornerstone General Contractors Award, and a $7,000 ACE Award, for a total award of $12,000. Brooke will attend the University of Colorado to study environmental design with an emphasis in architecture.
  • Charlotte Middleton, a graduate of Newport High School, received the $5,000 Structural Engineers Foundation of Washington Award and a $3,000 ACE Award, for a total award of $8,000. Charlotte will attend the University of Washington to study civil/structural engineering with a minor in urban planning or architecture.
  • Eli Ng, a graduate of Gibson Ek High School, received the $2,500 Pfizer Award and a $7,500 ACE Award, for a total award of $10,000. Eli will attend the University of Washington to study architecture.
  • Hager Gamaleldin, a graduate of Roosevelt High School, received the $2,500 Arcadis Award, $5,000 Magnusson Klemencic Associates Award, and a $2,500 ACE Award, for a total of $10,000. Hager will attend the University of Washington to study architecture.
  • Heribert Mendoza, a graduate of IDEA High School, received the $5,000 PCS Structural Solutions Award, the $2,500 OAC Services Award, and a $2,500 ACE Award, for a total of $10,000. Heribert will attend Washington State University to study construction management.
  • Madeline Holland, a graduate of Bothell High School, received the $2,500 Hoffman Construction Award and a $7,500 ACE Award, for a total award of $10,000. Madeline will attend Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo to study construction management.
  • Olivia Rodrigo Dermody, a graduate of Seattle Preparatory School, received the $2,500 Skanska Award, $2,500 LMN Architects Award, $3,000 ACE Award, and an additional $500 award for her participation in the CIRT National Design Competition, for a total scholarship of $8,500. Olivia will attend Columbia University to study mechanical engineering.
  • Preston So, a graduate of Bellevue Big Picture High School, received the $2,500 GLY Award and a $5,500 ACE Award, for a total award of $8,000. Preston will attend the University of Washington to study mechanical engineering.
  • Rowan Dean, a graduate of Roosevelt High School, received the $5,000 DBIA NW Award and a $5,000 ACE Award, for a total award of $10,000. Rowan will also attend Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo to study construction management.
  • Samiksha Singh, a graduate of Stadium High School, received the $5,000 Electric League of the Pacific Northwest Award and a $5,000 ACEC Washington Award, for a total award of $10,000. Samiksha will attend the University of Washington to study electrical and computer engineering.
  • Sienna Mayo, a graduate of Decatur High School, received the $5,000 Hargis Award, a $5,000 ACEC Washington Award, and a $2,000 ACE Award, for a total award of $12,000. Sienna will attend Stanford University to study mechanical engineering.
  • Silas Hughes, a graduate of Garfield High School, received the $2,500 Sellen Award, $2,500 Stantec Award, and a $7,000 ACE Award, for a total award of $12,000. Silas will attend Carnegie Mellon University to study architecture.

Women in Engineering Endowment

The ACE Mentor Program of Washington is pleased to announce that two large gifts received in 2022 have seeded an endowment fund to support women in engineering. Our Women in Engineering Endowment Committee held a successful fundraising campaign in 2023 and 2024 and has achieved its initial goal of a $100,000 starting amount for the endowment. We welcome donations to this account at our special PayPal campaign page: https://www.paypal.com/donate?campaign_id=NSLWV8CJCUHV4

The Women in Engineering committee just awarded its second Alumna Scholarship to Madison Kulinski, a rising junior at University of Wisconsin-Madison, who is studying mechanical engineering. A graduate of Interlake High School, Madison is receiving a $5,000 scholarship to go toward her studies. She says she hopes to return to the Seattle area and be a mechanical engineering mentor after she graduates!

Our ultimate goal is a $250,000 endowment base, the interest from which will be used to increase opportunities for women in engineering. Potential endeavors include middle school outreach, alumni scholarships, executive coaching/mentoring for current women engineers, and much more! We welcome your ideas, partnerships, and donations!

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Support the ACE Mentor Program

DONATE today and help ACE MENTOR OF WASHINGTON continue to offer this vibrant program FREE OF CHARGE, to all interested students. The average cost of the program per student, per year is $295. Your support will ensure program viability and enhance the future of the industry. It’s easy! Click on the DONATE button to the right of this page for a secure link via PAYPAL. Thank you for supporting the fastest growing mentoring programs in the building industry.

Contacts

Angela Gottula

Executive Director
ACE Mentor Program of Washington
PO Box 6248
Edmonds, WA  98026
(p)425-750-4522

Pete Maslenikov
President
Skanska USA
221 Yale Avenue N #400
Seattle, WA 98109
(p) 206-726-8000

Sarah Holstedt
Vice President
Arcadis
1420 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2400
Seattle, WA 98101
(p) 206-623-4646

Deb Hudacek
Vice President
Seneca Group
1191 2nd Avenue, Suite 1500
Seattle, WA 98101

Brad Strandquist
Vice President
Magnusson Klemencic Associates
1301 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3200
Seattle, WA 98101
(p) 206-292-1200

Mentors and Sponsors

Thanks to our many mentoring firms that helped us this past year in making our affiliate such a success.
View our list of mentoring firms.

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.

More Information

Bylaws
Articles of Incorporation
EIN: 20-2238314

Participate in ACE!

If you’d like to experience ACE’s challenges, opportunities and rewards for yourself, contact us today!