National Programs
CIRT National Design and Construction Competition
2026 CIRT National Design and Construction Competition Winners!
After a thoughtful deliberations, the jurors selected the 505/732 Teams of the ACE Mentor Program of New Jersey as the First Place winner — and a $2,000 prize — for their Net Zero Data Center project, “Net 505.” Their solution stood out for its comprehensive approach to energy efficiency, technical innovation, and clear articulation of a scalable, sustainable data infrastructure model.
Second Place for a $1,500 prize was awarded to ACE Mentor Program of Southern Nevada, Team Jigsaw for their Modular / Tech-enabled submission “Modular/Tech-Enabled Build” .
Third Place for a $1,000 prize was awarded to ACE Mentor Program of Illinois, Chicago Team 11 for their Cultural Destination submission “Crossroads Cultural Center.”
ACE Mentor New Jersey accepting their First Place Award with (back row, left to right) Thornton Jury Chair Michael Squarzini, Thornton Tomasetti Co-CEO, Corey Clayborne, CIRT President, and Diana Eidenshink, ACE Mentor Program President.
National Scholarship and Trades Stipend Program
The ACE Mentor Program National Scholarship and Trades Stipend Program recognizes outstanding ACE students who demonstrate exceptional commitment, leadership, and a clear passion for pursuing careers in the design and construction industry. These awards provide financial support to help students continue their education through college or skilled trades training programs. Each affiliate can nominate one student for the National Scholarship and one student for the National Trades Stipend. Funded by generous contributions from private donors, both programs aim to further ACE’s mission of inspiring, mentoring, and supporting the next generation of architects, engineers, and construction professionals.
2026 National Scholarship Highlight Video!
Outstanding Mentors and
Exemplary School Champions
Our volunteers are the very lifeblood of the ACE Mentor Program. They serve as team leaders and board members, develop lesson plans and facilitate site visits, and of course, are the mentors and champions for the next generation of construction professional.
Every year our ACE volunteers demonstrate impressive ingenuity, passion for community and commitment to our program mission. We recognize them all for their dedication and contributions.
Summer Experience
Summer Experiences, which include college internships, high school externships, summer camps, and virtual learning opportunities, are an essential part of the ACE program to excite young people about opportunities in the construction space.
STUDENTS & MENTORS: To find out which ACE summer experiences are available in your affiliate, reach out to your team leader or affiliate leader.
ACE Summer Camp at CU Denver
ACE students from around the country gather in Denver for a week-long overnight summer camp on the University of Colorado Denver campus. Faculty from CU Denver’s architecture, engineering, and construction management programs will lead an investigation in design, digital fabrication, and sustainable design. Campers will experience the “Dorm Life” and discover what campus living is all about.
Campers will have the opportunity to participate in a design build project and will collaborate for final presentations. The week is packed with additional activities exploring all that Denver and the Rocky Mountains have to offer. Check out these photos from last year’s camp!
