ACE Cleveland Alumni

Since starting the ACE Cleveland Program, I've always wanted to work at Turner Construction Company. I felt so fortunate to have had the opportunity to intern with them (Tuner) four times. I’m particularly drawn to the field side of construction management, as I enjoy spending time with the project schedule, walking the site, having conversations with the trades, and exercising my problem solving skills when field issues arise. 

I wouldn’t be where am I today without ACE. ACE opened many doors for me, from my Mentor Judson Kline who I still communicate with post-graduation, to the position I hold currently at Turner Construction. While in high school, Mentors from Ace sat with us weekly and while discussing our project and our ideas, they also would provide guidance as to what we wanted our college experience and careers.

Being part of ACE has been a game-changer for my career in the construction industry. From the end of my senior year of high school, winning the prestigious Allen Berg CMiC scholarship, which in turn opened the door to an incredible internship with Gilbane Building Company after my freshman year of college and continuing with them throughout my time in college, set me up to graduate with the confidence to launch my own construction firm right here in Cleveland, Ohio.

During my tenure at John Hay, I had the privilege of participating in the ACE Mentor Program for two years. This experience was pivotal in shaping my career trajectory by exposing me to various facets of the construction industry.

Moreover, the program facilitated numerous networking opportunities, which played a pivotal role in securing my initial employment. For these reasons, I hold the ACE Mentoring Program in high regard and am deeply grateful for the guidance and opportunities it afforded me.

Reflecting on my journey thus far, I attribute much of my success to the guidance and support provided by ACE. The ongoing mentorship, developmental opportunities, and career-building initiatives have been instrumental in shaping me into the accomplished professional I am today.

Witnessing its transformative impact, I encourage aspiring young professionals to embrace ACE as a pathway to becoming the esteemed individuals they aspire to be.

My journey into the world of architecture, construction, and engineering kicked off in high school when I joined the ACE program through Cuyahoga Community College’s High Tech Academy. 

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I graduated from Central State University with a degree in Water Resources Management, and now I’m working at the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. Through an incredible fellowship, I’m getting to dive into Stormwater Construction, Stormwater Design, Green Infrastructure and Operations & Maintenance, rotating through these departments for three months at a time—hitting the points of ACE, but on a whole new level!

During my time in high school, ACE played a key role in shaping my career path. Through its programs, networking opportunities, and professional mentorship, I developed practical skills that complemented my academic learning. ACE strengthened my leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities, while the guidance I received helped me discover my passion for engineering.

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Today, I am proud to give back as a mentor at Warrensville Heights High School and as a member of the ACE Alumni Committee. Serving as an ACE Mentor has reinforced the importance of collaboration and adaptability skills that have been invaluable in my role as a Project Engineer.

Looking back at everything I’ve done, ACE is the one thing I’m proud of doing. With the help of ACE I was able to co-op with 4 different companies. Not only did they help me financially through college, but they also helped me secure a full time position at Gilbane after college. I encourage everyone to take advantage of the opportunities that they have to provide.

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To me ACE is not just an after school program for high schoolers. It’s the start of their career. There have been many ACE students that have proceeded in one of the ACE fields rights after high school. ACE has given them the guidance and encouragement to proceed in a challenging course of life.

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The ACE Mentor Program offered a community where I could explore my interests. In high school, weekly meetings and hands-on projects fueled my passion for the built environment. This engagement helped me develop key skills and a deeper understanding of the field.

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Beyond financial assistance, my mentor has been instrumental in my professional development. She provided resources for interview preparation, encouraged me to pursue my master’s degree, and connected me with industry professionals and job opportunities. This focus on building relationships and resilience has greatly influenced my career trajectory.

The main thing ACE has done for me is given me a lot of practice in networking -- from walking in as a sophomore until now -- it's all about networking and being able to learn from just meeting someone. Interacting with professionals in the ACE fields has boosted my confidence in public speaking and meeting new people, enabling me to connect with mentors who have opened valuable doors for me. 

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As of now, I serve on the ACE board as Alumni Chair. My primary objective is to offer valuable insights from my diverse experiences. Having been a student, a college alumnus, and a mentor, I believe my unique perspective can contribute to enhancing the program for students, alumni, and mentors alike.

The ACE Mentor Program prepared me for my career in the construction industry by providing hand on experience, networking opportunities and exposure to the industry. Through ACE I was able to connect with mentors and mentees that are still part of my everyday life. The mentors I met helped open door and prepare me for internship opportunities that later became full time offers.

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I was an intern at Whiting-Turner and Walsh construction.

With my internships I was able to apply the information I was learning in college and apply it to the real world. The construction industry is a small world and the internships helped me expand my network in the industry.

Participating in the ACE program has been one of the most impactful experiences I participated in during high school. It not only provided me with invaluable networking opportunities within the architecture, construction and engineering industries but it also allowed me to connect with professionals from diverse backgrounds. Without ACE I wouldn’t be where I am today and I wholeheartedly recommend the program to anyone interested in these fields. I even encouraged my brother (Garrett Morgan) to join, and today he is also a proud ACE alumnus.

ACE lets you test drive a career in architecture, construction and engineering while you're in high school, and it's an opportunity most students don't get. Personally, ACE has given me the chance to develop relationships with professionals who are already in my field and learn about what makes a good professional engineer, construction manager.

Joining the ACE program was a crucial stepping stone and foundation into my career in engineering. Having the opportunity to collaborate with my classmates senior year not only expanded my knowledge in engineering, but my critical thinking and effective problem solving. The ACE program also emphasized our enjoyment of working together as a team which meant a lot to me and I am honored to be part of this program!

ACE made a way for me to participate and learn about architecture even though my school didn’t have an ACE program. I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with the Warrensville Heights team to create an awesome presentation with my peers and make professional connections with leaders in the industry.

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Even more, I’m grateful for the financial support I receive from ACE for my college education!

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Thank you!!

ACE transformed my junior and senior with hands-on experiences that opened my eyes to the engineering world. Working alongside friends and mentors to build our vision for the city of Cleveland were some of the experiences I'll never forget. The guidance we received, coaching, and ability to grow our skills in the program have proven to be invaluable post-graduation.

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Recently, a family friend approached me about their son seeing a brochure about ACE. It piqued their interest in STEM, and I was excited to encourage them into joining the program. It's not just an ordinary after school experience, but one I believe anyone can benefit greatly from. I hope for the ACE program to continue strong in our city & continue to drive positive change for others, like it did for my friends & I.

Having gone through the ACE Program for three years, I obtained meaningful insight into what it means to engage in architecture and adjacent fields. The program enabled me to learn about cooperating with others towards the same goal, hand drafting, 3D modeling in addition to the movement to get more underrepresented communities involved in architecture. Most of all, I learned that one could pursue any path they seek with enough curiosity, architecture or otherwise.

This program has done so much to inspire the next generation of AEC professionals and will continue to do so in the future.

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As an ACE Alumni, my career has benefited greatly from being in ACE through preparing me for my future career and supporting me through university. My passion for architecture expanded through interactions with my mentors and the collaboration I did with my peers with our ACE projects. I received many tools within the program that allowed me to pave a path towards my career goals.

The transition from a student to a mentor within ACE has opened my eyes to the immense impact that this program has on shaping the futures of young adults. Witnessing the dedication and hard work of mentors, volunteers, and partners firsthand has shown me the power of selfless dedication and passion in creating opportunities for students to excel in the ACE fields.

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As an alumni of the ACE Mentor Program of Cleveland, my journey has been nothing short of transformative. From my days as a high school student immersed in the program, to now serving as a mentor, youth career coach, summer experience coordinator, member of the communication committee, career pathways advocate, and photographer, my involvement with ACE has come full circle.

ACE continues to be one of the best programs I have ever been a part of. ACE challenged me in ways I never expected to be so applicable to my day to day life and my career in construction. ACE helped me to develop skills that are important to my everyday work, such as public speaking, networking, and problem solving. I genuinely believe that ACE has the power to change lives and shape future generations, and we are lucky to have a chapter here in Cleveland, to grow the builders of tomorrow.

Being a part of the ACE program allowed to get hands on experience with real world projects. I attended John Hay Architecture and Design School due to my interest in the architecture field. However, as time went on I knew I was in the right field, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be an architect. Being involved with ACE allowed me to get connected with not only mentors within the program but also scholarship money and connections for my first job, a paid internship with Stark Enterprises.

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Through the aforementioned experiences I was able to decide what I wanted to be in life, an urban planner! I realized I was more passionate about the community development piece for under provided communities.

From an early age I knew my dream career would allow me to make a positive impact in my community. Participating in the ACE Mentoring Program of Cleveland inspired me to question the everyday infrastructure I took for granted; such as where my water came from and where it was going. This led me to a career working in public water.

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ACE Cleveland was my first my first exposure to engineering and has continued to support my development even after high school. Through ACE I've been able to shadow an airport engineer, intern at a construction management company, and attend the 2018 Greenbuild Conference in Boston, MA. I look forward to returning as an alumni and hope I can help to inspire the next generation of ACE Cleveland!

ACE Mentor program is how I got from being a young artist to a designer. I am pursuing my interests in industrial design and figuring out what I love. ACE helped me to learn more about architecture and discover what I would like to do with the rest of my life. The mentors were awesome and wonderful resources. I hope more students get a chance to experience the ACE Mentor Program

ACE was that first push I needed to direct me to become a Civil Engineer. I originally went to John Hay School of Architecture and Design back in 2008 in hopes to pursue a career of architecture. I was always the type of student who loved problem solving, being innovative and creative and because of ACE and my mentors, they showed me I could incorporate all those qualities in Engineering.

My time with the ACE Mentor Program was truly transformative. Initially, I joined with aspirations of becoming an architect, but the program helped me realize that my true passion lay in accounting. Despite that shift, the leadership, communication, and team-building skills I gained from ACE have stayed with me throughout my career. The practical tools I learned to contribute meaningfully in any environment, along with the scholarship support, were invaluable in shaping my path.

As an immigrant, ACE Mentor program guide me through to the career path I wanted. ACE helped me through connecting to designer and construction professionals, and the requirements needed to be part of this industry. In return, I am currently teaching at Y.O.U and ACE to give back to the community.

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ACE Mentor Program helped guide me, as an immigrant, through my desired career path in design and construction. I gained invaluable insights into the industry. This program not only helped me understand the requirements and skills needed, but also inspired me to envision a future where I could contribute to this field.