September 20, 2022 –  ACE Mentor Program of America (ACE), a free after-school program designed to attract high school students to pursue careers in the architecture, construction, and engineering industries, is hosting its ACE Day of Action on September 20. ACE Day of Action aims to bring attention to the importance of mentoring and invite others to share program information, register as mentors, enroll interested high school aged students, and make donations to local affiliates for the 2022-2023 school year. Sargent & Lundy, along with dozens of other industry supporters, is a national sponsor for ACE. ACE has more than 75 chapters operating in 36 states, the District of Columbia, and Toronto. Corporate sponsorships ensure that the ACE Mentor Program remains available to high school students at no cost.

The firm has supported ACE Mentor’s Chicago chapter for over a decade, encouraging young scholars, especially those in underrepresented groups, to pursue interests in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math)-related areas of study that will ultimately help expand industry diversity. About 92% of the Chicago program’s participants are from underrepresented groups, and 45% are women. Since ACE Chicago’s inception in 2000 in partnership with Chicago Public Schools, more than 3,000 high school students from 80 Chicago area high schools have been impacted by the mentorship program. In addition to mentoring, ACE Chicago has awarded over 1,000 college scholarships, totaling more than $2 million, and facilitated 250 paid summer internships.

Earlier this year, Sargent & Lundy hosted several weekly meetings in support of its Chicago ACE team. Sharing space and technology allows the students to get a first-hand look at what it’s like to work in the industry and brings a new and honest perspective to design. Sargent & Lundy’s mentors particularly enjoy a design-engineering exercise where the Chicago ACE mentees build towers using dry spaghetti noodles and gumdrops. The students use their creativity to build sound structures while also learning and having fun with their Sargent & Lundy mentors. The firm looks forward to continuing its support of ACE Mentor Chicago with other opportunities like this one to introduce students to basic engineering principles.

ACE Mentor Program: Nationwide Highlights

• Over 10,000 students participate annually from approximately 1,450 high schools.
• Approximately 69% of ACE students identify as persons of color and over 40% are young women.
• ACE has awarded over $25 million in scholarships to students since its founding in 1994.
• Each year, ACE Mentor firms contribute more than $17.5 million worth of pro bono time in volunteer hours.
• 95% of ACE graduates enroll in higher education and 3/4 enter majors linked to the design and construction industry.

Thank you to our 2021-2022 Sargent & Lundy ACE team mentors: Kevin Schreiber (co-lead), Stacy Horan (co-lead), Elvin Moy, and Josh Junge.

More
ENR 2022 Sourcebook Affirms Sargent & Lundy’s Notable Industry Position

Sargent & Lundy Presents Donation to University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez Solar Car Team

Top Workplaces USA Recognizes Sargent & Lundy With Culture Excellence Award