News from the ACE Leadership Program
As Winter changes into Spring we begin celebrating the evolution of ACE seniors from students into professionals. This month we honor the accomplishments of our graduating students at our ACE Senior Dinner, and recognize the faculty who encouraged and enabled these students’ academic curiosity, exploration, and success. Some of our seniors will leave in March, but many will be on campus through Spring quarter to serve as ACE buddies and help with the selection process for the incoming ACE cohort. Jack and I are grateful for the leadership the seniors provide to the program and look forward to new opportunities to interact with these soon-to-be alumni.
Best wishes as you prepare for the end of the quarter and finals! Brenda Versteeg and Jack Caffey ACE Leadership Program
| ACE Seniors Reconnect at Retreat
On February 4th, the senior cohort met for their final program seminar, the ACE Senior Retreat. Over Winter Break seniors completed a common reading to begin reflection on their career goals and future aspirations. During the retreat they were joined by a panel of ACE Alumni who provided perspective on graduating from SCU and transitioning into the professional world. Recent ACE graduates Jodi Montoya (Instacart, ACE 2011), Nick Sturm (TM Financial Forensics, ACE 2014), and Kiana McCormick (Deloitte, ACE 2015) discussed topics from preparing a budget to finding your place at work and crafting a career plan. The students said that the panelists were very helpful in addressing career issues that they had not previously considered and motivated them to create plans for the next few years. This retreat was a wonderful experience that allowed ACE seniors to reflect on their experiences in the program and reconnect with each other before moving on to the next adventure. |
| ACE Senior Profiles: Erin Murphy and Vivian Stoneking
As they begin their new life chapters, two ACE seniors are pursuing particularly unique career paths. Erin Murphy, an Economics major and Environmental Studies minor, plans to begin working at Present Tense Farm, a Certified Naturally Grown vegetable farm located in Carnation, Washington. Her position will be an apprenticeship, which means that she will be involved with multiple aspects of the farm, including planting, irrigation, weeding, harvesting, and distribution to local restaurants and farmer’s markets. Erin, whose long-term career goal is to “influence agricultural and food policy to overcome some of the challenges and discrepancies within our food system,” became interested in a farming position because she felt that “understanding how to grow food is necessary knowledge to acquire at the entry-level.” After applying to several farms in Western Washington, Erin accepted an offer from Present Tense Farm. She says that ACE helped her become more confident in networking and reaching out to farms during her apprenticeship search. All in all, Erin is excited to be working “outside in the elements” and to be closer to family and friends in her hometown of Seattle.
Vivian Stoneking, a Management major and Economics/History double minor from Fremont, will be starting as a Generalist Associate in Adobe’s Customer and Employee Experience Department. Her main job resposibilities will include understanding human resources policies and connecting with employees if they have any questions or concerns related to these policies. Vivian was able to secure her job after participating in the Adobe Employee Experience internship program this past summer. Through the ACE summer internship seminars, Vivian was able to recognize how great of a fit she was for the company. She says that ACE helped her make the decision to commit to Adobe. This September, she is most excited to return to her team and touch base with all of the people she worked with last summer. Before she begins her job, Vivian plans to travel around the world on a five-week trip to Europe and a three-week trip to Asia.
Congratulations to Erin and Vivian on their achievements, we are sure they will excel in their unique career paths. |
| ACE Students Organize Annual BroncoHack
Students on the OMIS Student Network (OSN) Leadership Board, including ACE juniors Tiffany Ta, Calli Carson, and Stephanie Yau, and ACE senior Sophia Avila, have been busy organizing the third annual OSN BroncoHack. BroncoHack is a 24-hour hackathon in which students use their programming and business knowledge to create applications that are presented to industry professionals at the end of the competition. The event stands out from other hackathons because it aligns with Santa Clara University’s Jesuit values; students are asked to develop their programs to address various social justice issues. This year, BroncoHack will take place on April 14th to April 15th in Lucas Hall. Students must sign up individually on Eventbrite and OSN recommends that each group consist of four to five business or computer science/engineering majors. However, the event is open to all undergraduate students from any accredited institution. For more information, you can visit broncohack.net or reach out to any of the ACE students that have worked hard to organize this amazing event. |
Calendar of Events for February 2017
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ACE Silicon Valley Field Trip to LinkedIn
2:30-5:00PM - Meet in Lucas 115
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ACE Senior Dinner
6:00-9:00PM - Adobe Lodge
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