Giving Day 2016

ACE, the Academic Excellence Program, is an academic support program dedicated to increasing the diversity of UC Santa Cruz students graduating with a bachelor’s degree in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), focused on retention and graduation in STEM majors.

ACE supports gateway math and science courses each quarter, bringing STEM students together for supplementary problem-solving sessions twice a week. The ACE staff provides concept-specific material to challenge and encourage collaboration between the students enrolled in each ACE session. ACE professionals advise students regarding academic and career planning and help them network with faculty and staff members to gain undergraduate research and teaching opportunities. During weekly mentoring hours, the experienced staff share course concepts, study strategies, and ways to get involved with the STEM community. In addition to professional staff members, the ACE program employs up to 30 student co-leaders per quarter to assist with material and serve as peer mentors to help foster students’ integration into the culture of science scholars at our research institution.

ACE not only enable students to excel in classes, but also creates an environment for them to become leaders. ACE creates a community where students from culturally, ethnically, and economically varied backgrounds achieve greater academic success. Students who participate in ACE earn higher grades in these courses and persist to graduation in STEM majors. With an approximate cost of $30 per student per week, every dollar makes a difference. Making a gift on Giving Day will maximize your impact and allow ACE to continue shaping tomorrow’s STEM leaders. On Giving Day, your gift goes further: Nancy Cox-Konopelski and Joe Konopelski have provided a 1:1 match up to $500 for gifts made on Giving Day.