Completed Event: Rowing at Head of the Charles on October 17, 2025 , , NTS
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Final
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ACE Program Ambassador: Lelia Boley
6/26/2020 3:00:00 PM | Rowing
ACE Program Ambassador: Lelia Boley
DURHAM, N.C. – Despite international travel for The Rubenstein-Bing Student-Athlete Civic Engagement Program (ACE) being canceled for the summer of 2020, the ACE Program has multiple past participants who continue to demonstrate the values ACE taught them as part of being an ACE Ambassador. This week, we highlight Lelia Boley.
In February 2014, Duke's Board of Trustee's, chaired by Duke alumnus David Rubenstein, traveled to Palo Alto, Calif., and met with officials from Stanford to determine opportunities for collaboration between the two institutions. The challenging schedules of student-athletes, which make participating in off-campus activities such as study abroad programs difficult, was identified as an issue the two universities could work together on in order to develop a solution, leading to the genesis of ACE. The ACE program was officially announced in Spring 2015.
Recent Duke graduate and member of the rowing team, Boley traveled to China in 2018 as part of the ACE Program.
"ACE taught me to be more open-minded," Boley said. "After my experience in China, I knew how to communicate more effectively with others and lead a more diverse group. ACE is certainly unlike anything I have ever done, and my experience was invaluable."
Boley had little experience outside of the country prior to her ACE experience. As a neuroscience major and education minor, working with developing kids sparked her interest.
"Making ACE and your own ACE experiences known isn't hard," Boley said. "You might be surprised how hard it is to stop talking about it! Make sure you explain the application process while bragging about your awesome summer."
She participates in volunteer work both at home and on campus, which was the major factor drawing her to ACE. Along with contributing to her community, meeting other student-athletes with similar interests from both Duke and Stanford was a great way to expand her experiences. She looks forward to helping other ACE alumni stay impactful in the Durham community.
Boley plans to move to Washington, D.C., to participate in research at the National Institute of Health (NIH).
#GoDuke
In February 2014, Duke's Board of Trustee's, chaired by Duke alumnus David Rubenstein, traveled to Palo Alto, Calif., and met with officials from Stanford to determine opportunities for collaboration between the two institutions. The challenging schedules of student-athletes, which make participating in off-campus activities such as study abroad programs difficult, was identified as an issue the two universities could work together on in order to develop a solution, leading to the genesis of ACE. The ACE program was officially announced in Spring 2015.
Recent Duke graduate and member of the rowing team, Boley traveled to China in 2018 as part of the ACE Program.
"ACE taught me to be more open-minded," Boley said. "After my experience in China, I knew how to communicate more effectively with others and lead a more diverse group. ACE is certainly unlike anything I have ever done, and my experience was invaluable."
Boley had little experience outside of the country prior to her ACE experience. As a neuroscience major and education minor, working with developing kids sparked her interest.
"Making ACE and your own ACE experiences known isn't hard," Boley said. "You might be surprised how hard it is to stop talking about it! Make sure you explain the application process while bragging about your awesome summer."
She participates in volunteer work both at home and on campus, which was the major factor drawing her to ACE. Along with contributing to her community, meeting other student-athletes with similar interests from both Duke and Stanford was a great way to expand her experiences. She looks forward to helping other ACE alumni stay impactful in the Durham community.
Boley plans to move to Washington, D.C., to participate in research at the National Institute of Health (NIH).
#GoDuke
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