Rubenstein-Bing ACE Program Enters Seventh Year

DURHAM – The Rubenstein-Bing Student-Athlete Civic Engagement (ACE) Program will run immersive summer service experiences for the seventh year in 2022. This summer, ACE will return to in-person programming with a new, US-based program in addition to offering four virtual international service programs.

A collaboration between Duke and Stanford Athletics, the ACE Program provides funding for accepted Duke and Stanford student-athletes to participate in three-week, immersive summer service experiences with an international community partner. The program is made possible by the generous support of David Rubenstein and Peter and Helen Bing.

The ACE program is a reflection of Duke and Stanford's shared mission of public service and desire to collaborate with peer institutions. To date, ACE remains the first and only two-university international service program designed specifically for student-athletes.

ACE SUMMER 2022 EXPERIENCE:
This summer's programs are a result of the efforts of the ACE staff, ACE Ambassador alumni and community partners working together to bring ACE back to in-person programming, as well as providing meaningful virtual service experiences. Through ACE Summer 2022 programs, 22 Duke and Stanford student-athletes will have the opportunity to participate in both in-person and virtual international experiences where they will work on collaborative service projects, form relationships across the Duke and Stanford athletic community and connect with community partners around the world.

Six student-athletes will participate in ACE in Colorado, ACE's new, in-person, US-based program, where they will engage in conservation and environmental stewardship efforts in local communities. The student-athletes will live, train, serve and learn together for the entirety of the three-week program. The Colorado program continues ACE's mission of delivering global experiences to student-athletes through discussion and engagement on global conservation efforts.

In addition, 16 ACE participants will be part of the four virtual service programs focused on supporting community-based organizations located in Peru, South Africa, Thailand and Vietnam. Virtual programs allow ACE the opportunity to continue to offer impactful summer service experiences for Duke and Stanford student-athletes in the midst of the on-going global COVID-19 pandemic as well as provide a flexible option for student-athletes to engage in service experiences. Some of these student-athletes will complete ACE while living on campus training and taking summer school classes while others will participate from their hometowns located around the world.

After their ACE experiences, student-athletes have the opportunity to give back to the program by serving as ACE Ambassadors and promoting the program among their teammates and peers and helping the next ACE team prepare for their experience. 27 past ACE participants volunteered to serve as ACE Ambassadors during the 2021-2022 academic year, representing the 2019 - 2021 cohorts.

WHAT ARE THEY DOING AND WHEN:
ACE participants will work closely with program leaders based across the world and in Colorado who will facilitate team building, encourage meaningful opportunities for group reflection, manage community partner relationships, offer mentorship and support during project work, track project progress and organize cultural enrichment opportunities.

*NEW* ACE in Colorado (in-person)
June 15 – July 6

Student-athletes will assist in promoting global conservation and environmental stewardship efforts by supporting community-led initiatives in the western rural regions of Colorado located near the communities of Gunnison and Durango. Community partner projects include volunteering on an organic farm, supporting initiatives to regenerate alpine wetlands, and learning at a conservation laboratory about regenerative practices to protect food and water systems. Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about conservation and ingenious communities by visiting the Mesa Verde National Park and the Ute Mountain Tribal Park.

ACE in Place | South Africa (virtual)
June 26 - July 15

Student-athletes will virtually support SA Harvest, an NGO based in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg, South Africa that seeks to provide South Africans with access to adequate, nutritious food on a daily basis through their food rescue and distribution platform. In addition to their service project work with SA Harvest, students will participate in a virtual cooking class, take a isiXhosa language lesson and learn about Zulu cultural traditions.

ACE in Place | Peru (virtual)
June 26 - July 15

Student-athletes will virtually support CDS's environmental conservation mission to facilitate education, research and sustainable development activities in the Peruvian Oxapampa cloud forests. In addition, student will have the opportunity to take a virtual cooking class and participate in a Quechua language and music history class.

ACE in Place | Thailand (virtual)
July 24 - August 11

Student-athletes will virtually support Shark Guardian, a UK-based organization dedicated to advancing the conservation of sharks and the natural environment in Thailand through conservation, education and research projects. In addition to their service project work, students will learn to cook a Thai dish from a local community-based NGO, participate in a Muay Thai martial arts class and learn about Thai culture from community experts.

ACE in Place | Vietnam (virtual)
June 26 - July 15

Student-athletes will virtually plan and create content together with Vietnamese college students through the Coach for College program. Together the ACE student-athletes (virtually) and the Vietnamese college students (in-person) will teach academics, sports and life skills at a summer camp for middle school youth in rural Vietnam, with a focus on mentorship and promoting higher education. As part of the program, ACE students will have time each day for cross-cultural exchange activities and to build relationships with their Vietnamese college co-teachers as they learn about each other's lives and cultures.

WHO ARE THE 2022 ACE STUDENT-ATHLETES:
For the summer of 2022, 22 student-athletes have been accepted to ACE community engagement programs. 12 Duke teams and 5 Stanford teams are represented among the participants this year. For the first time in ACE history, Duke men's golf and Stanford Women's Swimming are represented among the ACE participants.

Duke's ACE 2022 Participants

Zach Barry ('24) - Men's Cross Country and Track and Field | ACE in Colorado
Phoebe Brinker ('24) - Women's Golf | ACE in Colorado
Alayna Burns ('24) - Field Hockey | ACE in Colorado
Ellie Coleman ('25) - Women's Tennis | ACE in Colorado
Connor Drake ('23) - Men's Lacrosse | ACE in Colorado
Christina Ferrari ('24) - Women's Fencing | ACE in Colorado
Gisele Tapia ('23) - Softball | ACE in Place Peru
Aleyna Ozkan ('24) - Women's Swimming and Diving| ACE in Place South Africa
John Peters ('25) - Men's Golf| ACE in Place South Africa
Connor Krug ('25) - Men's Tennis| ACE in Place Thailand
Julia Boyet ('24) - Softball| ACE in Place Vietnam
Seamus Harding Jr. ('24) - Men's Swimming and Diving | ACE in Place Vietnam
KyAnh Truong ('25) - Women's Swimming and Diving | ACE in Place Vietnam
Lillie Walker ('24) – Softball | ACE in Place Vietnam

Stanford's ACE 2022 Participants

Rick Mihm ('24) - Men's Swimming and Diving | ACE in Place Peru
Katya Sander ('25) - Women's Gymnastics | ACE in Place Peru
Caitlin Chicoski ('22) - Lacrosse| ACE in Place South Africa
Cara Sambeth ('25) - Field Hockey| ACE in Place South Africa
Amanda Zeng ('24) - Women's Gymnastics | ACE in Place South Africa
Isabela Onyshko ('24) - Women's Gymnastics| ACE in Place Thailand
Taylor Ruck ('23) - Women's Swimming and Diving| ACE in Place Thailand
Brenna Neault ('25) - Women's Gymnastics | ACE in Place Vietnam

"I am excited to participate in a summer program, especially because as student-athletes, study abroad is not a possibility during the school year. I know I will grow as an athlete, student, and person through participating in a service project. I'm eager to try something new and learn about climate change and different cultures in a hands-on way." – Phoebe Brinker, Duke women's golf, ACE in Colorado

"ACE is an incredible opportunity to expand my understanding of new cultures and pressing issues to become a more informed American and global citizen." – Zach Barry, Duke men's cross country and track & field, ACE in Colorado

"I believe that participating in ACE this summer will be worth it because I want to help change the world and help others strive to be the best of their ability. I am also really looking forward to making new friendships at Duke, Stanford, and with the Vietnamese college coaches and students!" – Seamus Harding Jr., Duke men's swimming & diving, ACE in Place Vietnam

For more information on ACE in Place, visit www.ace.duke.edu

#GoDuke

Rubenstein-Bing ACE Program Enters Seventh Year

Players Mentioned

Zach Barry

Julia Boyet

Phoebe Brinker

Alayna Burns

Ellie Coleman

Connor Drake

Christina Ferrari

Seamus Harding Jr.

Connor Krug

Aleyna Ozkan

John Peters

Gisele Tapia

KyAnh Truong

Lillie Walker

Duke information

Rubenstein-Bing ACE Program Enters Seventh Year

Players Mentioned

Zach Barry

Julia Boyet

Phoebe Brinker

Alayna Burns

Ellie Coleman

Connor Drake

Christina Ferrari

Seamus Harding Jr.

Connor Krug

Aleyna Ozkan

John Peters

Gisele Tapia

KyAnh Truong

Lillie Walker

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Duke information