Rubenstein ACE Program Enters Ninth Year

A graphic with text that reads "ACE Rubenstein Student-Athlete Civic Engagement Program," with a subtle outline of Duke Chapel in the background and white brushstroke accents on the edges.

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Rubenstein ACE Program Enters Ninth Year

5/1/2024 11:00:00 AM | Cross Country, Fencing, Field Hockey, Football, Rowing, Softball, Women's Basketball, Women's Lacrosse, Wrestling, Swimming & Diving, Track & Field, Volleyball, Athletics

ACE Program

DURHAM – For the ninth consecutive year, Duke student-athletes will participate in immersive summer service experiences offered through the Rubenstein Student-Athlete Civic Engagement Program (ACE). This summer, ACE will run international programming in Costa Rica, South Africa, and introduce a new location in Panama.

ACE provides full-funding for selected Duke student-athletes to engage in immersive summer service experiences with international communities. The program is made possible by David Rubenstein's generous support and Duke Athletics Ticket Sales. The ACE program reflects Duke University's mission of public service and international engagement. To date, ACE remains the only international community engagement program designed specifically for D-I student-athletes on this scale.

ACE SUMMER 2024 EXPERIENCE:
Thirty-six Duke student-athletes have been selected for the ACE Summer 2024 programs. They will work on collaborative service projects, form relationships across the Duke Athletics community, and connect with communities around the world. This summer is the first time a one-week program option has been offered in the history of ACE, allowing a greater diversity of student-athletes to participate in ACE while taking summer school classes, fulfilling athletic training obligations, and more.

*NEW* ACE in Panama
May 5 – May 13
Student-athletes will plan and facilitate an after-school sports youth camp focused on volleyball in two rural Panamanian communities. The program will promote leadership skills and teamwork among the participants. The student-athletes will be based in the small town of Valle de Anton during their program and will visit the local "mariposa" (butterfly) haven. The week will conclude with a friendly volleyball competition between the participating schools, followed by a day in Panama City touring the Casco Viejo (historic city center) and visiting the Panama Canal.
ACE in Costa Rica
June 16 – June 30
Student-athletes will engage in conservation-focused projects in the Costa Rican village of Gandoca, promoting wildlife conservation and sustainable resource use. Projects include assisting in the maintenance of local organic cocoa farms, conserving the sea turtle population through beach clean-ups and night patrols, and supporting mangrove reforestation. Cultural enrichment activities include visiting Sepecue, an indigenous community; hiking through the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge and Cahuita National Park; and taking Spanish language lessons.
ACE in South Africa
June 29 – July 20
Student-athletes will partner with local organizations in Cape Town focused on self-empowerment and sustainable development projects. The majority of their time will be spent at the VUSA Rugby and Learning Academy, where student-athletes will teach English at two Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers as well as coach youth at VUSA's afterschool sports program. Educational trips will explore the history of Apartheid through visits to Robben Island and the District 6 Museum, as well as environmental features like Table Mountain and Cape Point Peninsula.

"We are excited to kick off the ninth year of the Rubenstein Student-Athlete Civic Engagement (ACE) Program with a commitment to expanding opportunities for all our Duke student-athletes. This year, we have introduced more diverse and accessible program opportunities, including a new one-week May program in Panama. We look forward to witnessing the impact of these experience as our student-athletes learn, engage, train, and reflect together with communities around the world." - Emily Durham, ACE Program Director

After their ACE experiences, student-athletes have the opportunity to serve as ACE Ambassadors, providing leadership opportunities within the program. Nineteen past ACE participants volunteered as ACE Ambassadors during the 2023-2024 academic year, representing the 2021 - 2023 cohorts.

For additional details, visit the program website: www.ace.duke.edu.

WHO ARE THE ACE 2024 STUDENT-ATHLETES?
For the summer of 2024, 36 student-athletes have been accepted to participate in ACE. Fifteen different Duke athletic sports teams are represented among the participants this year.

Duke ACE 2024 Participants

Raymond Adams ('27) – Wrestling | ACE in Panama
Connor Barket ('26) – Wrestling | ACE in Panama
Paige Bitting ('26) – Field Hockey | ACE in Panama
Evan Brown ('26) – Men's Swimming & Diving | ACE in Panama
Ethan Grimminger ('26) – Wrestling | ACE in Panama
River Hanson ('27) – Football | ACE in Panama
Andrew Li ('27) – Men's Swimming & Diving | ACE in Panama
Zizi Newhard ('27) – Women's Fencing | ACE in Panama
McKenna Smith ('25) – Women's Swimming & Diving | ACE in Panama
Delaney Thomas ('27) – Women's Basketball | ACE in Panama
Mehki Wall ('25) – Football | ACE in Panama
Kerry Keefe ('26) – Volleyball | ACE in Panama
Kennedy Barron ('25) – Softball | ACE in Costa Rica
Nora Conaty ('26) – Rowing | ACE in Costa Rica
Alden Keller ('27) – Men's Cross Country + Track & Field | ACE in Costa Rica
Jack Kovach ('24) – Men's Cross Country + Track & Field | ACE in Costa Rica
Alaina McVeigh ('26) – Field Hockey | ACE in Costa Rica
Kavya Menke ('25) – Women's Fencing | ACE in Costa Rica
Francesca Morland ('26) – Rowing | ACE in Costa Rica
Allison Neiders ('26) – Women's Track & Field | ACE in Costa Rica
Austin Simpson ('26) – Men's Swimming & Diving | ACE in Costa Rica
Sydney Smith ('26) – Women's Lacrosse | ACE in Costa Rica
Sydney Tomlak ('26) – Volleyball | ACE in Costa Rica
Mikaela Voinov ('27) – Rowing | ACE in Costa Rica
Monica Balakrishnan ('26) – Women's Fencing | ACE in South Africa
Vaya Chhabra ('26) – Rowing | ACE in South Africa
Brynn Crouse ('26) – Field Hockey | ACE in South Africa
Jeremy Kain ('26) – Men's Cross Country + Track & Field | ACE in South Africa
Madeline Meredith ('26) – Women's Swimming & Diving | ACE in South Africa
Sean Morello ('27) – Men's Cross Country + Track & Field | ACE in South Africa
Thais Rolly ('27) – Women's Cross Country + Track & Field | ACE in South Africa
Yannis Schattman ('26) – Men's Swimming & Diving | ACE in South Africa
Macy Szukics ('26) – Field Hockey | ACE in South Africa
Erin Temple ('26) – Rowing | ACE in South Africa
Tatum Wall ('26) – Women's Swimming & Diving | ACE in South Africa
Josie Zillig ('26) – Women's Swimming & Diving | ACE in South Africa

Quotes from the 2024 Selected ACE Participants
Quotes from all 2024 participants are available upon request and can also be found on the students' participant profiles: https://ace.duke.edu/participants/.

"The reason ACE in Panama is worth it to me in the midst of a chaotic, busy summer, is that ACE is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to a different part of the world and be immersed in other cultures while helping the community. I am most excited to teach kids sports, to open their eyes and show the different possibilities sports can have on their lives." - (Ethan Grimminger, Wrestling, ACE in Panama

"What excites me most about participating in ACE in Panama this summer is the opportunity to form new friendships, learn new things, and experience it all in a place that is not familiar to me." - Delaney Thomas, Women's Basketball, ACE in Panama

"The Rubenstein Student-Athlete Civic Engagement (ACE) program presents a unique opportunity to serve with a community, experience a different culture, form meaningful relationships, and practice the skill of reflection. Specifically, the ACE in Costa Rica program's focus on sea turtle conservation, sustainable agriculture, and general stewardship of the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge particularly appeal to me." - Jack Kovach, Men's Cross Country and Track and Field, ACE in Costa Rica

"I am excited to throw myself into a completely new and different environment to force myself to learn and adapt. ACE offers me a way to explore these different realms and develop new areas of my character and views." - Austin Simpson, Duke Men's Swimming and Diving, ACE in Costa Rica

"As a global health and economics double major, participating in ACE in South Africa is valuable to me because the emphasis on cultural awareness and sustainability directly relates to my professional and academic aspirations. This program has the ability to positively impact so many young lives, and I hope to be part of that change, even if in a small way. I am most excited to learn about the South African culture and cultivate lasting connections with other Duke student- athletes and local community members." - Vaya Chhabra, Rowing, ACE in South Africa

"Participating in ACE in South Africa this summer is worth it to me because it will teach me to think in new ways and challenge me as a person, student, and athlete. The thing that excites me the most is building relationships with people in a community abroad." - Macy Szukics, Field Hockey, ACE in South Africa

LEARN MORE:

Instagram: DukeACE; @ACEAthletes
Twitter: Duke ACE Program; @ACEAthletes
Facebook: Rubenstein Student-Athlete Civic Engagement (ACE) Program
YouTube: Rubenstein Student-Athlete Civic Engagement (ACE) Program
LinkedIn: Rubenstein Student-Athlete Civic Engagement Program (ACE)
Summer 2024 Hashtags: #ACEathletes, #ACEinPanama, #ACEinCostaRica, #ACEinSouthAfrica

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

#GoDuke