The ACE Mentor Program of Oregon is an after-school program that connects Portland area high-school students to the build and design industry and careers in Architecture, Construction and Engineering. The program serves approximately 150 students per year and relies on 100 volunteer mentors, all professionals in their fields, to coach students in a hands-on, team-oriented project. The program has demonstrated success helping students make informed career decisions.
History The ACE Mentor Program is a national non-profit organization. ACE’s Oregon branch was founded in 2006 by local Portland architecture, construction, and engineering professionals. In our first year, 28 mentor volunteers served a small group of 27 students from 6 high schools. Since then, Oregon's ACE program has experienced remarkable growth and served over 1,000 students from more than 40 high schools. ACE Oregon has also awarded more than $800,000 dollars in scholarships to students who are entering ACE-related careers.
Program Portland's ACE program is a FREE after-school program that runs from January to May . Teams of students meet weekly to create a design project, advised by a group of mentors from architecture, construction, and engineering firms.
As teams develop a building design project, they gain skills in teamwork, creativity, and communication while learning about different career opportunities in the ACE industry. Students have the opportunity to visit multiple professional workplaces, learn how to network, and visit a construction site. At the conclusion of the program, each team will present their project during a final presentation to an audience of industry professionals, educators, family, and friends.
For in-person meetings, light meals are provided and transportation assistance is available to students with economic need.
ACE Scholarships Seniors who complete the program and plan to continue their education in an ACE-related field are eligible to apply for an ACE Mentor Program of Oregon Scholarship.
