Michael Pressley Awards

Each summer during the ACE Commencement Exercises, ACE Advocates for Catholic Schools presents three awards to honor the life and work of Dr. Michael Pressley.  A prodigious and world-renowned scholar, Dr. Pressley served as the inaugural academic director of ACE's M.Ed. program.  In 2006, he lost a hard-fought battle with cancer. Award recipients reflect Dr. Pressley’s dedication to service and scholarship for the benefit of children and Catholic schools across the nation.

Award for Excellence in Catholic Education

Again this year, two ACE Service Through Teaching graduates will be presented with the Michael Pressley Award for Excellence in Catholic Education.  Recipients of this award have been out of the program for between five and ten years, and have in that time distinguished themselves in making significant contributions to the ministry of Catholic Education.

Contributions toward excellence in Catholic education can be acknowledged from a wide range of life experiences:  as teachers, school leaders, academics, policy administrators, involved parents, parishioners, and many others.  The award is not reserved for anyone in a particular field or vocation, but for one who has demonstrated excellence and commitment to the mission of Catholic education.  ACE graduates from cohorts 8-13 are eligible this year.

Award for a Promising Scholar in the Education Field

This recognition, first presented in 2011, honors an ACE graduate whose work in academia echoes Dr. Pressley's commitment to strengthening education through research and scholarship.

Criteria for this award include:  an earned doctorate in the field of education, education policy, or another strongly related field; a current academic position; some publication in scholarly outlets; and a promising future trajectory in research and academia.  Graduates of any of ACE's academic programs are eligible for this award, and nominations are currently being accepted.

Both awards will be presented as part of ACE's Commencement Exercises this coming July, and include a stipend for each recipient. 


Please visit our online form to offer your nomination for this year's award, and please submit your nomination by March 1, 2013.  Multiple nominations from an individual nominator are welcome; simply return to the form and re-submit.  We thank you for considering your friends and peers in this nomination process!

Past recipients of the Michael Pressley Award for Excellence in Catholic Education:

  • 2006: Tom Kessler (ACE 3) and Colleen Knight Santoni (ACE 3)
  • 2007: Kate McCann Ojeda (ACE 4, RLP 2) and Patrick O'Sullivan (ACE 2, RLP 8)
  • 2008: Kelly Walsh Surapaneni (ACE 3) and Benny Morten (ACE 6, RLP 1)
  • 2009: Veronica Flores Alonzo (ACE 4) and Michael Motyl (ACE 8, RLP 5)
  • 2010: Jennifer Siirola Beltramo (ACE 9, RLP 8) and Antonio Ortiz (ACE 5)
  • 2011: Joseph Womac (ACE 7) and Norma Nelson (ACE 10)
  • 2012: Molly Welzbacher Carlin (ACE 7, RLP 2) and Kyle Pietrantonio (ACE 10)

Past recipients of the Michael Pressley Award for a Promising Scholar in the Education Field:

  • 2011:  Peter Miller (ACE 4)
  • 2012:  Michael Faggella-Luby (ACE 5)