ACE Graduate Awards

ACE Advocates Graduate Awards

ACE seeks nominations for awards presented to ACE graduates of exemplary distinction. Each award includes a generous honorarium, as well as sponsored travel to campus to receive the award.  (Awardees must be able to be present on campus on the award date to receive their award.).

Please see the award descriptions below and submit your nominations by March 15, 2024.

 

Nominate a Graduate

Awards and Descriptions

The Michael Pressley Award for Excellence in Catholic Education is awarded to graduates of the ACE Teaching Fellows program who have been out of the program for between five and ten years, and who have in that time distinguished themselves in making significant contributions to the ministry of Catholic Education. ACE graduates from cohorts 19-24 are eligible this year. Contributions toward excellence in Catholic education can be acknowledged from a wide range of life experiences:  as teachers, school leaders, researchers, 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. *The award is typically conferred during ACE Commencement Weekend. (July 12-14, 2024)

2. The Michael Pressley Award for a Promising Scholar in the Education Field 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. *The award is typically conferred during ACE Commencement Weekend. (July 12-14, 2024)

Past Recipients

  • 2006: Tom Kessler (ACE 4) 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)
  • 2013: Jessica Gray Werner (ACE 8) and Michael Zelenka (ACE 8, RLP 6)
  • 2014: Libby Brands Vereecke (ACE 13) and Keiran Roche (ACE 13, RLP 11)
  • 2015: Steve Tortorello (ACE 15) and Kate (Linden) Sampson (ACE 10)
  • 2016: Megan Adzima (ACE 13) and JJ Gregg (ACE 14)
  • 2017: Carl Loesch (ACE 12, RLP 6) and Brynn Johnson (ACE 14)
  • 2018: Flannery O'Connor (ACE 13) and Michael Debri (ACE 16, RLP 11)
  • 2019: Maura Shea (ACE 18) and Elias Moo (ACE 14, RLP 15)
  • 2020: Kelly Foyle (ACE 15, RLP 15) and Tim Woodward (ACE 18)
  • 2021: Erin Vu (ACE 16, RLP 11), Phong Vu (ACE 16, RLP 14), and Terese Hagerty (ACE 17)
  • 2022: Meaghan Crowley-Sullivan (ACE 18, RLP 16) and Dennis Rankin (ACE 17, RLP 16)
  • 2023: Victoria McBride (ACE 18) and Dominic Fanelli (ACE 18, RLP 17)

  • 2011: Peter Miller (ACE 4)
  • 2012: Michael Faggella-Luby (ACE 5)
  • 2013: David Yeager (ACE 11)
  • 2014: Ed Bowers (ACE 8)
  • 2015: Anna Egalite (ACE 14)
  • 2016: Jonathan Tullis (ACE 12)
  • 2017: Dan Bowen (ACE 13)
  • 2018: Anna Arias (ACE 12)
  • 2019: Max Engel (ACE 5)
  • 2020: Tiffany Roman (ACE 9)
  • 2021: Patrick Manning (ACE 14)
  • 2022: Mary Neville (ACE 17)
  • 2023: Dan Reynolds (ACE 13)

  • 2014: April Garcia (ACE 12, RLP 10) and John O'Malley (ACE 9)
  • 2015: Jennifer Ehren (ACE 6) and Gregory Gomez (ACE 11)
  • 2016: Jim Rigg (ACE 6) and the late Anita Alokolaro (mother of three ACE Teaching Fellows graduates)
  • 2017: Mary Forr (ACE 18) and Gabe Moreno (RLP 12)
  • 2018: Jenn Beltramo (ACE 9, RLP 8) and Steve Camilleri (ACE 1)
  • 2019: Anthony Holter (ACE 7) and Norma Nelson (ACE 10)

Please submit your nomination by March 15, 2024.  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!

Nominate a Graduate