Alliance for Catholic Education
ACE Ambassador & Internship Programs
📣 ACE Ambassador & Internship Application Update
Thank you for your interest in our ACE Internship & Ambassador programs, ACE Teaching Fellows' early admission program for domestic students who are rising seniors. Our next application window for our ACE Internship & Ambassador programs will open in February 2027 for those interested in serving with ACE beginning Summer 2028. Please do not hesitate to contact a member of our Recruitment & Admissions Team if you have any questions.
Program Overview
The Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) Ambassador & Internship programs offer a transformative experience that empowers aspiring educators to make a meaningful impact in Catholic schools. As part of this experience, participants engage in a unique combination of formation, mentorship, and hands-on teaching experience, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed for success in the classroom. ACE Ambassadors and Interns earn early conditional admittance into ACE Teaching Fellows and spend their senior year of college advancing ACE's mission in a variety of capacities - including teacher recruitment, communications, and among other responsibilities.
Internship Benefits
- Early conditional admittance into ACE Teaching Fellows
- Development of personal & professional relationships with ACE M.Ed. faculty & pastoral administrator team
- Opportunities for personal, professional, and spiritual growth.
ACE Ambassador & Internship Application Instructions
Important Application Dates
- February 3, 2026: Application Opens
- March 24, 2026: Application Deadline
- April 23, 2026: Application Decisions Released
- April 28, 2026: ACE 34 Ambassador & Internship Commitment Deadline
- June 21-24, 2026: ACE 34 Early Commit Institute at Notre Dame
Contact Us
Contact Patrick Ryan (pryan22@nd.edu; 574.631.0046) or Will Tiller (wtiller@nd.edu; 574.631.2758) if you have any questions.
We look forward to hearing from you and welcome you to call, e-mail, or visit us in Remick Family Hall on Notre Dame's campus!
Application Details
Part 1: Online Application
- Biographical & Educational Information
- Short Essays & Placement Consideration Form
- Unofficial Transcript
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Professional Headshot Photo
Part 2: Three Letters of Reference
The ACE application requires three, but no more than four, letters of recommendation be submitted on your behalf. You will need to obtain references from 2 professors and 1 individual who can attest to your success in living and working in a community atmosphere (e.g. Dorm Rector/Residence Director, Campus Minister, Service Project Leader, etc.).
Reference letters, which are requested directly through the application, require the following:
- A short evaluation of the five dispositions successful ACE Teachers possess (zeal, coachability, persistence, servant leadership, & hunger for spiritual growth)
- A letter of reference
Note: You will be asked to provide the name and contact information of each reference in the online application. An electronic request will automatically be sent to each reference so that they might submit all materials online.
ACE Internship
In 2008, the Alliance for Catholic Education piloted an exciting initiative open to all Notre Dame juniors the ACE Internship. Our internship program, now in its 18th year, attracts students interested in becoming ACE teachers after graduation and eager to work for ACE during their senior years to advance its mission in service to under-resourced Catholic schools.
Drawing on the diverse gifts and experiences of selected participants, these paid internships (approx. 5 hours per week) will offer challenging work in close collaboration with the ACE team in a variety of areas:
- Raise awareness of ACE’s mission at Notre Dame
- Outreach efforts and service to local & national Catholic schools through TutorND
- 3-cr. ESS course, Introduction to Effective K-12 Teaching, during the spring semester
- Eligible for additional undergraduate need-based financial aid
- Opportunities for personal, professional, communal, and spiritual growth
- Cost-free trip to ND's campus for ACE Early Commit Institute in late June
Meet the Interns
Christina Ayón
Cavanaugh Hall
Elisabeth Coderre
Ryan Hall
Emily Demmings
Lewis Hall
Ella Hunter
McGlinn Hall
Mary Kate Kocovski
Lyons Hall
Maclean Lauber
Stanford Hall
Naasei Lynn
Coyle Hall
Logan Moore Warstler
O'Neill Hall
Natalie Starmann
Breen-Phillips Hall
Cat Viner
Pasquerilla West
Hometown
Long Beach, CA
Dorm
Cavanaugh Hall
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Majors: Global Affairs & Political Science
Minors: Latino Studies, Hesburgh Program
Activities: Latino Student Alliance, RA in Cavanagh Hall, Moreau First Year Program, WVFI Radio, Sueños Sin Fronteras
How do you hope to grow in your experience as an ACE Intern/Ambassador?
Firstly, I hope to find spiritual growth. I know teaching is not easy, and students all have their unique needs. Through ACE, I will be called to navigate these challenges rooted in Catholic tradition. It will challenge me to seek God in dark times and pour myself out to others just as Jesus did. Specifically, in my role as an intern, I will have the opportunity to begin this call to service early by representing and supporting ACE in various capacities that will include working with students in the South Bend community. Additionally, I also hope to grow as a leader. As an intern, I work with the staff of ACE, and I hope to learn from their unique strengths and experiences to strengthen my own leadership skills as I prepare to lead in my school community. I hope to strengthen not only the skills I believe make a leader but also widen my understanding of its definition to encompass a more holistic way of leading.
Hometown
Hometown Arlington, VA
Dorm
Ryan Hall
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Majors: Spanish & Education, Schooling, and Society
Minor: Linguistics
Activities: Magnificat Choir, Ryan Hall RA, TutorND
What do you hope to do/accomplish as an ACE teacher?
If I can make a difference in just one child's life, then I will have been successful. Growing up, I was blessed with amazing teachers who always encouraged and empowered me to keep learning and pursuing my interests, so I hope to emulate the role models I was lucky enough to receive. I hope to foster a classroom environment where my students feel safe enough to be their truest selves and form a strong community.
Hometown
Hometown Westfield, IN
Dorm
Lewis Hall
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Majors: Global Affairs & Spanish
Minor: Education, Schooling, and Society
Activities: TutorND, Former member of Lewis Hall Council, Interhall sports
What experiences during your undergraduate education shaped your decision to pursue ACE?
Tutoring in local elementary schools really shaped my decision to pursue ACE. I loved working with the students each semester and witnessing their growth in both the content and their confidence. I found it so fulfilling to celebrate every win with them and support them along the way, and I decided this was something I was called to continue doing through ACE.
Hometown
HometownWashington, DC
Dorm
McGlinn Hall
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Major: Neuroscience & Behavior
Minor: Education, Schooling, and Society
Activities: Club Hockey, Tutor ND, CLAD Lab
What do you hope to do/accomplish as an ACE teacher?
I hope that all of my students know they are valued and loved and that they feel confident both in themselves and their skills as students.
Hometown
HometownGranger, IN
Dorm
Lyons Hall
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Majors: Economics & Education, Schooling, and Society
Minors: Theology & Italian
Activities: Lyons Hall staff, STEM Ed research lab, Racin Murphy Museum of Art, Women in Economics, former Lyons Hall Chief of Staff and retreat coordinator
What experiences during your undergraduate education shaped your decision to pursue ACE?
The summer after my sophomore year I served as a Rising Teacher through ACE's PATH program out in Tucson, AZ. I fell in love with building community within my classroom and among our Rising Teacher cohort. There was so much joy in the late nights constructing lessons to best support my students and accompanying them through their summer that I couldn't wait to join ACE.
Hometown
Hometown Saint Paul, MN
Dorm
Stanford Hall
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Majors: Industrial Design & Education, Schooling, and Society
Activities: NDSEED (Notre Dame Students Empowering through Engineering Development), Stanford Hall Service Commissioner, Mercy Works Tutoring, Inter-hall Sports
How do you hope to grow in your experience as an ACE Intern/Ambassador?
I hope to grow within the community of interns and ambassadors who share a passion for the mission, finding even more energy and vigor for Catholic education through working with others my age. By learning from members of the ACE community, whose actions and character left me with such an incredible impression of the program, I hope to deepen my relationship with the mission and share it with others through both my words and my example.
Hometown
Hometown Portland, OR
Dorm
Coyle Hall
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Major: Political Science
Minors: Africana Studies & Education, Schooling, and Society
Activities: Pre-Law Student Board, College Democrats, Domers Mentoring Kids
What experiences at Notre Dame helped shape your decision to pursue ACE?
Tutoring at St. Adalbert's Elementary school through my time at Notre Dame gave me the opportunity to understand the intersection of education and faith in a new light. After interning with ACE's Program for Educational Access, I discovered a passion for service and education that ACE fits perfectly.
Hometown
Hometown Auburn, IN
Dorm
O'Neill Hall
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Major: Mathematics
Minors: Actuarial Sciences & Education, Schooling, and Society
Activities: Marching band, percussion ensemble, Bandlink
How do you hope to grow in your experience as an ACE Intern/Ambassador?
I enjoyed going on coffee chats with ACE interns, and they were very impactful on my decision. I'm excited to grow into that person that can be so beneficial to others like they were to me.
Hometown
Hometown Chevy Chase, MD
Dorm
Breen-Phillips Hall
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Majors: Psychology and Education, Schooling, Society
Activities: BP Hall Resident Assistant, Tutor ND, CogFellows, BP Flag Football, French Club, Moreau Peer Leader, BP lector and EM, BP Communications
What do you hope to do/accomplish as an ACE teacher?
I hope to accompany my students through their joys and challenges, make learning fun, and help them learn God's Love!
Hometown
Hometown Shelburne, VT
Dorm
Pasquerilla West
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Majors: Economics and American Studies
Activities: President of Transpose Dance Collective, Pasquerilla East Musical Company (PEMCo), Tour Guide
What experiences during your undergraduate education shaped your decision to pursue ACE?
Being exposed to different teaching and educational opportunities in the ESS supplementary major helped shaped my decision. Both my in class experiences understanding education and outside the classroom adventures spending time with kids influenced my decision to purse ACE!
ACE Ambassadors
In 2017, the Alliance for Catholic Education piloted an exciting opportunity open to all college juniors, not currently enrolled at Notre Dame: the ACE Ambassadors Program. Our ambassadors program empowers selected students to sustain and transform Catholic schools, while also offering conditional acceptance into ACE Teaching Fellows following graduation.
ACE Ambassadors are offered a unique and formative additional year in the ACE Teaching Fellows experience. During their senior years, ambassadors work together, alongside the broader ACE community, to share ACE’s mission with fellow undergraduates on their respective campuses. To carry out these paid outreach efforts, our ambassadors receive support from the ACE team in a variety of ways:
- Outreach efforts and service to local & national Catholic schools through TutorND
- Monthly ACE Ambassador Team conversations via Zoom
- Campus visits by ACE Pastoral Team members throughout the academic year
- Opportunities for personal, professional, and spiritual growth
- Cost-free trip to ND’s campus for ACE Early Commit Institute in late June
Meet the Ambassadors
Eva Bushman
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Emma Clothier
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Jonny Clubb
University of Florida
Jack Daly
Georgetown University
Gabe Donovan
Villanova University
Alexandra Larson
Saint Louis University
Jess Lattanzi
University of Delaware
Pia Leiseth
Ohio State University
Katy May
Marquette University
Joe Schueneman
University of Dayton
Catherine Stautz
Baylor University
Sophia Stierwalt
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Erynn Sweeney
Fordham University
Ryan Virkar
University of Texas at Austin
Hometown
Hometown Eau Claire, WI
Undergraduate Institution
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Majors: Political Science & Educational Policy Studies
Minor: History
Activities: House Fellow (Residential Assistant), Catholic Social and Political Thought Fellow, St. Paul's Catholic Student Center, ARCHIVE Undergraduate History Journal Editor
What experiences during your undergraduate education shaped your decision to pursue ACE?
Experiences of exploring education through my coursework, working in classrooms, growing spiritually through my time in college, and recognizing the importance of community in my life have motivated me to pursue teaching in a Catholic setting so I can share God's love with others through the gift of education!
Hometown
HometownGreensboro, NC
Undergraduate Institution
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Majors: Human Development and Family Science & Spanish
Activities: School of Education Undergraduate Advisory Council, Newman Center student minister, 1st/2nd grade catechist
How do you hope to grow in your experience as an ACE Intern/Ambassador?
I hope I can more effectively and intentionally combine my faith life with my professional life as a soon-to-be teacher.
Hometown
Hometown Owatonna, MN
Undergraduate Institution
University of Florida
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Major: Economics
Minors: History & Secondary Social Studies Education
Activities: Catholic Gators (Co-coordinator), Economics TA, and Hamilton Center Society of Fellows
How do you hope to grow in your experience as an ACE Ambassador?
As an ACE Ambassador, I hope to grow spiritually through more time in adoration of our Lord so that I can be not just and ambassador for this program but also an ambassador for Christ.
Hometown
Hometown Wayland, MA
Undergraduate Institution
Georgetown University
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Major: History
Minor: Theology
Activities: Knights of Columbus, Club Rugby, Catholic Retreats Leader
What do you hope to do/accomplish as an ACE teacher?
As an ACE teacher, I hope to be a strong example of what it truly means to be a child of God for my students, guiding them not only on their academic journey but their spiritual journeys as well. I hope that my example can help them to grow more fully into what God intends for them to be.
Hometown
Hometown Albany, NY
Undergraduate Institution
Villanova University
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Majors: Public Administration and Service, Humanities, and Masters of Public Administration
Minors: Disability and Dead Studies & Philosophy
Activities: LEVEL, Liturgical Council, and Ethics debate team
How do you hope to grow in your experience as an ACE Intern/Ambassador?
I hope to grow in my faith, community, and interpersonal skills as an ACE Ambassador. But most of all I hope to just grow with others.
Hometown
Hometown Willow Springs, IL
Undergraduate Institution
Saint Louis University
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Major: Chemistry
Minor: Mathematics
Activities: Chemistry Club, Physics Lab Teaching Assistant, General Chemistry Learning Assistant
What do you hope to do/accomplish as an ACE teacher?
I hope to spread a love of knowledge and learning to students and help them find their paths in life.
Hometown
Hometown Wilmington, DE
Undergraduate Institution
University of Delaware
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Majors: Neuroscience, Psychology, & English
Activities: Cru, Honors Writing Fellows, Attachment & Biobehavioral Catchup Lab, Christian Challenge
How do you hope to grow in your experience as an ACE Intern/Ambassador?
I hope to grow in radical reliance on God as I surrender to His plan for the next two years!
Hometown
Hometown Plymouth, MN
Undergraduate Institution
Ohio State University
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Majors: Philosophy, Politics, and Economics & History
Activities: PenPals and Special Ed Para
What do you hope to do/accomplish as an ACE teacher?
I want to help all of my students grow their confidence, both academically and socially, and guide them to realize their capabilities and how they can use them to serve others.
Hometown
Sandusky, OH
Undergraduate Institution
Marquette University
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Majors: Elementary/Middle Education & Mathematics
Activities: I am involved with Residence Life as a Resident Assistant, Midnight Run as a volunteer coordinator, and Campus Ministry through the Liturgical Choir.
What do you hope to do/accomplish as an ACE teacher?
I hope to create a classroom environment where students feel comfortable being themselves, confident asking questions, and challenged to try new things! We don't always get the right answer but the important thing is that we always try and learn from our mistakes. This will definitely be something that I will be reminding myself throughout my coursework as well!
Hometown
Hometown Grosse Pointe Farms, MI
Undergraduate Institution
University of Dayton
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Majors: Adolescent to Young Adult Education & History
Minor: Political Science
Activities: CYO Basketball Coach, Catholic Life Student Organization, Student Intern at Campus Chapel (Freshman - Junior year)
What do you hope to do/accomplish as an ACE teacher?
I want to impact my community by helping students grow and become the best versions of themselves.
Hometown
Kerrville, TX
Undergraduate Institution
Baylor University
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Majors: Health Science Studies
Activities: Supplemental Instruction, Catholic Student Association, and High School Ministry
What do you hope to do/accomplish as an ACE teacher?
As an ACE teacher, I hope to encourage my students to be the best version of themselves both in and outside of the classroom. I want to help students recognize their potential and provide them the tools needed to succeed. Through ACE, I hope to grow as an educator and serve as a Christian light for others.
Hometown
Sadorus, IL
Undergraduate Institution
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Major: Statistics
Minor: Data Science
Activities: Lectoring & music ministry at the Newman Center, undergraduate statistics/education research, and working as a peer data consultant
What experiences during your undergraduate education shaped your decision to pursue ACE?
One impactful experience was participating in the Community-Academic Scholars research program during the summer after my sophomore year. In this program, I was able to learn about designing curriculum while also working with students to implement the lessons we worked on, and I loved this blend of statistics with education! Additionally, I am really grateful for the amazing people who have poured into me during college to help me grow personally, spiritually, and academically, and I want to be able to help students in this way. ACE provided me with an incredible opportunity to both grow as an educator and to serve others!
Hometown
Cypress, CA
Undergraduate Institution
Fordham University
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Major: International Political Economy
Minor: English & Urban Studies
Activities: I am a part of our volleyball team, our school newspaper and our campus ministry program.
What experiences during your undergraduate education shaped your decision to pursue ACE?
I felt deeply inspired by my experiences in class during my undergraduate education, specifically due to the environments our professors created that facilitated collaboration and creativity. Throughout the entirety of my education, I have been blessed with teachers who have helped me know what it means to love, and I wanted to continue to practice walking in the way of love together with other students and communities.
Hometown
Dallas, TX
Undergraduate Institution
University of Texas at Austin
Undergraduate Studies & Experiences
Majors: Biology & Computer Science
Activities: Campus Ministry, Longhorn Awakening Retreat, FOCUS Bible Study
What do you hope to do/accomplish as an ACE teacher?
As an ACE teacher, I hope to walk with students on their journey with Christ and bring God's love to my school community.
Connect with ACE
The ACE Teaching Fellows Recruitment and Admissions team will meet with prospective applicants all across the country, attending career & post-graduate service fairs, hosting information nights, and visiting college campuses. You'll have the chance to learn and ask questions about the M.Ed., the application process, community life, and more. To connect with our team, request more information or schedule a time for us to chat. We look forward to meeting you!