ACE Mentor Program Cleveland Awards Eight Students More Than $120,000, Boosts Diversity in Architecture, Construction and Engineering

Gilbane-supported program enriches the academic experience, connects students to mentors and real-life learning experiences, and provides financial support for ongoing education.

CLEVELAND, June 14, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- At its recent end-of-school-year annual celebration, the ACE Mentor Program of Cleveland (ACE Cleveland) awarded more than $120,000 in scholarships to eight Cleveland-area students to help them continue their education and training in architecture, construction, engineering, or the skilled trades.

With more than 80% of ACE Cleveland scholars identifying as Black American, Hispanic/Latino, or Mixed Race/Ethnic Heritage and 50% of ACE Cleveland scholars identifying as female, the program has a positive impact on diversity in ACE education and serves as a pipeline for building diversity in the workforce in architecture, construction, and engineering.

"Our success depends on a steady stream of talented young people entering our industry and helping us build the workforce of tomorrow," said Kyle Merrill, Vice President, Cleveland Business Leader at Gilbane Building Company. "As a founding member of the ACE Mentor Program in Cleveland, we are committed to volunteering and mentoring ACE scholars each school year. The hands-on approach to learning about the industry is invaluable."

ACE Cleveland scholars work in teams, with the help of their mentors, to learn about the industry and compete to win ACE Cleveland's project of the year by designing a construction project. The 2022-23 ACE Cleveland RFP called for a design-build approach for a vocational school dedicated to architecture, construction, and engineering education.

RJ Frato, Jr., a project engineer at Gilbane Building Co., is one of ACE Cleveland's approximately 120 mentors and volunteers. He has worked with the ACE program for five years, most recently with the team from Shaker Heights High School. The Shaker Heights team was one of three finalists in 2023, for their design for a "SpACE Center" including a mobile learning unit.

"As a mentor, I can share what I've learned throughout my career with young people just starting out. I can give back to the community and offer additional support that I didn't receive as a high school student," said Frato. "It's gratifying to see how much the students grow over the course of the year."

One of the students Frato worked with this school year, Shaker Heights junior Rowan Dunn, had an externship with Gilbane and is planning to go into construction management in college. "During my externship with Gilbane, I worked at the Woodland library branch in Cleveland," said Dunn. "It was invaluable and solidified my interest in construction."

As ACE Cleveland scholars plan for their college career, they can compete for scholarships. Students competing for scholarships were evaluated on several factors, including an essay, reference letters, test scores, academics, and participation in extracurricular activities. A key part of the evaluation was each student's level of participation, teamwork, and leadership within the ACE program.

Amir Midgett, a senior on Gilbane's ACE team at Shaker Heights High School, earned a total of $34,000 through the ACE Mentor Program for four years at Kent State University, where he plans to study Architecture. Midgett's scholarship includes $4,500 a year from ACE Cleveland, $1,500 a year in matching scholarship from Kent State, and the ACE National CMiC Scholarship for $10,000. "My interest in Architecture began when I took a random design class in high school. I joined ACE last year and had the opportunity to lead our team this year," said Midgett. "RJ from Gilbane has been one of my biggest motivators. I consider everyone here my family. ACE has really laid the groundwork for my future."

In addition to college scholarships, this year ACE Cleveland also awarded a scholarship to a student interested in joining the skilled trades. Cameron Dilliard, a senior at Max Hayes High School interested in carpentry, painting and drywalling, received a $1,500 scholarship that can be used for books, tuition, tools, apprentice fees or personal protective equipment. The scholarship is supported by Construction Employers Association (CEA), Carpenters Association, Building Laborers' Local 310, and Cleveland Builds.

Other scholarship recipients across the program include:

• Shaker Heights senior Christian Dennis, who plans to attend the University of Akron to study mechanical engineering, received a $1,500 renewable award sponsored by ACE Cleveland, and a $1,500 renewable match from the University of Akron, for a four-year total of $12,000.
• Chase Thompson from John Hay High School plans to study engineering at The Ohio State University and received a $2,500 renewable award for a four-year total of $10,000, sponsored by ACE Cleveland.
• Michael Johnson, East Technical High School, plans to pursue engineering at the University of Akron. Sponsored by ACE Cleveland, Michael is receiving a $2,000 renewable award, combined with Akron's renewable match of $1,500 makes for a four-year total of $14,000.
• Samuel Dillenbeck from Shaker Heights High School received a $2,500 renewable scholarship from ACE Cleveland, which combined with a renewable match of $1,500 from University Akron where he will study engineering, brings his four-year total award to $16,000.
• John Marshall High School's Diaa Khaled earned a $3,000 renewable award from ACE Cleveland and a matching scholarship of $1,500 a year from Cleveland State University, where he plans to study engineering. Diaa's four-year scholarship amount is $18,000.

And, for the first time in ACE Cleveland's history, a scholarship was awarded to a college graduate seeking to pursue a graduate degree. Jyae McWilson, a 2018 graduate of John Hay High School participated in the ACE Cleveland program for two years and graduated from Kent State University's College of Architecture and Environmental Design. She is planning to earn her master's degree in architecture at Kent State University through its three-semester program. Jyae is receiving $5,000 per semester for a total award of $15,000.

Since its inception in 2008, ACE Cleveland has provided more than $1.4 million in scholarships to over 180 students and guided nearly 2,000 students through the program. ACE works in partnership with Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Warrensville Heights High School, and Shaker Heights High School. Gilbane professionals are among approximately 120 volunteers from more than 70 local firms from the design, engineering, and construction industries who serve as mentors in the program.

About Gilbane Building Company
Gilbane provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services – from preconstruction planning and integrated consulting capabilities to comprehensive construction management, general contracting, design-build, and facility management services – for clients across various markets. Founded in 1870 and still a privately held, family-owned company, Gilbane has more than 45 office locations worldwide. Gilbane is one of the most established and leading construction managers in the Northeast Ohio market and averages more than $500 million in revenue in the state annually. For more information, visit http://www.gilbaneco.com.

Media Contact

Breanne Auxier, Gilbane Building Company, 312-614-3883, [email protected]

SOURCE Gilbane Building Company