Building for the Future

ACE Mentor Program Bridges the Work Force Development Gap

More than 3,500 students a year are getting a first-hand look at the engineering, construction and architectural world in what is becoming one of the most talked about mentoring programs in the industry. The ACE Mentor Program, now finishing its ninth full year as a non-profit corporation, has a presence in most major cities in America and it is still growing.

When the ACE Mentor Program began in 1995, no one truly understood the positive impact it would have on high school students and the architectural, construction management and engineering industries. Professionals from these industries, the three pillars of this multifaceted program—thus the name ACE—provide hands-on experience to thousands of young high school students each year. From New York to Los Angeles, from Seattle to Miami, from Chicago to Dallas, even Honolulu, students work alongside mentors who engage them in the planning, creation and implementation of some of the biggest projects happening in the United States each year.

“No one had any idea that this program would grow so quickly,” says Charles H. Thornton, PhD, chairman of Charles H. Thornton and Co., LLC, founding principal, Thornton-Tomasetti Group—one of the leading structural engineering firms in America—and founder of ACE. “We started with only one team of mentors and students in New York back in 1995. When the school year ended in June 2003 there were programs in 28 cities. Currently there are programs in 57 cities. By the beginning of the school year this fall, more than 89 cities will be starting up new seasons.”

The timing could not be better. With the U.S. Dept. of Labor predicting a shortage of more than one million workers in the construction industry by 2010, the efforts of this program were never more important. Will there be enough architects, construction managers and engineers to fill the industry’s need? The ACE Mentor Program is working hard to make sure there are, and judging from the way the program is catching on around the country, ACE is succeeding. Since its inception, ACE has influenced more than 12,000 students through this program. And while that is only a small dent in the number of employees needed in the industry, it is certainly a start.

ACE is a unique partnership of schools and universities, architects, interior designers, engineers, construction companies, professional organizations and related corporations. The companies all share the desire to provide career direction to interested high school students. These community-minded companies are leaders in their fields; many have international reputations. The companies donate the time of selected employees who serve as mentors, and other resources on an as-needed basis. ACE makes a special attempt to reach students that otherwise may not become aware of the challenges and rewards of a career in the design and construction industry, and to reach them while they still have an opportunity to alter their course of study.

Program Fundamentals

Here’s how it works!

Participating companies form teams that mirror real-life design/construction projects, with a corporate owner, an architectural firm, a construction company and civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and environmental engineers. Each team also includes a local college or university that offers an architecture, engineering or related program (see University and College Collaborative). The mentors work closely with a team of students to develop challenging and realistic projects, which they present to educators, industry professionals and their families at the end of the school year.

Students are recruited from both public and private high schools, with special efforts made to reach those women and minorities who might otherwise not be aware of the challenges and rewards of careers in the design and construction industries. Students selected for the program are divided into teams of 20 to 30. They work under the guidance of the mentor team that has adopted them for the season. Teams meet at least fifteen times during the course of the school year in an after-school program. Initial meetings involve visits to the offices of the involved firms where the scopes of their activities are discussed and a tour of the facilities conducted. Each team then selects a design project that may require site acquisition, as well as the drawing of plans, the building of models and other related activities. Students go through the entire design process, with the tasks they perform for their “clients” modeled on the real-life activities of their mentoring firms. Among the skills they learn are drawing to scale and estimating the cost of a job, skills that their mentors utilize in performing their daily professional duties.

In addition to the activities involved with these team meetings, the ACE Mentor Program sponsors field trips to colleges and construction sites. There is also a “How to Go to College” night where involved colleges explain their admissions’ procedures and answer student questions; all ACE Mentor Program students and their parents are invited.

At the end of the school year, there is a major culminating event at which all teams present their projects, much as actual design teams would present to their clients. Scholarships are awarded to students to assist in their college education.

“ACE had given over $2 million in scholarships,” says Thornton. “We believe that our mentors have given well over $3.3 million of their pro bono time to this program as well.”

ACE and Work force Development

Many of the mentoring companies have provided internships and summer work for several of the students in the ACE programs. “The goal is to keep the kids interested in our firm,” says Peter Davoren, president and CEO of Turner Construction. “We want them to consider full time employment with us at the end of their college years.”

Take Winston Peters for example. Winston was a student at Canarsie High School in Brooklyn, NY. He spent two years in the ACE Mentor Program and received one of the ACE scholarships to attend Manhattan College. Upon graduating top in his class, he took a job in the New York offices of Turner Construction.

Helen Fung was a student at Lehman High School in the Bronx. She spent two years in the ACE mentor program and received one of the ACE scholarships. She attended Carnegie Mellon and worked as an intern at Bovis Lend Lease during the summers. She is now a full-time employee of Bovis.

Then there is Sophonia Welch. Sophonia attended Tilden High School and was a participant of the ACE program in New York for two years as well. Upon graduating from high school, Sophonia received an ACE scholarship and attended Cornell University. She continued to work through her holiday breaks and summers as an intern at the New York City Dept. of Buildings. Graduating from Cornell University, School of Architecture, Sophonia now works at Turner Construction.

The Next Phase

ACE is growing, and as it does, the construction, engineering and architectural industries will benefit from its success. It is and continues to be a source of well-qualified individuals for the industry’s work force.

The goal for ACE now is to expand to every city across the country that has expressed an interest in a chapter or where a need for a chapter clearly exists. But it takes a committed “champion” in each city to get behind the effort. The firms and individuals who become involved in ACE are special people—people who are willing to involve themselves with high school students. Not only do they meet with the students regularly, they often remain in contact with the students as they go on to college and even begin their careers in the design/construction fields.

The commitment is great but the rewards are immeasurable. Is there anything more satisfying than helping a teenager find out about the world of opportunities available in the fields of architecture, engineering or construction management?

For more information about the ACE Mentor program or how you can get involved, contact Pamela Mullender, ACE Mentor Program of America at 203.323.8550 or at pamela@mullenderassociates.com. You can also write to her at The ACE Mentor Program of America, c/o Mullender Associates, 400 Main Street, Suite 711, Stamford, CT, 06901. Log onto www.acementor.org to find an ACE affiliate in your area.

ACE Mentor Yearbook 2005

From the President

Dear ENR Reader:

As you know, one of the most significant challenges facing the construction industry today is the shortage of qualified workers at all levels. Recruiting has never been more critical. The industry must demonstrate to multiple levels of students—from middle schools to graduate schools—just how exciting the career opportunities are in construction, engineering and architecture.

Since the ACE Mentor Program was launched in New York City in 1991, it has become the construction industry’s premiere work force advocacy and school outreach initiative. The program is run by a non-profit coalition of professionals working together to excite and motivate young people to pursue careers in construction, and it is growing. ACE chapters now operate in 25 cities involving more than 80 after school activity teams and 1,600 students.

As an advocate for best practices and innovation, McGraw-Hill Construction supports ACE as an active board member. Because we are an information and media company, we are in a unique position to contribute our media resources to help raise awareness of ACE among construction industry leaders.

In this spirit, Engineering News-Record is proud to publish this first ACE Yearbook to raise awareness of ACE and to honor participating mentors and students.

Whether you are currently involved as one of our partners in ACE Mentoring, or planning to volunteer, I hope the ACE Yearbook provides new insights and inspiration for you to reach out to young people in your communities and help them discover the rewards of a career in construction.

Sincerely,

Norbert W. Young, Jr., FAIA
President, McGraw-Hill Construction

Joan B. Calambokidis, President

The International Masonry Institute shares two key objectives with the ACE Mentor Program: recruiting talented young people into construction, and fostering an appreciation for the contributions of all the professionals involved, from architect and engineer to contractor and craftworker.

IMI’s core missions are quality craft training in all the masonry trades, and technical assistance to the design and construction communities. The objective of both missions is fostering constructability of buildings. The ultimate success of any project hinges on how well the professionals involved work together and take advantage of their respective expertise.

Toward that end, IMI works closely with ACE chapters throughout the country, offering hands-on exposure to the masonry trades, craft training operations, and masonry-specific design issues. IMI also strongly supports ACE activities such as scholarships and mentoring. IMI representatives serve on the national board and those in major U.S. cities.

Joan B. Calambokidis

ACE students in New York City enjoyed experiencing materials like mortar, brick, cement, marble and tile at IMI’s training center. University level students of architecture and engineering enjoy seeing how designs translate into reality. ACE NYC Students and Mentors Experience Masonry Up Close ACE students and mentors alike all appreciated the chance to get a firsthand look and feel for masonry materials in a series of visits to IMI’s New York City training center this year. The center, which instructs members of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers at all professional levels from pre-job apprentices to foremen, also provided a snapshot of the training investment made by skilled craft unions like BAC. Fostering Early Appreciation for Materials, Craftsmanship IMI also works closely with design students at the university level to help them develop a solid understanding of masonry materials in terms of design and constructability, and the critical difference provided by skilled craftsmanship.   “It’s interesting to see how everything is made and put together.” — Peter Dunker, ACE NYC participant

CORPORATE LEADERS

Turner Construction Co.
As one of the leading construction companies in the world, Turner realized the importance of an alliance with ACE from the beginning. It is no wonder that wherever one finds an ACE affiliate, one will find involvement from the local Turner office. More than 250 Turner employees are actively participating as mentors throughout the country. To further support the program, Turner personnel serve on the ACE national board, located in Washington, D.C.

Turner gave a gift of more than $500,000 for the start-up of the national office of ACE. Likewise, as part of its commitment to ACE, Turner continues to financially support the opening of five new affiliates each year—proudly referred to as “Turner’s ACE Cities.” In 2004, Turner helped launch affiliates in Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis and Miami. This year, Turner’s gift will support chapters in Charlotte, Columbus, Boston, Detroit and Houston. Turner also plans to coordinate its educational giving in several business units, providing funding to the ACE scholarship program, which gives financial assistance to ACE graduates who major in design and construction programs.

“The ACE Mentor Program of America provides Turner staff with a wonderful opportunity for community involvement and has become a source for motivated interns and full-time employees,” says Peter Davoren, president and CEO of Turner Construction. “We look at this program as a way to build our work force with the most qualified and dedicated employees available.”

Thornton-Tomasetti Group, Inc.
It is no wonder that Thornton-Tomasetti Group is a national sponsor. Charles H. Thornton, PhD, P.E., recently retired co-chairman of the firm and now chairman of Charles H. Thornton and Co., founded the ACE Mentor Program. At present, the company is actively involved in the start-up of ACE affiliates in the 14 locations in which the firm has offices.

“When the ACE Mentor Program began in 1995, I had no idea of the positive impact it would have on high school students and our industry, nor did I realize how quickly it would grow,” says Thornton. “In just nine years, more than 12,000 high school students have had an opportunity to explore architecture, construction and engineering professions. Many are now graduating and pursuing careers in our industries. It is a pleasure to watch this program continue to grow.”

Not only are the employees of Thornton-Tomasetti actively involved in ACE affiliates, but Dr. Thornton’s family is instrumental in the ACE program as well. Since 2000, Thornton’s daughter, Diana Eidenshink, has served as a member of the ACE affiliate of Eastern Pennsylvania. Charlie Thornton III, Dr. Thornton’s son, launched the Denver ACE program in 2004. Even Dr. Thornton’s wife, Carolyn, serves as the secretary for the ACE Easton program.

McGraw-Hill Construction
Through its continued coverage of the ACE Mentor Program, McGraw-Hill brings this program to industry leaders’ attention. “When ENR honored me as the Award of Excellence recipient in 2001, it had a significant impact on the growth of ACE,” says Thornton. ACE had six affiliates prior to that award. The numbers increased to 17, then to 28, to 64 today and by the start-up of school this fall, ACE will increase its affiliates to 89 locations. McGraw-Hill Construction also supports ACE financially by underwriting scholarships each year and committing funds to the ACE Mentor Program of America.

McGraw-Hill Construction connects people, projects and products across the design and construction industry. From project and product information to industry news, trends and forecasts, it provides industry players the tools and resources that help them save time, money and energy. It has made the ACE Mentor Program of America one of its charitable priorities.

The EMCOR Group Inc.
At the beginning of 2005, The EMCOR Group became the latest corporate sponsor of ACE. With a three-year financial commitment to integrate its companies throughout the United States with ACE affiliates, EMCOR also hopes to build its work force with ACE interns and employees. That is why the company established The EMCOR Group Scholarship that each year, beginning with the high school class of 2005, will award two students with $5,000 scholarships to pursue a course of study in either electrical or mechanical engineering.

“EMCOR wants to assist these worthy high school students in receiving the financial support they need to enter college, and provide internships along the way” says Frank MacInnis, chairman of The EMCOR Group. “We want the EMCOR scholars to stay in touch with our employees by keeping us informed of their progress in school,” MacInnis continues. “This is one way of attracting them to our company upon graduation.”

The EMCOR Group is a global leader in mechanical and electrical construction, energy infrastructure and facilities services. Its corporate sponsorships support charitable organizations engaged in educational initiatives.

TRADE ORGANIZATIONS

The International Masonry Institute
The International Masonry Institute (IMI), which offers quality training for craftworkers, professional education for masonry contractors and free technical assistance to the design and construction communities, saw the benefit of a partnership with ACE as the fastest-growing high school mentoring program in America. Resources from this organization are being used to forge alliances between Team IMI training facilities throughout the United States and local ACE affiliates.

“Our support of not only funding but manpower will incorporate our trade organization into the ACE curriculum, and go a long way to bridge a gap in our industry’s work force,” says Joan Calambokidis, president and CEO of IMI. “We are thrilled to be involved in the ongoing success of this effective mentoring group.”

The first ACE affiliates to benefit from this alliance are New York City and Albany, NY; Camden and Newark, NJ; Hartford, CT; Chicago, IL; Philadelphia, PA; Baltimore, MD; Washington, DC; Seattle, WA; and Nashville, TN.

IMI is a joint labor-management cooperative program of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftsworkers (BAC) and the contractors who employ its members. Its core programs are quality craft training and technical assistance to the design and building communities. It is the oldest construction union in North America.

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS

The American Institute of Architects
A unanimous vote of the board of directors of the AIA gave ACE its first official industry association sponsor. While many state AIA chapters have been involved in the ACE program as mentors, the decision to sponsor ACE at the national level will enhance AIA’s participation throughout the country.

“AIA serves architects by promoting ethical, educational and practice standards for the profession and by advocating design excellence,” says Norman Koonce, vice president and CEO of AIA. “AIA has long supported mentoring programs for our members and our financial support of this excellent program will cement the relationship between the two programs.”

The Associated General Contractors
In 2005, the AGC decided to formalize its relationship with The ACE Mentor Program of America. With a four-year financial commitment to its expansion, AGC will encourage its membership, many of whom are already involved in ACE locally, to participate as mentors.

With more than one million job openings in the construction industry by the year 2010, the AGC will support the ACE Mentor Program as another of its attempts to bridge the work force gap. ACE enhances the educational programs already offered by the AGC. Likewise, the St. Louis Construction Career Center, the first charter school sponsored by the AGC, is entering its third year as an ACE affiliate.

OWNER PARTNERS

U.S. General Services Administration
In the fall of 2004, F. Joseph Moravec, Commissioner—Public Buildings Services of the U.S. General Services Administration, signed a partnering agreement with The ACE Mentor Program of America and immediately started a pilot program with the Washington, D.C. affiliate. Students there visited the GSA plant that supplies power to most of the Executive Branch offices. On another occasion, students visited the Office of the Chief Architect for GSA. Budding architects and engineers viewed models of many federal buildings just completed or in the conceptual stage.

Recognizing that ACE and GSA share the same value of providing efficient, high-quality federal buildings that result in a permanent and cherished legacy of public buildings in communities across the nation, GSA is proud to partner with ACE. The partnering agreement furthers this belief by stating that both GSA and ACE will promote design and construction excellence, encourage young people to explore careers in the industries, and promote integrity, good faith and fair dealing as the foundation of the relationship. It will also encourage GSA project teams to start ACE programs and to use GSA facilities as “living laboratories” for students.

Charles H. Thornton, Ph.D., P.E., Founding Principal, Thornton-Tomasetti Group, Inc.

Since ACE’s birth in the mid-1990s, international engineering and design firm Thornton-Tomasetti Group, Inc. has been heavily involved in the organization, helping to found new chapters, garner support from major national organizations and companies, raise funds for ACE programs and expand the organization throughout the United States. The firm is a charter member of ACE’s founding chapter in New York City, and the firm’s Founding Principal Charles H. Thornton has been recognized nationally as a driving force in the creation and expansion of ACE. He received ENR’s Award of Excellence in 2001 for his contributions to the industry through the ACE Mentoring Program.

Today Thornton-Tomasetti is active in some capacity in 14 ACE chapters in 12 states and with ACE National, mainly as a result of Charles Thornton’s commitment to establish an ACE chapter in every city where his firm has an office. Not only is Thornton the current chairman of the ACE National Board, but he is the chairman emeritus of the New York Chapter and the acting chairman of two fledging chapters in Baltimore, MD, and Indianapolis, IN. Other members of the firm are on the boards of chapters in New York, NY; Newark, NJ; Stamford and New Haven, CT; Chicago, IL; Philadelphia, PA; Washington, DC; and Dallas/Fort Worth, TX, or have been instrumental in the early efforts to establish chapters in Detroit, MI; Fort Lauderdale, FL; and Orange County, CA.

Many of the firm’s young engineers become ACE mentors with the strong support and encouragement of the company.

Charles H. Thornton

Thornton-Tomasetti employee, former ACE student and now ACE mentor Michael Chen at work in the firm’s Newark office. Coming Full Circle As a junior at Stuyvesant High School, Michael Chen joined ACE and worked on the architectural design of a high school on the tip of Roosevelt Island. He returned to the program the following year and was awarded the Mel Feinstein Scholarship from ACE in 1999. Michael went on to M.I.T. where he received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 2003 and his Master of Engineering in 2004. While there, he participated in a variety of activities including the 2002 concrete canoe team and research abroad through the M.I.T. - Singapore Alliance. As a new hire at Thornton-Tomasetti’s Newark office, Michael will be a new mentor for one of the three Newark, NJ, teams.   Nelida Santiago and Frances McCorkle with Suzanne Provanzana, a Thornton-Tomasetti Project Engineer. Suzanne has been an ACE mentor for four years. Chicago Chapter Takes Off Thornton-Tomasetti Group served as a catalyst for the Chicago chapter, the first team outside of the East Coast. The firm’s Chicago office played a key role in recruiting mentoring firms and board members, soliciting the support of the Chicago Public Schools system, and underwriting the initial programming costs. Together with the efforts of the other charter mentor firms, the Chicago chapter launched in 2000 with 100 students on four teams. Its accomplishments can be measured by the success stories of ACE graduates who have continued their studies in college, the sustained participation of veteran mentors, and the $157,000 in scholarships the chapter has awarded since its inception. Headquartered in New York City, Thornton-Tomasetti Group, Inc. is a 500-person international engineering and design firm with 14 offices worldwide. The firm focuses on structural engineering services for a variety of tall buildings and complex structures and multidisciplinary design services for building investigation, repair, restoration and rehabilitation, as well as for specialized facilities with complex systems. Recognized worldwide for its innovative and elegant solutions to engineering issues, Thornton-Tomasetti is ranked among The Top 150 Design Firms and The Top 100 ‘Pure’ Designers by Engineering News-Record. Thornton-Tomasetti Group, Inc. 641 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10011-2014 917.661.7800 www.TheTTGroup.com Offices Worldwide

Irvin E. Richter, F.CMAA Chairman and CEO

Hill volunteered to establish a new ACE chapter in Trenton to fulfill an important need in the community. There is no more important accomplishment than mentoring students and helping direct their future aspirations. As the sole sponsor, and with support from the Trenton Board of Education and Trenton Central High School administrators, Hill’s architects, engineers and construction managers volunteered their time to mentor interested students using a curriculum that emphasized hands-on, studio-based learning, and included recreational sports events and motivational speakers. This effort is consistent with Hill’s social consciousness, commitment to local communities and to continue to create career interest in the construction industry. I am proud to be a member of the ACE Mentor Program and privileged to be able to influence so many students in such a positive way.

Irvin E. Richter

Trenton Central High School, Trenton, NJ. In its second year, the Trenton Chapter ACE program has built on the successes of its first year in 2003/04 when Hill mentored 11 students from Trenton Central High School. This year, the program’s remarkable expansion includes corporate mentoring partnerships with Langan Engineering’s Trenton office and the Princeton office of Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc., exposing the students to diverse mentor skills and backgrounds; and an enriched curriculum that balances lectures and presentations from architects and engineers, with hands-on studio-based demonstration projects. Students of the 15-class, bi-weekly program. Enrollment has doubled to 21 students from two schools, adding more race and gender to the diversity and resourcefulness of the three project teams. Six of these students are returnees from last year, who are providing proactive leadership and guidance to their first year peers; commendable accomplishments by the second year students include Patrick Alvarado’s admission into the Engineering programs at NJIT and Drexell; and Harry Julian’s success in balancing school with part-time work at the New Jersey Schools Construction Corporation, where he interned in summer 2004. A South Jersey region end-of-year presentation event with the Vineland and Camden chapters, scheduled for May 23, 2005, will review a portfolio of Trenton chapter projects including a hotel, shopping plaza and a recreational facility. Hill International is a worldwide project management and construction claims consulting firm. Ranked as the 14th largest construction management firm in the country by Engineering News-Record magazine; Hill has participated in over 1,000 project assignments with a total construction value of over $100 billion. As construction project manager, Hill has managed all phases of the construction process from pre-design through completion, including project controls, estimating, procurement, expediting, inspection, contract administration and management of contractors, subcontractors and suppliers. Hill offers extensive program management, project management oversight, troubled project turnaround, staff augmentation, project labor agreement and other project consulting services. We are a global leader in construction claims consulting having participated in over 5,000 disputes valued in excess of $50 billion. Hill has developed an international reputation for its innovative approaches to preventing and resolving time and cost overruns on major construction projects worldwide. We offer clients a full spectrum of construction dispute resolution services, enabling them to complete construction on time and within budget, while minimizing claims and other problems. Offices Worldwide 800.283.4088 www.hillintl.com

An integral part of the ACE Mentor Program is its relationship with colleges and universities throughout the United States. Each of the affiliates seeks to work closely with the higher education institutions in their local area and ACE National is committed to assisting the affiliates in broadening the scope of this reach. From UCLA to Morgan State University, from the University of Washington to Miami-Dade Community College, representatives from higher learning institutions sit on the board of local ACE affiliates. It is here that early recruiting can take place.

“A major component of the ACE curriculum is the ‘How To Go To College Night,” says Charles Thornton. University and colleges from an affiliate’s area send representatives to this event at which ACE students can learn about what it takes to enter a particular college. “We go a step further, however,” continues Thornton. “Deans of the schools of engineering and architecture also come and give the students first-hand information about course load, classes and entry requirements. It is very effective.”

The University and College Collaborative was established to take this process a few steps further. Starting with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, and Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY, the collaborative will maximize opportunities for students as they prepare for entry into competitive colleges leading to careers in architecture, construction and engineering related fields.

“Both the schools of higher learning and ACE win with this collaborative,” says Thornton.

“ACE students get a look at many different colleges this way and colleges get to review the applications of many very talented young people in their selection process. It is a wonderful way to expand the reach for these talented kids.”

The second component of this collaborative matches ACE affiliates to its university and college graduates, giving the university an added value for its alumni. While mentoring, alumni have the opportunity to encourage students to attend their alma mater and act as the liaison between the university and the student. The program will kick off this fall in selected ACE affiliate locations.

ACE National is seeking to foster dynamic partnerships between its affiliates and many institutions. So far it has received interest from Manhattan College, Penn State University, Oklahoma State University, Drexel University and the University of Delaware.

Certificate of Operation (represented by black circles on map and black text below)
Planning Stages (represented by white circles on map and brown text below)