ACE
Mission
The Academic Community of Excellence (ACE) program develops undergraduate scholars for admission into graduate and professional degree programs. ACE emphasizes academic distinction, undergraduate research, and involvement in other scholarly and leadership activities. ACE is one of several strategic initiatives that exists within the Office of the Vice President for Intercultural Affairs.
Benefits and Services
- Students who are admitted to the ACE program may receive the following benefits and services:
- Residence in the ACE living learning community (sophomore year only)
- Enrollment in two academic courses entitled, Strategies for Graduate and Professional School Admission I and II.
- Graduate and professional school advising
- Access to financial awards to undertake a faculty supervised research project
- Transportation to the Southern California Forum for Diversity in Graduate Education
- Sponsorship to attend and present at academic conferences
- Access to books that address the graduate and professional school application process
- Participation in service and social activities
Eligibility
Applicants should possess a record of academic excellence and leadership, and a commitment to service and social justice. At a minimum, applicants must:
- Possess a 3.0 cumulative grade point average or greater
- Be a rising sophomore (second semester freshman) at the time of his/her application
- Plan to pursue a graduate or professional degree
- Agree to comply with the ACE Membership Agreement
- Be in good academic standing with the University
- Must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States
ACE strategies for graduate and professional school admission I and II course topics and events
Fall 2012
- Exploring Graduate and Professional School
- Career Exploration
- Internships and Experiential Learning Opprtunities
- The Benefits of Undergraduate Research
- Developing a Résumé and Curriculum Vitae
- Meeting with Professors for Mentorship Opportunities
- Developing an Action Plan
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Spring 2013
- The Application Process
- Questions and Answers with President Burcham
- Visiting Campuses and Attending Graduate Forums
- Graduate and Professional School Entrance Exams
- Professional Behavior and Networking
- Becoming a Scholar: Who are the Leading Scholars in your Field?
- Strengthening Emotional Intelligence for Academic Success
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For further information
For more information contact:
Loyola Marymount University
Academic Community of Excellence
1 LMU Drive, Foley Annex 120
Los Angeles, CA 90045-2659
www.lmu.edu/ace
310.338.5283/5348
Meet the Staff
Director of Academic Enrichment Programs, Derenda King, Ed.D
Dr. Derenda King, formally Intercultural Affairs Associate in the Office of the Vice President for Intercultural Affairs, was promoted to Director of Academic Enrichment Programs. In her new role, Dr. King will continue to assist the Vice President with planning and implementing intercultural affairs initiatives as well as provide leadership for the Academic Community of Excellence (ACE). Her leadership for the ACE program has included designing and implementing the curriculum, teaching two courses on graduate school preparation, implementing effective recruitment strategies to identify and admit scholars, providing advice on academic and graduate school plans, and serving as the Coordinator for the ACE Living Learning Community, which is designed to strengthen the academic and co-curricular experience of sophomores in the Program.
Additionally, Dr. King provides leadership for the LMU Transfer Student Scorecard Project, an initiative funded by the Teagle Foundation, and other academic programs. The Transfer Student Scorecard Project, in collaboration with the LMU’s Office of Student Engagement, Retention and Transition and the University of Southern California’s (USC) Center for Urban Education (CUE), focuses on increasing equitable outcomes for historically underrepresented transfer students from public community colleges.
Resident Advisor, Kathleen Soto-Gomez, M.A
Kathleen graduated from LMU in 2007 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and a minor in Communication Studies. With support from the ACE program, she applied to graduate school and was accepted to Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. She received her Master’s in Sociology of Education with an emphasis in Education Policy in 2009 and moved back to Los Angeles to begin her career in the field of education. Along with her responsibilities as a Program Coordinator, she also volunteers with the College Bound Program through the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and is currently working on a Master’s in Clinical Counseling at LMU