ACE seeks nominations for three 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 22, 2021.
1. 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 16-21 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 9-11, 2021)
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 9-11, 2021)
3. The Scott C. Malpass Founders Prize is presented to two ACE graduates whose personal embodiment of the three pillars of ACE has inspired them to make an entrepreneurial, high-impact contribution to their communities. As Tim Scully describes ACE’s founding as “improvising on Providence,” the Founders Prize honors ACE graduates whose God-given talents of leadership, innovation, and commitment to service on behalf of the Gospel have shaped their vocations and transformed their communities.
Please submit your nomination, using this form, by March 22, 2021. 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!
Past recipients of the Michael Pressley Award for Excellence in Catholic Education:
- 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)
Past recipients of the Michael Pressley Award for a Promising Scholar in the Education Field:
- 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)
Past recipients of the Scott C. Malpass Founders Prize:
- 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)