I was a sophomore in high school at St. Mary Academy Bay View in East Providence when I first heard about ACE. I received an e-mail from my School to Career counselor, whose role is to alert students about volunteer work, fundraising events, and opportunities for development in preparation for college life. At this time, I had a genuine interest in the design fields, the environment and the politics of capitalism, and the complicated systems we live in and around. I didn’t realize that the study of architectural design, for me, encompassed all of what I previously mentioned. I hadn’t assigned a name or career path to my interests, so at the notification of ACE and learning how accessible the Rhode Island affiliate was, I didn’t hesitate to dive into it. I was determined to come to certain decisions about college as well as identify my strengths and gain an understanding of myself as a student and what I had to offer my “community.” I use community very loosely because I believe the scale of community is undefined and far reaching- the home, the school, the town, the state, the country, the world. I was a part of ACE for 3 years before I was accepted as a student at Rhode Island School of Design. During my 3 years, I was surrounded by kind and caring mentors who were enthusiastic to tell me everything they knew about their fields; I worked closely with them and felt welcomed at ACE. I worked in teams to design urban revitalization project proposals and to conduct research; I was introduced to the rigor and work ethic that was expected from a college student, and the excitement and challenges collaboration offered. I learned that patience, dedication, attention to detail, communication, and organization were key ingredients for a well informed and resolved project. I could see then that there was a place for me in this field after realizing how a person is impacted by the built environment and how architecture has always had a role in shaping it. Architecture is capable of immense change; it’s political and psychological, and very much tied to the climate crisis. I was taken on office visits, college tours, and construction sites all while having the homebase located directly in the RISD Architecture Department. It was a treat and a wonder to see the constantly changing student galleries, the exhibits, and the pin-ups. ACE students were immersed in studio culture and the hubbub of campus life which was a unique edge to my experience.

I was also extremely grateful to have had mentor and ACE leader Jim Barnes, a professor at RISD, take me under his wing and go above and beyond by connecting me with a highschool internship and helping me through the college application process. I had a village of people supporting me. To make matters sweeter, I was a recipient of the CMiC Berg Memorial Scholarship and was granted $40,000 toward my education. I am so thankful for this scholarship because I was able to tell my parents that I could contribute a substantial amount, easing the burden of tuition, and pursue my desired degree.

Currently, I am entering my final year at RISD and my second year studying Architecture. I recently declared a Concentration in NCSS (Nature-Culture Sustainability Studies) which offers a self-directed pathways of research in focus areas such as sustainable design, the environmental social sciences, the environmental humanities, social and environmental justice studies, the environment, and the fine arts. I would absolutely recommend ACE as a way for students to navigate the college process and even just high school life. My experience is that ACE is a great chance to make connections with local ACE professionals who can give you an insight into their fields. ACE is also a good way to determine if those career paths are what you want to pursue early on before committing to a college. On top of that, you can complete a design proposal to enter into competition with the help of these same mentors who are there to teach you technical skills, knowledge in building materials, presentation techniques, estimate calculation, and building code. These mentors had my best interests in mind and were great fun to be with. Now that I am an alumna and my ACE affiliate is also based where I attend college, I’ve signed up to be a student mentor. Once, I was working alone in studio when all of a sudden an ACE session came in and began an activity- it was like things had gone “full-circle.”

Lily Gucfa
Senior, Rhode Island School of Design
ACE RI Alumni