ACE Mentor Luncheon awards 67 scholarships totaling $203,000

At its 15th annual luncheon benefiting the Scholarship Fund, held May 20 at the Union League Club, the Architects, Constructors, Engineers (ACE) Mentor Program of Greater New York gave out 67 scholarship awards, totaling $140,000 and an additional $63,000 from other sources, to graduates of the 2009-2010 program (totaling $203,000). Dedicated to providing career direction to young people, the program enrolled close to 500 students this year. The 2010 luncheon was underwritten by New York Construction, Turner, RCDolner, STV and Skanska. Luncheon chairperson Patrick Muldoon, partner, Gorton & Partners, and chairman of the board of directors, Milo Riverso, president of STV, Inc., addressed the sold-out event, along with scholarship recipients and other notables of the ACE and business communities. Honorees at the luncheon included three leaders representing both the public and private sectors: * John Zuccotti, U.S. chairman, Brookfield Properties Corp. * Christopher Ward, executive director, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey * John Pierce, VP and regional manager Latin America and Caribbean, Turner International LLC. "Now in its 15th year, the ACE Scholarship Fund is proving its worth as an important program for motivating students to pursue higher education and ACE careers," said honoree Pierce. "The rigorous application process and substantial rewards attract high-quality students who will carry on the legacy of their mentors and help assure a bright future for our profession." Turner Construction awarded a scholarship to Olivia Sell who will attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the fall. Since it began raising funds for scholarships in 1996, the ACE Mentor Program of New York City has awarded $1.196 million in scholarships to 634 deserving graduates. The ACE program concept has now expanded across the country; nationwide the program is now in more than 100 cities with more than 3200 mentors serving over 9,300 students. The ACE program is a unique partnership among the city's leading schools and universities, architects, interior designers, engineers, construction management companies, professional organizations and related corporations. Acting as advisors and mentors, participating companies adopt a group of 20 to 30 students for the school year, introducing them to the rewards of careers in the design and construction industries, challenging them to solve complex problems as part of a team, and encouraging them to attend college.