#ACEinCR participant and @duketfxc member, Ally Neiders details the connections she made in Gandoca: “The connections in this community run deep, creating family support systems like I have never seen. They were our link to the community, and they embraced us with open arms.”

#ACEinCostaRica participant and @dukesoftball member Kennedy Barron shares how she overcame the language barrier by playing in a community soccer tournament: “ While on the pitch, it didn’t matter. The realization dawned: Soccer didn’t need to be spoken, it needed to be played.”

#ACEinCR participant and @dukerow member Nora Conaty shares about impactful moments from her ACE experience in her final reflection: “The roots of joy planted by the people I met during these past weeks will remain within me forever, as I try to radiate as much joy as they did.”

As ACE Summer 2024 comes to a close, we want to thank our community partners, our many campus partners, @dukeathletics, David Rubenstein, and our ACE participants for making this summer so special. Looking forward to re-engaging with our #ACEathletes this fall!

As ACE Summer 2024 comes to a close, we want to thank our community partners, our many campus partners, @dukeathletics, David Rubenstein, and our ACE participants for making this summer so special. Read the full press release here: ow.ly/iEmZ50T5gL4

#ACEinSouthAfrica participant and @dukeswimdive member Tatum Wall shares, "While our purpose in the Early Childhood Development centers was to teach English and support the teachers at these crowded schools, I saw another unexpected benefit: the exchange of ideas.”

#ACEinSouthAfrica participant and @duketfxc member Thaïs Rolly shares her experiences with the ACE team and the children they worked with: “My main takeaway has been that kindness is priceless. It’s never guaranteed, yet so easy to give and can completely change a community.”

#ACEinSouthAfrica participant and @dukerow member Erin Temple writes “Teammates, family members, and loved ones: so many people will hear about this trip, so I’m so grateful that I have such good experiences to share with them."

#ACEinSouthAfrica participant and @dukefen member Monica Balakrishan writes, “Encouraging kids to take up sports and academics and keep a balance between the two allows them to have goals and achieve big things in life. It keeps them proud of their families and who they are. ”

#ACEinSouthAfrica participant and @duketfxc member Jeremy Kain shares, “Seeing the kids thrive and smile regardless of whatever circumstance they found themselves in certainly made me realize it takes very little to change your attitude about something."

#ACEinSouthAfrica participant and @dukeswimdive member Madeline Meredith shares “This experience has left me with an eternal sense of gratitude and love for the people in Langa. I left the community with an amount of lessons learned in three weeks to last a lifetime.

#ACEinSA participant and @dukefh member Brynn Crouse writes, “I cannot forget about my ACE group that I was lucky enough to meet and learn about on this journey. These were some of my favorite people I met along the way, and I am grateful to have eleven new friends at Duke."

#ACEinSA participant and @duketfxc member Sean Morello writes, “I leave Langa knowing that happiness is a choice. The beauty of our lives is in that each is unique and irreplicable. Many of our new young friends in Langa greet each day with open arms and a smile on their faces.”

#ACEinSouthAfrica participant and @dukeswimdive member Josie Zillig writes, “This experience gave me a glimpse of what unity can do. Seeing how the community members of Langa took care of each other, despite the challenging circumstances, was eye-opening.”

For Summer 2025, we will return to our program locations and community partners in Panama, Costa Rica, and South Africa! We are excited to offer these programs to @dukeathletics student-athletes who will continue building on last year’s projects.

The ACE 2025 application is open! Applications are due January 29, 2025 at 12 Noon EST. Visit ace.duke.edu to learn more about each program and start your application today - submit your application to join the 10th ACE Team!

A decade of going beyond the game 🌍 As we honor the 10-year anniversary of the ACE Program, we reflect on its powerful impact—shaping the Duke student-athlete experience through purpose, service, and global connection.

Over the past decade, more than 315 student-athletes have engaged in 24 programs across 8 countries, contributing over 23,500 hours of service worldwide. Learn more about the ACE experience — including details and testimonials at ace.duke.edu.

ACE in Costa Rica Final Reflections - mailchi.mp/a532975d9be4/2…

ACE in South Africa Final Reflections - mailchi.mp/e742349b8cf8/2…