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The past year has not been easy, but our ACE alumni continue to show inspiringresilience. You’ve furthered your education and improved your career prospects,demonstrating your determination to make the world a better place. We want to make ita little easier for you to reach your goals with the Continuing Education Grant. The Continuing Education Grant is for ACE alumni who return for another full programafter completing a micro-credential, certificate or degree. You can reduce your tuitionby $250 to $1,250, depending on the program, plus you won’t pay an application fee. Never stop learning! Come back to ACE and make 2021 YOUR year! Learn More →

Read the Alumni Spotlight below to find out why one ACE alumna decided to come back to ACE forher second master’s (and how she recently became a published author!).

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Join your fellow ACE alumni for a virtual reception Thursday,February 11, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. ET. This is a great opportunityto network with each other and find out what’s new at ACE. Theguest speaker will be KK Byland, ACE vice president of humanresources, speaking about “Higher Education: Not All CollegesAre Created Equal.” You don’t want to miss this great session! BONUS: All alumni who attend the reception will receive a $25gift card for the ACE Gear Shop! We hope you’ll join us! Register Now →

ACE is very proud to announce our nursing program has beengranted the full five-year accreditation by the Commission onCollegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and we have added twonew programs: the RN to BSN and the BSN to MSN. The RN to BSN is priced at an industry-low $7,950, includingtuition and fees. In addition, we continue to offer the RN to MSNprogram, an accelerated pathway to earn both a bachelor’s and amaster’s degree in just one program. “I am so proud of the nursing program we have built at ACE andthat we’ve earned CCNE accreditation,” says Dr. Claudia Mitchell,assistant provost for healthcare professions at ACE. “Ourprogram is designed to ensure our graduates are fully prepared towork and lead in today’s complex and changing healthcareenvironment.” Learn about all our nursing options →

The most recent episode ofthe Leading and Learningwith ACE podcast tacklesthe important topic ofunconscious bias and howto work toward a moreequitable classroom. Dr. Fawzia Reza, ACEfaculty member anddiversity and inclusioncoordinator, hosts theepisode, “Anti-biasEducation: How to ValueDifferences and ChallengeUnfairness.” She speakswith author Louise Derman-Sparks about theimportance of anti-biaseducation and how itincreases understanding ofdifferences whilechallenging us to actagainst unfairness. As anadvocate for social justiceand inclusivity for over 50years, Derman-Sparksshares how we can havethe conversationsnecessary to cultivate openminds. Listen Now →

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Meredith Myall Essalat is principal of Mission Dolores Academy, aK-8 school in San Francisco. She worked in collegiate student lifeand admissions before heading into academic fundraising. Fromthere, she earned multiple-subject teaching credentials, initially tohelp her school fundraising skills. But she ended up falling in lovewith being a teacher and shaping future generations. Read moreour interview and be sure to check outher website, OverlyHonestTeacher.com.  Photo by Briccetti Photography

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ACE: Please tell us about your book! Meredith Myall Essalat: My book is called The Overly Honest Teacher: Parenting Advice fromthe Classroom, and it just came out in October 2020. It is filled with practical tips for parents andteachers to encourage one another while holding everyone accountable for their actions.  How did you decide to advance your education at ACE? MME: A colleague of mine told me about the program. It was so awesome to be able to work on mygraduate studies in both Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Leadership remotely whileteaching full-time.  What made you decide to complete a second degree at ACE?  MME: My principal and mentor at the time encouraged me to pursue administration. My husband andI had relocated to Texas for a brief period of time, so returning to ACE to completean additional degree made perfect sense.   How has your ACE degree helped you in your career?  MME: I learned so much from my time at ACE! I developed skills to analyze andimplement various modalities and curricula, was encouraged to take risks, and honed the courage ittakes to do so. As a school leader now, I really put into practice tools and techniques that weredeveloped in learning forums with my professors and fellow cohort members.   What tips would you share about learning online? MME: Earning degrees online doesn’t have to feel sterile or removed from the traditionalclassroom environment. Collaboration can and does occur, even when we aren’t sharing the samephysical space. Capitalize on opportunities to learn from colleagues who are teaching in other parts ofthe country and in schools with different methodologies and pedagogy— that is how true professionaltransformation occurs.  How has your ACE degree helped you in your career? MME: I learned so much from my time at ACE! I developed skills to analyze andimplement various modalities and curricula, was encouraged to take risks, and honed the courage ittakes to do so. As a school leader now, I really put into practice tools and techniques that weredeveloped in learning forums with my professors and fellow cohort members.  Personally or professionally, what are you loving right now? MME: Even though this school year has been chaotic due to the pandemic, I appreciate the positiveaspects of virtual learning. The past year has been such a tremendous catalyst for growth in thehealthy, collaborative dialogue among educators and the guardians of their students. The emeraldcurtain has been pulled back and a glimpse into the inner workings of the classroom environment hasbeen put on display for parents to witness first-hand. Teachers and parents now have conversationsaround educational terminology and a mutual appreciation for what it takes to target the individualneeds of each child within their care. My hope is that we take all that we have learned during this timeand apply it to the future knowing that, at the end of the day, we can enable kids to learn in anyenvironment. We just have to be willing to work together.  If you’re thinking of doing another program, ACE alumni can come back and save $250 to $1,250,depending on the program, plus you won’t pay an application fee. See details here.

ALUMNI ACCOMPLISHMENTS

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Robin Williams, Ed.D in Leadership in 2019, was published inKappa Delta Pi’s Teacher Advocate magazine. Read thearticle, “Students Need to Find Their Voice: 5 Ways toUse The Power of the Arts.”

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS

Click on a name to read more

Charles Walters Cara Cronk Joe Whitmore Lisa Marie Portugal

Vincenza Malellari Robert Bennett Tiffany Pedigo Jason Roberts

Venus Soileau Mahmut Unver Krissy Schenck Brantley Wilson

Have news to share? Email alumni@ace.edu so we can let your fellow alumni know!

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ALUMNI BENEFITS

Thanks to all who’ve joined the ACE Alumni SharingKnowledge Network! The ASK Network is for alumnito connect with each other, share resources and – if you wish – mentor current students. We hope you’ll become part of theASK Network today! Join Now →

All graduates of ACEdegree programscan continueto access the collegelibrary. Just useyour MyACE studentcredentials to log in. Access the Library →

UPCOMING WEBINAR

Imposter Syndrome: How Do I Recognize It? Thursday, February 18, 6 p.m. ET

Have you ever felt unworthy of your own success? Despite our grades, achievements andaccolades, many of us feel underqualified for the opportunities we’re given. If you feel thisway, you’re not alone. Join us to discuss imposter syndrome and explore some strategies

to overcome it and step into your own strengths.

Register Now →

Access past webinars in the ACE Digital Toolbox.

STAY CONNECTED WITH ACE

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ACE AppThe ACE Alumni site is on the

ACE app! Use it to keep up withACE, request transcripts and

find out about alumni benefits.Search for “American College of

Education” in your mobiledevice’s app store.

Join the Alumni LinkedInGroup

Join our closed LinkedIn groupjust for ACE alumni! It’s a

private place to network, shareideas and build your ACE

connections.

Join on LinkedIn →

Alumni Grant Be a lifelong learner!

The Continuing Education Grantreduces tuition for

alumni pursuing an ACEcertificate, master’s or doctoral-

level program.

Learn More →

CAREERS AT ACE

If you're interested in being part of the ACE team,check out our Careers page to see all our open positions.

Learn More →

Our graduates have a unique perspective on what it’s like to be an ACE student. We would reallyappreciate it if you would take a few minutes and write a review of ACE on one (or all!) of these

sites so future students can discover ACE, just like you did!

Google → GradReports.com → Facebook →

American College of Education101 West Ohio St, Ste 1200Indianapolis, IN 46204 1-800-280-0307ace.edu/alumni | alumni@ace.edu

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© 2021 AMERICAN COLLEGE OF EDUCATION.101 West Ohio St., Suite 1200, Indianapolis, IN 46204. AmericanCollege of Education is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. All programs may not be available in yourstate. Please refer to the College Catalog for availability. Continuing Education Grant and Partnership Grant do not applyto RN to BSN program.   CONFIDENTIAL EMAIL: This e-mail is intended solely for the addressee. The information contained herein isconfidential. Any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail, other than by its intended recipient, is strictlyprohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify me immediately and delete this message.

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