Unique opportunity to work on accessible web design
The Ambassadors for Civic Engagement (ACE) Fellowship provides an opportunity for graduate students to apply their education and skills to contribute to and improve the quality of life of people living in the Pittsburgh region through a long-term experiential fellowship with a community partner that works in public policy, governance, community organizing and activism, or philanthropy.
Two diverse and highly competitive graduate-level ACE Fellows from a wide-range of backgrounds will work as a team with a community partner to address a specific organizational, policy, or community issue while increasing their social responsibility, heightening their understanding of human diversity, and learning from their peers.
2020-2021 Community Partner
This year, we partnered with Pitt’s National Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Family Support.
Project Deliverables
The ACE Fellows worked with the National Center on Family Support to understand the history of the organization and its work within a certain community that has shaped the way it responds to its population. They assisted the Center with website redesign, and throughout the fellowship, they learned more about the resources available to people living with disabilities and their family members.
Project Mentor
Heather Tomko - Outreach Coordinator
When was this fellowship offered?
Meet the 2020-2021 ACE Fellows
Desiree Bodziony is a graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Spring term 2021 is her final term before she graduates with a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. Desiree is originally from the state of Maryland, however, a majority of her family is from the Pittsburgh area which is why she selected Pitt as the place to continue her education. Her focus relies on empowering individuals to work together to grow a sustainable community that gives everyone a sense of pride and a place to call home through establishing long-lasting dependable relationships and support for each other.
Alice Mahoro Ngamije is a current student in the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. She is studying International Development with a focus in Non-Governmental Organizations and Civil Society. Prior to attending the University of Pittsburgh, Alice worked at Catholic Charities of Orlando as a case manager, where she provided services to refugees and immigrants from various cultures and beliefs and customs. She is passionate about social justice and ensuring adequate service access to populations in need, including marginalized communities, refugees/migrants and people with disabilities.