Loyola Marymount University’s Academic Community of Excellence (ACE) program concluded the 2023-24 academic year on a high note by treating its program participants to a day trip to Disneyland. Twenty students and four chaperones went on the trip, and for some, it was their first visit to the theme park.
This excursion to Disneyland on April 26, 2024, was fitting as 2024 marks the ACE program’s 20-year anniversary. Implemented in 2004, the program improves underrepresented student retention, graduation, and preparation for graduate and professional programs. As a strategic diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative, ACE works to increase access and success for underrepresented students in preparing them for graduate school. “All rising sophomores and juniors may apply and join ACE; however, they need to possess a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and desire to pursue a graduate or professional degree,” said Steven Neal, director of the Academic Community of Excellence. “We recognize, according to the U.S. Department of Education, that there are groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in some graduate and professional programs; therefore, we aim to prepare those groups and others to pursue postgraduate degrees. The students go on to do great things, and we like to think that ACE has been a part of that,” he added.
ACE attracts students from all majors, including pre-med, pre-law, STEM, psychology, and education. Some of them are first-generation college students who learned about ACE from their peers. Further, they are very aware of the current climate and that some universities are cutting DEI programs. Conversely, they are proud that LMU has programs that support them. “I’m really grateful that LMU has a resource like ACE to help students of color and encourage them to pursue graduate and professional programs,” one student said. To date, nearly 400 LMU students have completed the program.
While ACE was celebrating its 20th anniversary, Disneyland debuted its new daytime parade, “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” as part of its Pixar Fest. Just as LMU aims to create a brighter world, the parade centers around characters who support and uplift each other through all of life’s challenges to be better together. Take a minute to watch and enjoy a video of the parade as well as the photo gallery.
