“I am participating in the ACE program because I think it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that will allow me to impact the lives of children and adults in South Africa while simultaneously developing relationships with Stanford and Duke student-athletes. I think that this experience will take me out of my comfort zone, challenge me to grow as an individual, and ultimately make me a better person, teammate, and student. I could not be more excited for this opportunity!”
Caitlyn Keefe’s past experience with service includes volunteering as a member of the Stanford Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) Community Service team. This team plans community service opportunities for Stanford student-athletes, such as AB Trees, which works to promote child literacy in the Bay Area. Caitlin also serves as a Partners In Excellence (PAE) member, assisting Stanford student-athletes in managing their demanding schedules to ensure academic and athletic excellence. Alongside her teammates, she also participates in off-campus service, including volunteering at a local soup kitchen and food bank.
Dear Future #ACEathletes,
- Best advice for learning about ACE: Just apply! It was the best decision I ever made and the time it takes you to complete your application is 100% worth the memories you will have for the rest of your life! If you need help or have a question reach out to me, I would be so happy to help!
- Best advice for getting started at your program: It can be overwhelming to get to know nine new faces but our team decided that every night after project we would put our phones away and play card games and tell funny stories. We lived by the motto disconnect to connect and it worked wonders. We all grew incredibly close over the 4 weeks.
- Tips for getting to know your community: Working with kids, the best way to form relationships is just to play with them. Just give your heart and your time and that is really all you need to know.
- Tips for training: It is a great idea to train together. You go with a lot of different sports and so take advantage of being surrounded by other athletes. We had Blake (a gymnast) take us through his ab routine and we all completed had of the Duke softball back to school run test! It was hard!
- Tips for bringing ACE back to your team: Everyone who knows me knows that the highlight of my summer was participating in the ACE program. The genuine passion and love I have for the program was evident to both my coaches and teammates and after hearing me talk about my experience, a lot of my teammates are thinking it would be an incredible opportunity for them too!
- Reasons for staying involved in ACE: I wanted to give back to the program who gave me so much! Ace impacted how I see myself in the world, the value service has in my life. As I am applying for jobs, I am looking to join a team that values social impact and meaningful work because of my experience as a member of the ACE program. I also met the nine most incredible people and I so I want to stay involved so that I stay connected to them.