After participating in the ACE in Peru program in 2019, Kelsey McGinley has gone on to continue rowing as a postgraduate at the University of Texas while earning a master’s degree. Kelsey looks back on how she established and nurtured the connections she made during the program. She aspires to leverage her ACE experience in her life after graduation, staying engaged in volunteer work and fostering connections within her local Austin community.
What are you doing now? How has ACE influenced your career pathway?
I spent the last year working on my master’s degree in marketing at the University of Texas, where I used my last year of rowing eligibility as well. Throughout the year, I worked with the local animal shelter of Austin Pets Alive to walk dogs and build their social media presence to bring attention to the animals in need and help get them adopted. While ACE is not directly involved in my career path right now, I am continuing to volunteer with the animal shelter and plan to keep going, as it is extremely fulfilling.
Share one lesson from ACE that still holds today.
A specific lesson learned from my ACE experience is that the team effort of that trip really built great friendships, some of which are still strong today. My strongest friendships had always been built through sports teams, and ACE was one of my first experiences with a team working towards one goal outside of my direct team. Now, as I am setting out in my young adult life, I am looking to create similar bonds through team efforts, whether it be through volunteering or team-based athletic groups.
Describe your ACE experience in as few words as possible:
Working together to grow as individuals and as a team.
What was the most meaningful part of your ACE experience?
One of the other members of my ACE team- Emily Klingamen, happened to also commit to a spot at the University of Texas for graduate school. It has been amazing to continue our friendship outside of Stanford and ACE, with the strong initial foundation built on this program.