This is part of a series highlighting recent ACE participants who are finding meaningful ways to connect and build on their ACE experience beyond their three-week ACE summer program. After student-athlete participants complete their ACE summer, they are encouraged to think about a specific goal that connects their ACE experience to their life in a meaningful way. ACE staff support this process through the development of a personal ACE Action Plan and 1-1 coaching, group meetings, and check-ins throughout the year. Learn more about the ACE Plan Process and explore additional ways ACE student-athletes are supported post-experience here.
After participating in the ACE in Vietnam program in 2023, Seamus Harding focused his Action Plan on increasing his involvement with Duke student-athlete organizations and initiating an independent project. This led him to create a partnership between the Duke Swimming & Diving Team and Team Impact. Team Impact is an organization that matches children facing serious illness and disability with college sports teams, creating long-term, life-changing experiences for everyone involved.
Seamus first learned of Team Impact through conversations with fellow Duke student-athletes and friends. His inspiration for collaborating with Team Impact was drawn from his experiences in Vietnam, where he worked with local students, contributing to their personal growth in his role as a coach, teacher, and mentor. These meaningful moments in Vietnam sparked his interest in engaging with Team Impact and making a positive impact in a similar vein.
“This endeavor [with Team Impact] has proven to be the most remarkable undertaking during my tenure at Duke.”- Seamus Harding
Through Team Impact, the Duke Swimming & Diving team has been partnered with a young boy named Robbie. Robbie has made meaningful connections to the team, including being appointed as a team captain this past semester. Seamus shares, “The insights gained over the past few months have significantly enriched my understanding of him [Robbie], bringing immense joy and love into my own life. This endeavor [with Team Impact] has proven to be the most remarkable undertaking during my tenure at Duke.”
Seamus notes there were some challenges in the formal matching and signing process for Robbie, namely due to illness and scheduling. “Persistence, trust in the process, adaptability, and identifying a suitable timeframe that accommodated everyone was instrumental in overcoming these hurdles and ensuring successful participation in the event,” he says.
Reflecting on his ACE experience that inspired his Action Plan, Seamus shares that “ACE has undeniably transformed my life on numerous fronts. The unique opportunity to travel halfway across the globe and collaborate with student-athletes from Duke and Stanford to enhance Vietnamese students’ English and Life Goals skills left an indelible mark on me. I am profoundly thankful and honored to have partaken in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity made possible through ACE.”