Nancy Lastreto
Office Manager, Health and Wellness Center
4 Years at Queens

It is my honor and my pleasure, to serve as an ACE. It is a wonderful opportunity get to know a small group of incoming Freshman and help them in some way, feel more at ease as they transition to Queens University. I came to work for Queens 3 years ago. I had a million questions. I try to remember how that felt when first meeting with my ACE students.

The ACE program provides me with  materials and contacts, so that I can equip my ACE students with campus resources, phone numbers and referrals. Then throughout the academic year, the student and I touch base to make sure they are fully knowledgeable about all opportunities being offered at Queens.

My favorite part of the ACE program is getting to know the students and learning about their dreams, desires and goals. I try very hard to empower the students with resources and information to remove any barriers that may stand in the way of their aspirations. I am fortunate to work at the Health and Wellness Center where we have two rocking chairs on the front porch. That is where my students and I often meet to talk.

Kevin Butler '99
Assistant Dean, Hayworth College for Adult Studies
11 Years at Queens

Being a part of the ACE Program on campus has allowed me to connect with incoming freshman and work with them to ensure their success at Queens.  I am able to assist them with the challenges they may face as they embark on their academic path to receive their college degree.  I value my relationship with the students at Queens and look forward to meeting with them to guide them in the right direction.  Each student is unique and adds value to the Queens Community.  I learn more about each of them as we progress through the academic year - their strengths, weaknesses and the goals they have set for themselves.  The ACE Program is an asset to all students at Queens because they are able to stay connected with their ACE mentor well past their freshman year.

Emily Walker
Program Manager, Continuing Education
2 Years at Queens

I have very much enjoyed being an ACE this year. It was so neat to meet with the students during orientation. They were both anxious and excited as they embarked on their new journey, the next chapter in their lives. I remembered how I felt those first few days of college. My eyes were opened to this whole new world of endless possibilities but at the same time, I was scared to death of everything I had to learn, worried about making new friends, and struggling to figure out how I was going to live in such tight quarters with a complete stranger. I shared a bit of my story with them that first day, hoping that they would take from my experience that while there are initial challenges, they should hang on through this first year. It is only after you get over those first speed bumps that the rest of the ride has the potential to be the time of their lives.

My initial meetings with the students were filled with questions of how to get involved, how to get a part-time job, how to manage time effectively and still be social, and how to make it through their toughest classes. I encouraged them to reach out to the contacts on campus who could provide them with further support and answers. It has been neat to meet with them again this second semester. I can already tell that they are more confident in their role as a college student. While they still have some concerns of the unknown, they have conquered the first semester and still have excitement about what is yet to come. My most rewarding experience as an ACE was when one of my students asked if we could meet monthly to catch up. I'm thrilled that she wants to form that type of relationship with me and I look forward to seeing how her story unfolds.