ACES PROGRAM

• Any active student in good standing at Purdue Global is eligible to apply for admission to the program. There is no credit, program of study, or GPA requirement for admission.

• Students who wish to join the program should complete the ACES Program Application Form. 

• Upon successful receipt of the application form by CESL staff, the student will be added to PG190, a non-credit course in Brightspace, where all subsequent ACES submissions will be made.

Guidelines for Service Opportunities

• Service must occur during the time students are enrolled at Purdue Global. Credit for prior service will not be given.

• Service may be in the student’s primary field of study or in any other field.

• Service required for coursework may be submitted for ACES points with the exception of credit-bearing clinical experiences.

• Service completed for any type of compensation may not be submitted. 

• Student submissions for recognition must include a log of hours and a reflective piece.
  
  

Presentation Submissions

Submissions must address the following criteria:

• • Define service learning in the context of the student's profession;

  • Analyze the impact of the student's service on the community; and

  • Assess the student's knowledge and skills growth from service learning.

Submission Requirements

• All submissions should include the cover page, hours log, and required reflection.  Any submissions missing one of these three elements will be returned to the student for revision. Templates for the cover page and hours log can be found in the Documents section of PG190.

• Submissions may be made in a variety of formats. The most common formats are listed below. Students who wish to use a format not listed should contact the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning for prior approval.

  • • Written Reflection 

      • • Students should submit 750–1,000 words that address the required criteria.

        • Student reflection essays should demonstrate writing appropriate for their degree level (certificate, AS, BS, or  graduate level). 

    • PowerPoint Presentation 

      • • Students may submit their reflections in a PowerPoint presentation of 15–20 slides.

        • Audio should be recorded to auto advance and should complement the slide content. Audio narration must provide the appropriate level of detail about the student's experience.

        • Bullets should be brief and parallel. Images included in the slides should be professional, and proper credit should be given to sources. 

        • The presentation should demonstrate communication skills  appropriate for the student’s degree level (certificate, AS, BS, or graduate level). 

    • Video

      • • Students may submit a video of 8–10 minutes. 

        • The recording  must be clear, focused, and organized, providing a compelling presentation of the work the student completed.

        • The presentation should demonstrate communication skills appropriate for the student’s degree level (certificate, AS, BS, or graduate level).

Review Process 

Faculty and staff from the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning review all ACES submissions. 

• Submissions are evaluated based on the rubric posted in the PG190 courseroom.

• Student submissions will earn either a “present” or “absent” rating. If items are absent, the student will be asked to revise and resubmit their application. 

• Once the student’s application has been evaluated, the student will be notified by email. 

Point Allocation

• Points are awarded based upon the time documented in the student's log. One point is awarded for each hour. 

There are four levels of ACES recognition. The tiered approach is designed to encourage students to  build their portfolio of ACES over the course of their time at Purdue Global. 

Awards are recorded on the student’s official transcript during the term the award is confirmed. A student could earn a Bronze ACES award one term and then add more points to advance to Silver in their next term. Similarly, students who complete one degree at Purdue Global and then return to complete another may build on  the tier they achieved with their first degree. 

ACES will be reflected on the student’s transcript in the term the recognition is achieved. As students earn additional ACES levels, those accomplishments will be included in subsequent terms.