Apply to ACESJU
Application Information
Now accepting applications for Cohort 15
Recent college graduates who seek teaching, administrative, counseling and social work placements in urban Catholic elementary and secondary schools are encouraged to apply. We currently have a high need for teachers in math, science or physical education.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the cohort is filled. Any applications submitted in by October 20th will be given priority in the selection process.
Important Dates for Cohort 15 (June 2025 - June 2027)
- August 1, 2024: Cohort 15 Application Opens
- October 20, 2024: Priority Deadline
- December 2024 - March 2025: Interviews
- January 17, 2025: Application deadline
- February - April 2025: Placements Made
- June 1, 2025: Completion of Background Checks for those Accepted
- June 21, 2025: ACESJU Cohort 15 begins
Virtual Information Sessions
Join a virtual information session to learn more about ACESJU and the application process. Use the links below to register. Send an email to Jake Diehl at jdiehl@sju.edu with any questions.
- Tuesday, October 8 at 6:00 pm - Registration Link
- Wednesday, October 23 at 6:30 pm - Registration Link
- Wednesday, November 13 at 6:30 pm - Registration Link TBA
- Wednesday, December 4 at 6:30 pm - Registration Link TBA
- Wednesday, December 18 at 6:30 pm - Registration Link TBA
Teaching Fellows
Teaching Fellows have the opportunity to purse:
- M.S. in Education degree with Certification in Elementary (grades preK-4)
- Middle Years (grades 4-8)
- Secondary with a Content Area (grades 7-12).
- Reading Specialist
- Special Education
We also welcome applicants who already possess a Level I certification and are interested in pursuing an additional certification (i.e., Reading Specialist, Special Education). Applicants will have the opportunity to list their teaching level preference on their application.
These degrees and certification options require certain prerequisites. For example, applicants pursing a Level I Secondary Education Certification will need to have graduated with a degree in their desired teaching field (i.e. English, History, Biology, etc) and/or have a satisfactory number of credits in a given teaching field (i.e. 21 credits in English and 21 credits in Math). Certain exceptions may be made for comparable courses or degrees. For example, an applicant may have taken courses in Journalism instead of English, or Political Science instead of History. Interested applicants can request that ACESJU review their academic background to determine if prerequisites are met.
Administrative Fellows
Administrative fellows (including counseling & social work fellows) support the educational missions of their schools by working as campus ministers, development officers, enrollment managers, guidance counselors or in other administrative roles. Administrative fellows have the opportunity to pursue:
- MS in Organization Development And Leadership from Saint Joseph's University
- MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling,
- Master of Social Work (MSW)
- Writing Studies MA
- MS in Business and Strategic Leadership from Neumann University.
Instructions
The ACESJU online application is a fairly swift application requiring basic background and education information, information on ACESJU interest and placement/degree preferences, and the below listed required documents:
- College/University Unofficial Transcripts (from ALL institutions attended and any credits obtained)
- Four Recommendations
- Personal Statement
- Four Short Essays
- Resume
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The ACESJU application requires recommendations from the following four recommenders
- Academic - preferably a professor, who is able to speak to your academic performance and ability to perform at the graduate level. take on graduate level work.
- Work/Professional - preferably a work or internship supervisor (paid or unpaid) who can speak to your past or present work/professional performance.
- Spiritual - someone, perhaps a campus minister or clergy person, who can speak to your spirituality
- Peer - a friend, teammate, or colleague who can speak to your ability to relate to others both at the individual and community level.
Once the recommender’s information has been uploaded, they will automatically receive an email with instructions as to how to submit their letter of recommendation. These documents will be automatically sent to the ACESJU review committee and added to your application file. It is the responsibility of the applicant to follow up with recommenders to ensure their documents have been submitted.
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You will be asked to upload a personal statement. To begin writing your personal statement at any time, the prompt is listed below:
Why are you interested in becoming an ACESJU Education Fellow? What motivated you to apply to the ACESJU Program?
Please keep your response to 250 words. This should be written before the prompt.
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Applicants will also be asked to upload four essay responses. To begin writing your essays prior to starting your online application, each of the prompts are listed below. Please keep all responses to 250 words.
- Short Answer 1: What is the most significant community that you have been a part of, and how did that community shape you as a person?
- Short Answer 2: Describe your spirituality. Are there any influences on that spirituality by way of a person, faith tradition or religious commitments??
- Short Answer 3: Describe an experience when a group or individual guided you to improve or develop. How did they assist you in getting better or progressing?
- Short Answer 4: Describe the greatest adversity you have faced in your life. What did you do to get through the situation, and what did the experience teach you?
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In the Required Documents section of the application, you will be asked to upload a current professional resume to the application.