The Alliance for Catholic Education at Saint Joseph's University

The Alliance for Catholic Education at Saint Joseph’s University (ACESJU) is a two-year comprehensive graduate fellowship designed for high-impact social transformation. ACESJU fellows serve, learn and launch successful careers in innovative urban schools, nonprofits and creative change-making programs. 

This fellowship program provides recent college graduates the opportunity to serve as full-time teachers, administrators and counselors in under-resourced Catholic schools and organizations in the Philadelphia areas while pursuing a master’s degree at Saint Joseph’s University. 

To prepare these highly motivated educators, ACESJU provides an intensive service experience encompassing four programmatic pillars:

The two-year ACESJU fellowship is built around core values of Jesuit education and the excellent expertise of the Saint Joseph’s University academic assets. The three fellowship pathways (Teaching Fellows, Administrative Fellows and Clinical Professional Fellows) offer career-catapulting professional experience, 30 fully-funded masters degree credits, free housing in an ACESJU community as well as professional and personal development opportunities that advance your most powerful gifts and leadership impact. The program is committed to the SJU mission of high-impact critical thinking, effective pursuit of social justice, and finding God in all things in a diverse world. In June 2024, the program proudly welcomed its 14th cohort of 10 fellows who represent a diverse and talented group of young adults!

ACESJU fellows have the opportunity to receive the following master degrees:

• MS in Education - Elementary (grades preK-4)
• MS in Education - Elementary/Middle School (grades 4-8)
• MS in Education - Secondary with a Content Area (grades 7-12)
• MS in Education - Reading Specialist
• MS in Special Education
• MS in Organization Development And Leadership from Saint Joseph's University
• MA in Writing Studies
• MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• Master of Social Work (MSW)

The Alliance for Catholic Education at Saint Joseph’s University (ACESJU) is a member of the University Consortium for Catholic Education (UCCE). If ACESJU does not meet your specific needs or interests, please consider applying to one of the other UCCE member programs.