ACES Program | Career Center

Earning an ACES Competency will:

Improve your skills that are most wanted by employers.
Refine your ability to articulate your skills to employers and graduate schools.
Apply skills to perform at a higher level in the workplace and in future academic endeavors.

To earn an ACES Competency you must:

Be a matriculated Stony Brook University student.
Have engaged in an experience for at least 50 hours in one semester.
Submit evidence to the designated approver in the academic semester you completed the experience.

The ACES Program:

Have a visual way to recognize competencies and skills developed in an experience.
Shine as more qualified candidates on LinkedIn, Handshake, or other social networking platforms
Show competencies and essential skills with higher confidence

Step One: Obtain Experience

Complete 50 hours of an on or off campus experience such as an internship, part-time job, leadership role, or volunteer work in one semester.

Learn More About How to Gain Experience
Step Two: Select Competency

Select a competency and apply on Handshake. You will need to upload a copy of your resume and the completed evidence sheet (up to 2 competencies per student per academic semester). Evidence sheets can be found in the Handshake application. Applications must be submitted within the semester you completed the experience. Retroactive evidence will not be awarded unless specified.
Step Three: Get Rewarded

Please allow up to two weeks for your application to be reviewed. Once your application has been processed, you will receive an approval or denial notification email from the Career Center.

If Approved

If your application is approved, your digital competency will be issued by the Career Center through Credly Acclaim. You will receive an email directly from Credly Acclaim on how to claim and share online.

If Not Approved

If your application has not been approved, please check your Stony Brook email address for information on the steps you need to take for approval. A response is needed from the student before the next academic semester.