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Students share their struggles with test anxiety during finals.
Student businesses help brides and grooms with weddings.
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Lawyer gives opinion about Athletics Dept. Brayden Nazarian Sports Editor
A lawyer for the Student Press Law Center said in November he believes AACC Athletics is violating the First Amendment rights of the college’s coaches and student athletes. SPLC senior legal counsel Mike Hiestand detailed his opinion in a response to an inquiry from Campus
Current Editor-in-Chief Amber Nathan and Associate Editor Christian Richey, who claimed coaches and players have told student journalists they may not grant interviews without permission from an Athletics administrator. “I feel like they’re blocking their coaches and players from talking to us, which is a violation of their First Amendment right” to
free speech, Nathan, a second-year communications student, said. The First Amendment outlaws government institutions, such as public colleges, from quelling the speech of those in America. “Any rule, regulation, policy or requirement that purports to be binding on college journalists or on Continued on page 3
Campus full of giving over holiday season Amber Nathan Editor-in-Chief
AACC is a place of giving during the holiday season as faculty, staff and students donate time and money to help those in need. Unsplash photo by Drew Coffman
AACC faculty, staff and students are collecting food and raising money for students and the community this holiday season. This year, charity events included food drives and fundraisers.
“One of the things I love about AACC is that there is such a culture here of giving,” Tresa Ballard, coordinator for the Sarbanes Center for Public and Community Service, said. “Students, staff [and] faculty … take every opportunity to kind of organize themselves to give back.”
little or no cost, the waitlist has grown to where it is today. The Child Development Center holds a national accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, which may add to its popularity, Curtis said. “You’ll find in this area,
The Child Development Center at AACC has a waitlist of more than 30 families this semester. Photo by Gerald Maravanyika
Waitlist for childcare at AACC still growing Amber Nathan Editor-in-Chief
The AACC Child Development Center’s daytime program is not accepting any additional children this fall, and the director anticipates CDC will stay full during the spring. More than 30 families are on the waitlist for the FINAL CAMPUS CURRENT DEC 2019.indd 1
center, according to Director Janet Klenkel. “It usually stays pretty full,” Office Manager LaVette Curtis said. “We stay pretty busy.” Curtis said that thanks to the Child Care Access Means Parents in School program, which allows student-parents with federal Pell Grants to enroll their children for
A legal opinion requested by Campus Current editors says AACC Athletics may be violating the First Amendment rights of its players and coaches. Photo by Brayden Nazarian
Continued on page 3
In November, the Community Service Committee of staff, faculty and administrators hosted a food drive to gather items for the on-campus food pantries at Arnold, Glen Burnie Town Center and the Military/Veteran Resource Center. Continued on page 3
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2 | Campus Current | 2019 | December
Editorial
Meet the Staff
Communicate well, carefully Editorial Board
Editor-in-Chief Amber Nathan Associate Editor Christian Richey Daily Editor David Stemmle Graphics Editor Mackenzie Airey Sports Editor Brayden Nazarian Reporters Ren Bishop Jake Brannon Jacob Dear Adrianna Gonzalez Kacie Orgera Photographers Graig Bracey Gerald Maravanyika Daniel Salomon Matt Smith Faculty Adviser Sharon O’Malley
Photographers on Page 1, top Gerald Maravanyika Christian Richey Kacie Orgera
Twitter @campus_current Facebook Facebook.com/ CampusCurrentPaper Instagram campuscurrentaacc
Contact
410-777-2296 CampusCurrent @gmail.com
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Communication is an essential skill in life. It’s what brings people together, develops relationships and gets us ahead in the working world. Today, it’s easy to communicate quickly. Emails, texts and calls can be made within seconds. But with companies offering highspeed internet connections and unlimited data, it’s easy to fall into the trap of rushing communication with abbreviated texts, poorly punctuated emails and five-minute phone calls. Nothing is wrong with using these channels to communicate. Modern technology has opened up many doors for communication across the world. But we should be careful not to be lulled by the siren call of instantaneous communication without thought. Rushing often leads to poor communication. And poor commu-
nication can lead to all kinds of conflict. Poor communication could lead to simple misunderstandings caused by misspelled words or incorrect punctuation. But it could also lead to fights if your communication partner takes your message the wrong way and becomes defensive. Situations like this aren’t always easy to diffuse once the damage is done. And sometimes, it’s better not to write messages at all. If the situation is delicate, opt for a phone call or meet with someone face-to-face. Texting and emailing are easy, but they aren’t always the appropriate means of communication. If you plan to communicate with someone over text or email, here are some tips to prevent conflicts: 1. If you are sending a serious message, consider using email rather than text. It’s easy to hit the send but-
Letter from the Editor
Proofread all emails and letters to ensure effective communication. Photo by Amber Nathan ton on your smartphone before you are finished crafting your message. 2. Carefully proofread all of your written communication. Reword awkward sentences, even if it means spending a half-hour on a draft. 3. Write what you want to say in a letter before drafting it on an email. Writing the words out on paper will make you think more. 4. Practice journaling to cut back on emotional messages. Write your feelings down for yourself before you share them with others.
Don’t knock tradition during holiday season Amber Nathan Editor-in-Chief
I love the weeks leading up to Christmas. As soon as Thanksgiving passes, I have my Christmas playlist at the ready. I’m already planning what cookies I’m going to bake. I’m already planning what winter-themed activities I should do first. Once December hits, I like to start counting down the days until Christmas with our Advent calendar; every day I pick a Velcro-backed figure from its little pouch and stick it to the felt Nativity scene. The stars and the angels go up first, then the shepherds and the wisemen. And lastly, little baby Jesus in his manger. It seems funny to me that my brother and I used to take turns filling the Advent calendar. I’m the only one who does it now. I’m a sentimental person. My older brothers have long outgrown winter activities. I take charge of decorat-
ing the tree. I do all the holiday baking. Every Christmas, I make sure to enjoy the season no matter how old I get. Without fail, I uphold my childhood traditions, For instance, I always go to see the Christmas lights at Watkins Regional Park in Upper Marlboro; the glowing figures dance, leap and twirl there through the
“Christmas to me is still magical.”
chilly winter nights. When I was a child, I stayed glued to my parents’ car window, my breath fogging up the glass and the seatbelt straining against my eager body. It seemed like magic back then. My brothers haven’t been to the light show in quite some time. I still make my parents go with me every single year. Even now, I take childish delight in the small things. I love drinking hot chocolate. I love hanging Christmas tree ornaments and sitting in front of the tree, watch-
ing the lights transition from color to color. I’m captivated by the way glass, glitter and plastic catch the light and throw it back at me. I don’t think there’s anything that brightens a room quite as much as a lovingly decorated Christmas tree. Christmas to me is still magical. And though it has a much deeper meaning to my Christian family and me, it is also a time of giddiness and fun. Though December also brings stress now that I’m an adult dealing with finals and homework, I’m glad I haven’t lost my passion for Christmas. I was raised in a traditional home, and I am determined to carry on those traditions always. If I ever have children, we will go to the light show every year. We will bake Christmas cookies. We will dance in the kitchen together with flour streaking our hair from the gingerbread dough, belting carols at the top of our lungs. I sure hope my future husband loves Christmas as
You might find, when you’re reading them over later, that it would be completely inappropriate to share them with a communication partner. 5. Think before you act. If you’re angry, resist communicating negatively with someone. The worse the communication gets, the harder it becomes to diffuse the situation. Finally, remember to be courteous. Good communicators have self-control and remain gracious, even during conflicts. Be someone whose communication is honest, ethical and uplifting.
Amber Nathan, Campus Current editor-in-chief, says she enjoys the holiday season. Photo by Christian Richey much as I do, because I never plan to stop enjoying the holiday with childlike glee.
Advertise With Us Discounts for AACC student organizations Now offering web advertisments Advertising Manager 240-825-6284 CampusCurrentAdverts @gmail.com
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Campus Current | 2019 | December | 3
News
Paper asks for sports access Continued from page 1
college employees, requiring mandatory pre-approval before an employee may discuss work-related matters with the news media, violates the First Amendment and is legally unenforceable,” Hiestand wrote. Men’s Soccer coach Nick Cosentino said Athletics has a policy that requires requests for interviews with coaches and players to go through Assistant Athletic Director for Communications Hillary Fisher. Cosentino said coaches are “technically not supposed to talk to [Campus Current reporters] until it gets OK’d by our assistant AD. … For instance, I think [a reporter for Campus Current] emailed me and I forwarded it to Hillary Fisher, and I said, ‘Hey, is it OK to talk with this guy?’ So that’s just the protocol [coaches and players are] supposed to follow.” Women’s Soccer coach Karin Victorio said there could be consequences for “disobeying [my] boss.”
College has giving attitude
Fisher said coaches who choose to speak to reporters without going through channels are not punished. She also said the practice is standard for college athletic departments. “It’s standard practice for all interview requests to come through the communications office, and we practice that here,” Fisher told Campus Current. But, Hiestand wrote, “Common does not mean legal. … ‘Everybody does it’ is not an explanation that your college would accept [from] its students, and it is not an explanation that the federal courts will accept, either.” Athletics Director Duane Herr said once a reporter’s request comes in, his department works quickly to connect reporters with athletes and coaches. “It’s our intent that we connect student reporters to the coaches and athletes … as quickly as possible,” Herr said. “We understand the complexity of a student athlete’s workload. ... Our coaches … have their own work
Student athletes and coaches may talk to the media only with the permission of Athletics administrators, Campus Current editors allege. Photo by Christian Richey schedules. I know in talking to some coaches, they want to confirm that who’s contacting them is legitimate.” Women’s Basketball coach Lionel Makell said the practice began in response to misinformation reported in past issues of Campus Current. “It’s changed from the last couple of years,” Makell said. “Now, you have to go through [Fisher] to get permission, so she’s aware of who we’re speaking to and to make sure the right content is being moved forward. … I guess they’ve had problems in the past, where things were misprinted that we said, and they were taken out of context.” Richey said Fisher refused to help him connect with a player and coach for a story last summer. “She said
Continued from page 1 The student Human Services Club collected winter clothing for the homeless. The Ambassadors Campus Team collected food items for The Lighthouse Homeless Prevention Support Center in Annapolis and care package items for Operation Gratitude, which helps deployed troops and veterans. “This is something that they love to do,” Heather McFarland, coordinator for campus information and visitor services, who oversees the Ambassadors, said. “We normally try to do a collection of some kind … something that brings awareness to the community.” The Student Government Association held a Gift of Education Raffle and set the proceeds aside for charity. The raffle prize was one, three-credit class paid for by the SGA. “Part of our objectives as the SGA is to be … a liaison FINAL CAMPUS CURRENT DEC 2019.indd 3
CAB President Adrianna Russell gets into the holiday spirit at a time when AACC is full of giving. Photo by Mackenzie Airey for community service,” SGA President Mitchell Santos said. “I thought it was fitting that we … did a charity event.” The Department of Public Safety and Police began collecting for Toys for Tots in November and will continue through Dec. 18. Toys can be dropped off in the Central Services Building. Other charity events will start in December. For Giving Tuesday on Dec. 3, the AACC Foundation will raise funds for the HelpLink program, which gives short-term financial relief for students in an emergency. On Dec. 6, faculty will host a Makers Market to sell their crafts. Crafters will donate items to raffle off. Proceeds from the raffles will go to the food pantry.
“Any time that … staff and faculty are getting together, I think that we always try to think of what we can do for the students,” Trish Eyerly, an organizer of the Makers Market, said. “And around the holidays, it could be much needed.” Students said they appreciate the holiday charity efforts at AACC. McKenzie Maynard, a third-year transfer studies student, said, “I think it’s great. I know there’s a lot of people in need.” Leane Balbuena, a second-year transfer studies student, agreed. “I think they’re … important because … I feel like it’s a good way to give back to [the] community,” Balbuena said.
she wasn't interested in the story,” Richey said. “So we couldn’t even talk to the student [athlete], which kind of impeded our progress in getting that story done. Because of that, we couldn’t finish the story.” Nathan said contacting Fisher to interview coaches and players for stories sometimes makes the reporters’ jobs more difficult. “We’re working on deadline; we don’t always have time to go through Hillary. ... It’s really inconvenient and stressful for us,” Nathan said. After contacting women’s lacrosse coach Jim Griffiths for the answer to a single follow-up question a few days after an approved interview, Richey said, the coach told him he needed approval from Fisher before he could speak with the journalist again.
“Policies broadly forbidding unauthorized communications with the news media are unlawful because they inhibit whistleblowing [and stop] employees or student-athletes from seeking help to remedy unsafe conditions,” Hiestand wrote. Maryland’s New Voices Act, which the state adopted in 2016, forbids administrators at public colleges and high schools from restraining student journalists from publishing stories. “We don’t have any problems with Hillary personally; we know she’s trying to do her job,” Richey explained. “But, to comply with the law, she has to let the players talk to us [and] let the coaches talk to us if they want to talk. … Based on interactions [with coaches] it seems like they’re not allowed to talk to us.”
Continued from page 1
Development Center is beneficial for the children. “I think that it’s learning-centered,” sixth-year transfer studies student Jessica Sosa, who has a child in CDC, said. “It’s not just the kids playing, but the kids are also learning special things … important things they need to develop correctly.” Curtis said she enjoys seeing the children complete their preschool and pre-kindergarten programs at AACC, but wishes the center were bigger to offer care for more people. Curtis also said she would like more funding to keep permanent employees. “We have some really great assistant teachers … we would love to … keep on,” Curtis said. CDC serves children 2 to 5 years old in its daytime program. The evening childcare program, serving children 3 to 12 years old, still has open spots for enrollment.
CDC spots in high demand few centers that have the national accreditation,” Curtis said. “They may have the state, but we have the national.” Curtis explained the center’s teachers and resources may also contribute to growing demand. All lead teachers at the Child Development Center hold at least a bachelor’s degree, while assistant instructors must have three to five years of experience or an associate degree. Curtis said she has “a lot of pride” in the center’s playground. On the playground, children can participate in gardening and make music with various instruments. Children at the center also go on field trips, make art and play when they are not in their preschool and pre-kindergarten science, math and language classes. Students said the Child
11/25/2019 4:15:18 PM
4 | Campus Current | 2019 | December
News
Email sparks civil disputes Christian Richey Associate Editor
An email exchange by AACC faculty in late October led to incivility and unprofessional responses, according to some of the participants. An email sent Oct. 28 by literacy professor Forrest Caskey to all faculty led to approximately a dozen personal attacks against him, according to Caskey. Caskey’s email promoted the Drag-O-Ween drag show, a charity event the Gay-Straight Alliance student club organized. The Halloween-themed show in the Humanities Building featured students dressed as drag kings and queens who lip-synched songs and danced in the theater’s aisles while audience members gave them money. Caskey wrote in the
email that Chick-fil-A contributed to an effort to legalize the execution of LGBT individuals in Uganda. “There had been quite a lot of news in the gay news [sources] that I read about … how Chick-fil-A was giving money to Uganda to start a ‘kill the gays bill,” Caskey said. Chief Diversity Officer Deidra Dennie later informed Caskey that his email may be inaccurate. Caskey then sent out an apology email, calling his original email “irresponsible.” After Caskey sent the apology, two faculty members asked to be removed from the email distribution list. “A couple of people said … ‘It’s kind of a joke that you’re a reading professor and you’re promoting this fake news,’” Cas-
Literacy professor Forrest Caskey is at the center of a heated email exchange among faculty members. Photo by Christian Richey key said. “Somebody told me I was promoting prostitution and strippers” because of his support of the drag show. But Caskey said positive feedback overtook the negative during the email exchange. He said he received more than 100 supportive emails, phone calls and office visits from people interested in the Drag-O-Ween event. “It turned out to be a much more positive than negative occurrence,” Cas-
College adds pop-up classes to its options Christian Richey Associate Editor
AACC faculty can now create temporary “pop-up” classes revolving around current events. Dr. Michael Gavin, AACC’s vice president for learning, said the courses could either cover topics relating to hot-button issues, such as the congressional impeachment hearings, or teach skills, like gluten-free cooking. “The idea behind a popup course is basically to offer content that is relevant either to something that’s happened in society or content that can be delivered in [a] quick fashion,” Gavin said. According to Gavin, the courses would appear in AACC’s online catalog within a week after a professor proposes a topic. Gavin said pop-up classes will allow students to “get some sort of better knowledge about [a] topic that’s happening in society or even a skill … in a quick fashion,” Gavin said. Gavin noted the idea first emerged in the aftermath FINAL CAMPUS CURRENT DEC 2019.indd 4
of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. The rally featured white supremacists protesting the removal of Confederate statues across America, and gained widespread attention following the murder of counter-protestor Heather Heyer. “We thought that Anne Arundel Community College’s expertise in social justice could have potentially allowed for good academic discourse about what it looks like to be a good American citizen in the context of racial unrest and … hatred,” Gavin said. AACC already has a system in place that allows teachers to create special-topics courses. The new framework for pop-up classes speeds up the approval process. “The faculty member would just come up with a curriculum," Gavin said. “They would then vet it through … their assistant dean, director and dean, and it would go through a special committee of our [Educational Policy and Curriculum Committee] to hasten the process, and it would be up
within days.” “For a typical course to be proposed and go through a process [to join the course catalog] could take anywhere from a day to a number of months depending on the number of recommendations that are made to tweak the course,” Gavin said. “However, with this kind of course, what we’re asking is that … because it’s not necessarily a course that [is] going to stand forever, [and because] it’s going to be probably a one-time [course], that the eyes on it are not going to be as many.” Jake Gosselin, a first-year information technology student, said he likes the idea of the courses. “I think that would be nice to get more … worldviews out to students,” Gosselin said. Gavin said he expects the first pop-up courses to be available in the upcoming spring semester. Class length depends on the number of credits, according to Gavin. A one-credit course lasting 15 hours may only be one week long, for instance. Professors will determine the length and
key said. ”I think it opened up a lot of ears on campus to what it means to engage civilly, and to maybe some underlying homophobia that exists.” Dennie sent a faculty-wide email in response to the thread, suggesting it had become disrespectful. Human Services Chair Nicole Williams said some of the responses were unprofessional. “I felt that the respons-
es from colleagues were not professional, and I didn’t have a problem with Forrest sending out the email in which he was advertising the Drag-O-Ween,” Williams said. “Even the information he presented about Chick-fil-A [didn’t offend me]. The purpose of academia is to present information. We’re academicians. [If you have a question about something] you go and research it.”
A new process allows faculty members to quickly create one-credit "pop-up" courses on hot-button topics like the impeachment hearings. Photo by Christian Richey schedule of each course. Gavin noted that courses could give students anywhere from one to 10 credits, though an overwhelming majority would be between one and three credits. First-year general education student Ryan Ordakowski said the courses may conflict with some students’ workloads. “Depending on the length, it could be nice,” Ordakowski said. “If you’re [overworked] or something like that, it doesn’t seem like something that would be good.”
Gavin said the courses may help the college reach the broader community. “I just think it’s a way for Anne Arundel Community College to reach out to the community,” Gavin said. “I could see … some county citizens who … haven’t … taken classes here being interested in such topics, so I’m hoping that it will also be a way for us to extend our reach out into the community a little more.” Gavin noted in-county students will pay $116 per credit for tuition, the same as for normal classes. 11/25/2019 4:15:21 PM
Campus Current | 2019 | December | 5
News
Prof. changes survey system
School combats phishing Amber Nathan Editor-in-Chief AACC added bright yellow warning labels on emails originating outside of the college as of Nov. 5. These labels are to prevent phishing, which is when someone attempts to steal information from an individual by sending what appears to be a legitimate email, according to Director of Information Security John Williams. Williams said if students click on a link or share information in reply to these suspicious emails, their accounts may be hacked. “It’s one of the primary [ways] that hackers gain information,” Williams said. “That’s the No. 1 threat factor.” According to Chief Technology Officer Shirin Goodarzi, phishing is becoming more sophisticated, and these emails from phishers
Amber Nathan Editor-in-Chief
The college adds yellow warning banners on top of emails that come from non-AACC accounts. can be hard to tell apart from safe communication. Often these emails appear to come from people students know to lull them into a false sense of security. Goodarzi said the new labels will draw attention to these emails so students will give the message more scrutiny. Goodarzi noted phishers often target students because of perks that may come with their accounts, such as free Microsoft Office. If students share their account information in reply to a phishing email, the phisher can access these perks. Students said they think the new labels are a good idea. “You can pretend to be
anybody online,” Veronica Poquette, a first-year transfer studies student, said. “It’s a good idea because people might not realize it on their own that this is not a good idea to follow the link or reply to [the] email.” “That’s great,” Kalli Bellotte, a first-year transfer studies student, said about the labeled emails. “That’s helpful. … I think that you would always assume that [an email from AACC] is from a trusted source.” But Bellotte said she doesn’t think phishing is as much of a problem for the younger generation. “I can look at something and pretty much know instantly most of the time, ‘Oh, that’s fake,’” Bellotte said.
ASPIRING BUSINESS OWNERS:
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The campus group that conducts a biannual survey of Anne Arundel County residents will no longer be called the Center for the Study of Local Issues. In addition, for the first time this year, that survey was automated. Traditionally, students have recorded answers by hand before entering them into a data analysis program. This semester, however, political science professor Dan Nataf automated the process using software called SurveyMonkey, so residents could complete the survey online. “It worked pretty well,” said Nataf, who has overseen the survey for approximately 25 years. Nataf conducts the survey of county residents’ top concerns every spring and fall.
AACC students also take the survey. “We’re the only community college doing this, and there are very few four-year schools that do this,” according to Cathleen Doyle, director of the Sarbanes Center for Public and Community Service. “To have that opportunity here at AACC is amazing.” She said the survey will include students and faculty from outside of the History, Political Science and Philosophy Department next year. First-year psychology student Rita Veno said she supports the expanded process. “You’re getting … a better input when you get people from different backgrounds and people with different points of view,” she said. “You get to see a … bigger picture with that.” Third-year political science student Stryker Parlett said he enjoyed working on the survey.
JOIN US FEB. 4 AND LEARN: • How to submit a winning application • What to include in your business plan • How to make your submission stand out • What resources are available to support you in preparing to compete
CONTACT Stephanie Goldenberg, slgoldenberg@aacc.edu or www.aacc.edu/esi
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6 | Campus Current | 2019 | December
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Science Night AACC hosts its annual Science Night, geared toward sparking interest in STEM programs among children in the community. Photos by Gerald Maravanyika
Boost Mobile Pasadena 8155A Governor Ritchie Hwy Pasadena, MD 21122 www.wirelesslifenow.com 410-553-4119
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Campus Current | 2019 | December | 7
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Transportation No. 1 concern in AA County Amber Nathan Editor-in-Chief
Transportation is the No. 1 concern for Anne Arundel County residents, according to AACC’s biannual survey. Political science professor Dan Nataf, who led the survey with students, said he believes both local construction and a lane being shut down on the Bay Bridge could be the reason for this concern. Overpopulation, taxes and crime were other top concerns among the 580 residents who answered the survey. “For some people … in
the public, this is an opportunity to express themselves,” Nataf said about the survey. “They’re not asked very often by a public entity, ‘What do you think?’” “It’s an eye-opening process,” Nataf added. Nataf’s students said they found the experience of helping with the survey interesting. “It’s really interesting hearing different voices of the community,” second-year transfer studies student Jeremiah Pace, who helped with the survey, said. Residents completed the survey online or over the phone. Students also filled
Student pubs score awards Jacob Dear Reporter
AACC’s student literary magazine won the Pacemaker Award at the National College Media Association Convention this November, while Campus Current was a finalist in the newspaper category. Amaranth’s faculty adviser, Dr. Garrett Brown, said the student literary magazine’s award reflected well on the college. “I think it’s fantastic,”
Brown said. “It makes them feel great, it brings recognition to the college and makes [the students] feel like they’re really contributing.” “It’s a tremendous honor,” Michael Pierorazio, Amaranth’s previous editor-in-chief, said. “My staff worked really hard on it last year.” Editor-in-Chief Mitchell Santos said he is proud of the award. “I’m proud of the staff from last year,” Santos said. “I was there, but I was less
out the same survey for Nataf to compare their results with the responses from Anne Arundel County residents. In a separate, informal Campus Current poll of 50 AACC students, 16 said drug use was their biggest concern, and three said transportation. Nataf said though drug abuse was the biggest concern for residents last year, he believes because of the increase in traffic it’s in the forefront of people’s minds. Maggie Nester, a firstyear transfer studies student, said there aren’t enough bus stops in Anne Arundel County. She said that makes it dif-
The Student Government Association invited students to join clubs on the first day of a Thanksgiving-themed fundraiser Nov. 18. SGA President Mitchell Santos said ClubsGiving ran from Nov. 18 to 22, when numerous clubs promoted themselves while the Student Government Association hosted a raffle for charity. “I really just wanted to make sure clubs could kind of congregate together and give back,” Santos said. “The FINAL CAMPUS CURRENT DEC 2019.indd 7
intention for the event was [to have] clubs giving back to AACC and the community, on top of the fundraiser.” The raffle prize for one student is a Gift of Education Card, which can be used to pay for one, three-credit class at AACC. The proceeds from the $1 raffle tickets will be donated to charity, though Santos said the SGA has not confirmed a specific organization. First-year game development student Roshaun Anderson said he is more likely to join clubs because of ClubsGiving.
Students contact Anne Arundel County residents for a biannual survey in October. Photo courtesy of Cathleen Doyle ficult for people who can’t drive to get cheap transportation. But drug abuse is the biggest concern for AACC students. “If you look at the news-
papers and stuff, there’s a lot of people dying,” Ben Logan, a second-year physical therapy assistant student, said about drug use. “It seems like a big issue in the area.”
Amaranth Editor-in-Chief Mitchell Santos reads the issue of the literary magazine that won the Pacemaker Award in November. Photo by Mackenzie Airey involved. So, I’m proud of the rest of them, and I’m glad I at least had a little hand in making that happen.” Campus Current Editor-in-Chief Amber Nathan
SGA hosts weeklong fundraiser for charity Christian Richey Associate Editor
Best of the Web
“I think it’s really cool because it brings a lot of people together and some people, like me … don’t know what clubs are really around here,” Anderson said. “It’s a better way … to really get people to know and see and figure out if they want to join.” Santos said clubs that took part in this year’s event include Active Minds at AACC, the AACC Adventure Society, the Campus Activities Board, Phi Theta Kappa, the Legal Studies Club, Amaranth and Campus Current. Second-year environmental science student Josh
also said she is proud of her staff for making the newspaper a finalist for the Pacemaker Award. “I think it’s amazing and [it] says a lot about our pa-
per,” Nathan said. Nathan said the hours she and her small staff pour into the paper to proofread and fact check make Campus Current stand out.
Club members present their clubs to students during the first day of ClubsGiving. Photo by Christian Richey LaBille, a member of the AACC Adventure Society, said the members heard about ClubsGiving through the SGA. “We heard about it [and] thought it was a good way to help try and reach out to gain additional members,” LaBille said. Santos said he hopes to see clubs collaborate more often.
“I’m hoping the impact [ClubsGiving will] have is other clubs will collaborate with each other a bit more often,” Santos said ”I’m hoping for recruitment for the clubs [and] I’m hoping the raffle will be a big success.” Santos said the event went from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day, and that he hopes to see the event happen again next year. 11/25/2019 4:15:31 PM
8 | Campus Current | 2019 | December
Campus Life
Finals anxiety affects health, stress levels Ren Bishop Reporter
As finals approach, students across AACC are experiencing anxiety and frustration. Ineffective or non-existent study methods contribute to the stress, some students said. Andrew Solley, a firstyear visual arts student, said finals season makes him feel “scared but determined.” Second-year information systems student Marc Rieder agreed. “Finals are always stressful,” he said. Students around campus suggested that getting out of the house to concentrate
better, limiting distractions, making flashcards, taking colorful and organized notes, and going over all material multiple times helps them study for finals. Rieder said cramming is not an effective way to study but, he admitted, “A day or two before, I cut all activities and just study.” But Shelley Greenhouse, a head lab tech at AACC since 2011, said she advises students not to wait until the last minute to try to understand their content. “Learning happens more outside the classroom,” she said. “The classroom is where you reinforce your understanding.
Poll: Studying best in library David Stemmle Daily Editor
Greenhouse said it is important to review the information multiple times and to try to find real-world connections and applications. Sometimes, anxiety and stress during finals week can become unmanageable. When those feelings are crippling or irrational, mental health professionals call that “test anxiety.” Test anxiety is the body’s response to stress that can cause shortness of breath, nausea, rapid heartbeat, tingling and shakiness, according to Coordinator for Personal and Career Counseling Diane Hallila. Hallila said “the body starts to shut down parts of
studies on the library’s third floor. “The third floor is technically the quiet floor, [but] it’s usually not [very quiet],” first-year mechanical engineering student Daniel Chuchra said. He studies on the second floor. Other favorite study areas across campus are in CALT, Cade and the Careers Center. Alex Mejia, a second-year criminal justice student, said his favorite place to study is the lounge area in CALT. “It’s quiet and everyone
minds their own business,” Mejia said. Erica Romero, a thirdyear studio arts student, said she prefers a little background noise when she works. Romero said her ideal workspace is the cafeteria in the SUN Building, but 34
er weather,” said Ren Bishop, a second-year psychology student, “I tend to be drawn More than half of stu- outside more—especially in dents in a poll on the Arnold the Quad. I can study outCampus said they prefer side; I can enjoy nature. I warm weather over the cold. just feel it’s more relaxing to In an informal poll of 25 be in warmer weather comstudents, 13 said they like pared to colder weather.” warm weather, 10 expressed Bishop said she tends to their fondness for the cold feel happier in spring and and two said they don’t have summer compared with fall a preference. and winter. As winter approachFirst-year intelligence es, some students said they analytics student Jacob Dear have been reluctant to adapt said he thinks the change in to the change in climate. weather influences students’ “Specifically, with warm- energy levels.
“During winter, because of how cold it is, I usually do feel … like there is minimal heat here,” Dear said. “In the summer, it’s quite literally more energy, because heat is energy. So obviously you feel [livelier] in the spring and summer.” Letha Valiaveedu, a counselor at AACC, said she thinks students tend to be more anxious in winter months because of final exams—not because of the weather. “I think generally speaking,” Valiaveedu said, “students have more exams and
AACC students said in November they would prefer to study at the Truxal Library more than any other locations on campus. According to an informal Campus Current poll, 40 students out of 55 said they use the library to study. “The library’s the best,” Lizzy Huntzinger, a first-year pre-med student, said. “There are plenty of places that are comfortable [and] that are quiet.” She
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itself that it doesn’t really need,” during test anxiety. Because of this, students may freeze during a test because the body’s response to stress temporarily stops their memory recall. Hallila suggested meditation and deep breathing to stop test anxiety from reaching this point. Students suffering from test anxiety and other forms
of stress may make an appointment to visit Counseling Services in SUN between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. Fifty-minute counseling sessions are free to AACC students. Counseling Services also offers workshops, classes and seminars on how to overcome or cope with test anxiety.
Second-year psychology student Cameo Beavers, left, and second-year transfer studies student Victoria Patterson study in CALT. Photo by Christian Richey
Students favor warm weather over winter Brayden Nazarian Sports Editor
First-year undecided student Ryan Barthelemy, left, and second-year sociology student Joseph Giddings prepare for finals. Photo by Christian Richey
of the 50 students in the poll called it the worst place to study. “The background noise helps me … not get distracted,” Romero said. “I need white noise to study. I can’t study in … a quiet place. It would drive me nuts.” But first-year film stu-
dent Luis Samayoa said the cafeteria “tends to be very loud.” “There’s so many people [in the cafeteria],” Moriah Thompson, a second-year pre-med student, said. “It is so noisy you can’t get that much done if you’re trying to concentrate.”
Second-year creative writing student Magdaline Thompson bundles up against the cold weather. Photo by Gerald Maravanyika assignments in the winter … and that can alter students with anxiety and depression. … But I think Seasonal Affective Disorder happens in the winter.” Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression associated with seasonal changes.
But some students said they prefer the chill of winter. “I love cold weather,” said Jake Brannon, a second-year communications student. “Winter is one of my favorite seasons. I love being able to dress up all nice and warm.” 11/25/2019 4:15:33 PM
Campus Current | 2019 | December | 9
Wednesday, December 4 11am–4pm, SUN Dining Hall However you celebrate your holidays, we hope you’ll share some of that time with us! Join Campus Activities Board (CAB) for a family fun celebration of all holidays in the winter and holiday months. Make cards, decorate cookies, enter the Gingerbread Building Contest, and enjoy crafts and a photo booth!
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10 | Campus Current | 2019 | December
Campus Life
This holiday season, volunteer your time Amber Nathan Editor-in-Chief
Fun and Games
I find giving is often more satisfying than getting. This holiday season, get into the spirit of giving and watch your happiness skyrocket. One way to do this is by volunteering time and resources to those in need. Tresa Ballard, servicelearning coordinator for the Sarbanes Center for Public and Community Service, said giving is not necessarily about doing something big. Ballard said students can do small, simple things to give back. “It can be something [as] simple as … spending time with a neighbor or wrapping a gift or present for someone,” Ballard said. “I think it’s just having a willing heart for service.” Students encouraged their peers to give back in creative ways and continue
to volunteer after the holidays. “Keep an open mind,” second-year transfer studies student Elizabeth Morehouse said about helping people this holiday season. “There are so many different ways you can help out and so many different things you can help out [with].” Morehouse works for a nonprofit organization and encourages students to look outside the box when searching for where to volunteer. “Because so many people are looking for soup kitchens, sometimes they can get overwhelmed with volunteers,” Morehouse said. “Other nonprofits … may need your help that aren’t the typical ones that people usually think of.” Examples of this may be organizations that work with special needs children or a crisis relief center. But Morehouse suggested students also remember
Did you know?
Third-year communications student Kaitlyn Walton says to keep giving once the holidays pass. Photo by Amber Nathan 1. Search local organizations in your area that may need your help. You don’t have to travel far to find people in need. 2. If you are at school all the time, start your giving there. Visit the Sarbanes Center on campus to find volunteer opportunities. If none of those opportunities fits your schedule, Ballard encourages students to come to her to create their own volunteer projects. 3. Don’t use time as an excuse to procrastinate on giving this holiday season. Walton said volunteering is more flexible than you may think.
You can pick and choose time slots that work with your schedule, and volunteer work doesn’t have to take more than an hour of your time. Every little bit helps. 4. If you need a little motivation, Ballard reminds students that volunteer work looks great on resumes. Do not help people for only this reason but do remember you can also benefit from giving. Now is a good time to start volunteering. But don’t stop once the holidays pass. Amber Nathan is a second-year communications student and editor-in-chief of Campus Current.
Sudoku
Campus adds more automatic door openers to bathrooms Ten bathrooms at AACC have new automatic door openers to make them more accessible: two in AMIL and eight in Arnold. The bathrooms in Arnold with automatic door openers are in the Student Union, CALT, Humanities and the Truxal Library.
Reporting by Amber Nathan Photo by Christian Richey
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that these organizations need help year-round, and not just during the holiday season. Third-year communications student Kaitlyn Walton said she also wants people to give back year-round. “What I would hope is that people may … give back [during] the holidays and then keep doing it throughout the year,” Walton said. Food pantries, according to Ballard, are a little bare during January and February when people have exhausted their holiday giving. Walton suggested collaborating on efforts to help the needy to make volunteering more fun. “I really like volunteering with groups because it’s a good way to know you’re doing something good while also getting to meet people,” Walton said. If you want to give back this season, here are a few more tips to get you started:
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Campus Current | 2019 | December | 11
Campus Life
Entrepreneurs focus on wedding industry Kacie Orgera Reporter
Members of AACC’s Entrepreneurial Studies Institute are venturing into the wedding industry. ESI students said they have taken an interest in helping happy couples prepare for their big day. Though these students have businesses geared toward specialties such as makeup and hair, they help brides on the side. “I didn’t want any part of it,” Martha LeDoux, a sixthyear event planning and catering management student, said about entering the wedding industry. “But then I had somebody ask me to do a cake for them. That’s how it happened; but now that I’m in it, I love it.” LeDoux said her favorite wedding was with a couple married at a local vineyard. “They were just so much fun to work with,” LeDoux
said. “They were just so creative.” Stephanie Goldenberg, the adviser of the Entrepreneurs Club, said over the summer she had students in the wedding planning, makeup and hair businesses. “We jokingly said [to the students], ‘Oh my goodness, you can all come together and help a bride right now,” Goldenberg said. “What’s really great about the Entrepreneur’s Club and the Entrepreneur Scholarship is that all of our students can network with each other and they can work together for a project.” Other students hope to become caterers. One plans to open a stationery business that will help couples choose their announcements and invitations, Entrepreneurial Studies Institute Program Assistant Tarsheka Thompson said. “We do have a few event planners that specifically do
weddings; most of them do additional events,” Thompson said. Sara Gray-Foreman, a second-year entrepreneurial studies student who does floral design, said she has noticed brides like to collaborate with small businesses. “People are trying to ... support their local economy,” Gray-Foreman said. “So there are a lot of future brides that want to kind of collaborate with small businesses and really want to support small businesses.” Gray-Foreman added: “And [in] each kind of small business [there are] so many different parts going into a wedding … there are all these different moving parts, so being able to find someone who is local or find someone who specializes in that particular area will help you get that Pinterest type of wedding.” She said that working in the wedding industry can be
Second-year entrepreneurial studies student Sara Gray-Foreman arranges flowers for weddings. Photo by Kacie Orgera hard but rewarding. “The wedding industry is pretty tough,” Gray-Foreman said. “But I love providing that experience for a couple. It’s very sacred, very sweet, and it’s … something that makes me happy … to provide that beautiful experience to them.” ESI students said they like working in the Hatchery, where they use free resources such as a button-maker and 3D printer, and network
with other students. “Sometimes they’re doing marketing aspects,” Thompson said. “Sometimes they’re just networking with each other and talking about different ideas.” The Hatchery is “definitely a good place to come in, get inspired [and] meet people who have different business[es]. … It’s good to have access to that and teachers and other resources,” Gray-Foreman said.
Fun and Games
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Looking for answers? Check TheCampusCurrent.com on Dec. 31
? 11/25/2019 4:15:38 PM
12 | Campus Current | 2019 | December
Campus Life
Commuting students say music helps drive Jake Brannon Reporter
Students who commute to AACC said in November they listen to music to make their drive more livable. In an informal poll of 20 students who drive to school, 18 said they pass time during their commutes by listening to music on the radio or on their phones. Another seven said they listen to podcasts as well. “Normally, I just listen to music, to kind of try and relax,” Ren Bishop, a second-year psychology student, said. In a separate informal poll last semester, 20 of 25 commuters told Campus Current they could get to campus in 20 to 25 minutes, while four have a 10-minute commute and one who lives in Washington D.C., travels for more than 45 minutes. Among the commuters in the first poll, 17 com-
plained that traffic gets backed up on Ritchie Highway and other roads. And they said Ring Road on campus is just as bad as the highway because of construction. “Some cons would definitely be the traffic, and the bad drivers, and if I’m running late, it gets [extended] because I’m so far away,” said Brandon Kirk, a second-year criminal justice student who lives on Kent Island. Other students said they listen to e-books or just like to relax during their commutes to prepare for the day ahead. Tyler Lockman, who takes the bus to and from campus, checks social media and likes to edit during his commute. “Usually I just go on my phone [and] check social media,” Lockman said. “I sometimes do editing for photos.” According to Alicia Renehan, public relations coordi-
nator at AACC, 1,770 credit students live outside of Anne Arundel County. Those students said they face their own struggles getting to campus every day from so far away. The worst part, Myranda Smithburger, a second-year transfer studies student said, “is just the driving in general, and having to worry about traffic because you just don’t know.” Smithburger lives in Dunkirk, which is in Calvert County. The students said their commutes, in general, are frustrating. The most frustrating part about her commute, Isa Segura, a second-year transfer studies student, said, is “that it’s not closer, that school’s not closer to me, and I don’t want to go to” Prince George’s Community College. Segura lives in Upper Marlboro. Another frustrating part of the commutes is the dense
First-year computer science student Tyler Lockman says he checks his social media and edits photos during his commute to school. Photo by Jake Brannon traffic on the roads, the students said. “The traffic and the standstills, like if there’s an accident on Ritchie Highway or something, it really slows me down,” Jacob Vanskiver, a third-year cybersecurity student, said. Students said their commutes last longer than they used to, thanks to the trou-
ble they have finding parking on campus. In another informal poll of 20 students, 13 said they have trouble finding parking spots. “It takes me about like 20 minutes to find parking,” Segura said. “Because it takes so long to get here, I’m usually about 20 minutes late to class.”
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Campus Current | 2019 | December |13
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14 | Campus Current | 2019 | December
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Campus Current | 2019 | December | 15
Sports
Women finish season at 7-7
Soccer comes in 3rd place Brayden Nazarian Sports Editor AACC Men’s Soccer finished the 2019 season with a record of 9-7-1, improving from 7-8-1 last year. Their performance on the field earned a third-place spot in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Region 20, behind Prince George’s Community College and Howard Community College. “We had a really good group of guys that bonded on and off the field,” head coach Nick Cosentino said. “They were a tight-knit group, which I think helped them get through some tough times in the season.” To end the regular season, Men’s Soccer secured the No. 4 seed in the Division III Region 20 Men’s Soccer tournament. On Nov. 1, the men's team hosted the top-seeded Howard Community College
Brayden Nazarian Sports Editor
The Riverhawks take third place in the Division III Men's Soccer tournament, hosted by AACC. Pictured: forward Caleb Willard, midfielder Joba Malomo and defender Victor Mmandama. Photo by Christian Richey in the semifinals, where they lost 3-2. “Howard was the big game,” said forward/midfielder Alex Calogero, a second-year public health student. “In the tournament this year and last year, it’s always a tough battle.” Calogero led the team in points with 14 on the season, including six goals and two assists. “Scoring was a real challenge for us,” Cosentino said,
The Child Development Center at AACC EVENING CHILD CARE
(A free program for Pell Grant-eligible students) The Child Development Center at AACC in Arnold is providing evening child care for children ages 3 through 12 years. This program is funded by the U.S. Department of Education – CCAMPIS (Child Care Access Means Parents In School) Grant. Child care will be available from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. An application and preregistration are required. Registration for Fall 2019 begins July 1. For information contact the center at 410-777-2450 or email LaVette Curtis, lvcurtis@aacc.edu.
We offer: Homework help Snacks Arts and crafts Indoor/outdoor play Toys and games Experienced staff
410-777-2450 | www.aacc.edu/cdc
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“and it was a testament to our defense that we did so well this year.” “Half our team were first-year players … and our sophomores really helped us this year,” Cosentino said. “Will Belcher helped out a lot with the leadership role. … Belcher is the grittiest player I’ve ever coached.” Belcher, a midfielder and second-year transfer studies student, said he appreciated Cosentino’s comments.
AACC Women’s Soccer finished 2019 with seven wins and seven losses, and according to players and coaches, the athletes wanted better results. Women’s Soccer ended the regular season with a loss to Oxford College of Emory University on Nov. 1 in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Region 20 semifinals. “Like anybody on the team, I wish we went further [in the post season],” Morgan Argubright, a defender and first-year transfer studies student, said. “But I think the season was a success overall.” First-year transfer studies student and defender Erika Jackson said some of the team’s postseason struggles came from a lack of team synergy.
“We didn’t know each other that well in our first game,” Jackson said. “But we just got better and better throughout the season.” “The majority of the team were freshmen, and we were all dragged in from different schools … so we never really played with each other before the season,” Argubright said. Despite early problems as a team, head coach Karin Victorio said her players made sure to enjoy the season. “[The players] had really good attitudes this year and had fun,” Victorio said. “There were a lot of great people on the team.” Jackson finished the 2019 season with a team high of 19 points, while Argubright had 18. The team finished 6-6 following the 2018 season after being eliminated from the NJCAA Region 20 semifinals.
Spikeball is a four-player game similar to volleyball and four square that requires teams to bounce a ball on a net. A team scores when the opposing team misses the net. Callahan said he plays the game at the beach. Others would like AACC
Athletics to start a marching band. “In my opinion, I’d love to see AACC get a marching band,” first-year transfer studies student David Napierala said. “[I’d also love to see] a cheer team; I could see both attracting a lot of athletes and students.”
Football tops wishlist in student sports poll Brayden Nazarian Sports Editor
Students said in November they wish the college had a football team. In an informal Campus Current poll of 50 students, 28 said they want a football team, while others said they would like the school to add a spikeball team and a marching band. “It would be great if AACC had a football team,” Landon Araya, a first-year business marketing student, said. “I’ve actually been wondering why AACC doesn’t have one.” According to Campus Crier—the name of AACC’s student newspaper in the 1980s—the college had a varsity football program that disbanded after losing its varsity status because of the players’ poor grades. Also, few nearby community colleges had teams to compete against. “I want to see a spikeball team really bad,” Dylan Callahan, a first-year business marketing student, said. “It’s a lot of fun, really competitive and could take off at the college level.”
In an AACC poll, students say they want a football team and a marching band. Photo by Anthony DePanise, reprinted from Campus Crier, Nov. 7, 1989
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Tuesday
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