The campus has admin istered more than 77,000 shots to students, faculty, staff and the public since January 2021, according to Arlene Crow, the emergency man ager for AACC’s Public Safety and Police AppointmentsDepartment.are pre ferred but not required for getting the vaccine. To regis
Dan Elson Editor-in-Chief
The Arnold campus has stations for COVID-19 vac cines and tests, while the Arundel Mills and Glen Burnie Town Center campuses have testing sites. Photo by Zack Buster
Shutterstock photo
Jr. said the budget includes salary increases for faculty and technology upgrades on AACC’s three campuses.
Until last year during the pandemic, the college raised tuition by $2 to $4 every year since 2010. From 2004 to 2006, tuition went up by $2 to $3 every year until the recession.
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AACC offers vaccines on its Arnold campus
As part of the partner ship, physician assistant students took 86 credits–of the 116 required–at AACC from professors affiliated with UMB. During the same
The AACC Board of Trust ees voted on Feb. 22 to raise tuition by $2 per credit hour starting in the fall.
College officials have said they chose to raise tui tion incrementally each year as opposed to all at once.
AACC is discontinuing its physician assistant pro gram after this semester. Health and Sciences Dean Elizabeth Appel said AACC has partnered with University of Maryland Balti more to offer a physician as
sistant program since 1996. That partnership is ending because new rules for phy sician assistant programs require all of the schools in volved to offer master’s de grees.AACC, like other commu nity colleges, cannot offer master’s degrees.
Tuition to hike by 2% in fall ’22 semesterPhysician assistant program nears end
Zack Buster Associate Editor
Continued on page 3
After this semester, AACC will not offer a physician assistant program.
Budget Committee Chairman James H. Johnson
“It sucks because you
The plan to raise tuition is a part of AACC’s $125.5 million operating budget, which the trustees also ap proved. Last year’s budget was $120.2 million.
AACC's Board of Trustees approved a $125.5 million budget for the college for fiscal year 2023. Shutterstock photo
Continued on page 3
sician assistant students at AACC will graduate in July, Appel said.
ter, go to Havingwww.aahealth.org.vaccineandtest ing sites on campuses has been “a great asset to [the] campus and the communi ty,” Crow said. “The fact that Anne Arundel Community College is so centrally locat ed, it's helped a lot of people
The last cohort of phy
Anne Arundel County of fers free COVID-19 vaccines and tests on AACC’s Arnold campus.Inaddition, the college has testing sites on its Arundel Mills and Glen Burnie Town Center campuses.
Continued on page 3
Dan Elson Editor-in-Chief
Tuition covers approxi mately one-third of the col lege’s operating expenses, according to Vice President for Learning Resource Man agement Melissa Beard more. The county and the state fund the Second-yearrest. transfer studies student Luke Lan ham said he isn’t happy the college is raising tuition.
Frank
AACC reached a milestone in 2021: its 60th birthday at a time when COVID-19 prevented in-person celebrations. Shown, the Arnold campus in 1966. Photo courtesy of Truxal Library
For going on two years as we have dealt with COVID-19, things have not beenSometimes,easy. though, tak ing time to pay attention to my own mental health helps.
For example, I try to take things one step at a time. I stop for moments throughout the day to col lect my thoughts or feelings. Sometimes I take a break and don’t do anything for just a little while.
Laniya Harris says taking a break from school can be good for a student's mental health.
| Campus Current | 2022 | March Editorial 2 MeetStaffthe Twitter @campus_current Facebook CampusCurrentPaperFacebook.com/ Instagram @campuscurrentaacc Editor-in-Chief Dan Elson Associate Editor Zack Buster Graphic Designer Mary Kane Newsroom Manager Kaylah Rashid Photo Editor Frank Fitzgeralde Libom Photographer Graig Bracey Reporters Maggie Brown D'Angelo Williams Laniya Harris Jerryt Haley Cordell Mackall Sydney Klabnik Julia DominicGunnSalackiAvaMooreLillyRoser Faculty Adviser Sharon O'Malley Photographers on Page 1, top ShutterstockShutterstock
Taking time out of your busy day to think and try to understand what you're feeling is important at a time when life seems more stress ful than usual for us students.
1961.Sixty years later, the col lege still has a big impact on us.
Most recently, the college opened the 175,000-squarefoot Health and Life Sciences building in August and the Clauson Center in January.
Letter from an editor
AACC reaches 60th birthday
Editorial Board
Taking things one step
When I feel over whelmed, I listen to my fa vorite song all the way until it ends. That gives me time to collect my thoughts. It helps.
all the faculty and staff who have made these 60 years possible. Let’s show grati tude to our classmates and all the former students who have enrolled at AACC since
The 60th anniversary of AACC has come and gone and because of COVID-19, there was no proper celebra tion.That doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate six decades of our college’s history and success in our hearts.
Students, graduates, fac ulty and staff should reflect on this moment because it’s not every day that a college gets to celebrate a milestone as big as 60 years.
at a time is the easiest way for me to stay on top of my depression. Sometimes I feel so down that getting up to go to class feels impossible, but I let myself know that if I can get up to go to the bath room or if I just walk into the kitchen, then going to class isn’tOneimpossible.stepata time.
The most important as pect of being a student is keeping your mental health in good shape.
Let’s make a celebration out of showing gratitude to
Photo by Frank Fitzgeralde Libom
Finally, considering tak ing a break from school is an option.In fact, sometimes the best way to make yourself the best student you can be is to take a break from being a student for one semester or longer. That’s what I’ve de cided to do.
And for the 100th anni versary in 2061, let’s come back to campus, go wild, live it up and party like it’s 2021.
I hope to see you all next semester.
awarded associate degrees back in June 1963. Full-time tuition was only $300 in 1967.Over the years, AACC opened campuses at the Glen Burnie Town Center and Arundel Mills. The college welcomed former President George W. Bush in 2005. The college has had six of its own presidents, including Dr. Dawn Lindsay, who became the sixth in 2012 and still
Laniya Harris Reporter
holds the position.
Mental health is top concern
I know from personal experience how difficult it can be to deal with anxiety and depression while try ing to keep up with all of the things that being a student can demand from you.
So let’s show our love for our school with Riverhawk honor and rock the blue and teal with pride and joy all day every day. Let’s show our pride even with little things, like waving at each other and saying “happy 60th” when we pass people on the cam pus.AACC opened in Septem ber 1961 and offered night classes at Severna Park High School. The journey began with just 270 students, 30 faculty and 48 courses of fered. Twelve students were
The virus is still out there and affecting everyone’s life, so we can’t throw a wild par ty, but we can still make new memories that we’ll keep long after graduation.
Turning 60 is a big deal and something to be proud of.
Fitzgeralde Limbom Contact CampusCurrent410-777-2296@gmail.com Advertising CampusCurrentAdverts410-777-2803@gmail.com101CollegeParkwayArnold,MD21012
College ends program for PA certifications
Students will pay 2% more for tuition next semester after AACC's Board of Trustees approved the change. Shutterstock photo
AACC's long-time partnership with University of Maryland's physician assistant program is ending. Shutterstock photo
“Especially now with [more] classes back faceto-face, for us to find a spot where there is enough room for the clinic to operate out of because we've got class es going on almost every where,” Crow said. “That's why we put them in Annex A because [it is] currently an unusedAACCbuilding.”handsout and up dates vaccination Appointmentscards. are not required for getting a COVID-19 test and results are available COVID-19online.tests are of fered in Room 135 of the Ar
Students and employees can get COVID-19 vaccines and tests on the Arnold campus.
obviously have to pay more money for classes,” Lanham said. “So you have to pay more attention to how many credit hours you’re taking, because it could affect how much you’re tionwhyPhandentsthePhanarchitectureThird-yearpaying.”landscapestudentDavidsaidhe’snotsurprisedcollegeisraisingtuition.“Therearealotlessstuenrolledoncampus,”said.“Iguessthat’stheyareincreasingtuirates.”
Trustee OKs budget for fiscal year 2023
“I’m kind of indifferent too,” said Jarian, who added that the change was not un expected. “They did tell us
Some physician assistant students said the change will not affect their plans.
Shutterstock photo
and renovation of the Dra gun and Florestano build ings, which are mostly va cant since faculty and classes moved into the Health and Life Sciences building.
Hendrix, UMB assistant dean for physician assistant education, said she is sad to see the end of an era.
Testing is available at the Arundel Mills campus, Rooms 108 and 109, on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Testing is also available at the Glen Burnie campus, Rooms 211 and 212, on Tuesdays from 11 a.m to 6 p.m.
Campus Current | 2022 | March | News 3
First-year physical ther apy assistant student Matti gan Philip said she supports a tuition increase if it’s for a good“Icause.think if it’s for a good reason … money … that we need or to teachers’ salaries, that would be for good rea son,” Philip said. “But if it’s for money towards other academics, or I guess sports that don’t apply to me, then it’s not as important to me.”
25-month period, they took their remaining 30 credits at UMB.Students in the program, who qualified for it only after earning their bachelor’s de grees, finished with an AACC certificate and a master’s de gree from UMB.
“I'm kind of indifferent,” first-year student Kim Vuong said. “The facilities might change, but the teachers are still the same.”
Shant Jarian, also in his first year, agreed.
vaccines. … So we're waiting to see what CDC says about boosters going forward.”
Continued from page 1
nold Mathematics building on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Monday’s hours are 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday is 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Fri day is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Shots are available in An nex A on the Arnold campus on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from noon to 3 p.m.
People experiencing COVID-19 symptoms are al lowed in Room 135 for test ing on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon.Unvaccinated students can upload their test results to studentvax@aacc.edu on Wednesdays. Employees should email employeevax@ aacc.edu.
Continued from page 1
The trustees also ap proved a capital budget to pay for construction, repair ing and replacing sidewalks,
get to us without having to drive out of their way to get to a place that offers the vac cinations.”Thecollege requires students and employees to show proof of two COVID-19 vaccinations before they can take in-person classes or work on campus. Those who opt out of the vaccine must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test each week.
“We follow [Centers for Disease Control] guidance,” Beardmore said. “The defi nition of fully vaccinated right now is two weeks after your appropriate series of
The capital budget pro posal is for $258.9 million.
She added: “But park ing’s going to be worse” at UMB than at AACC.
COVID-19 vaccines, tests available here
Continued from page 1
Hendrix said this semes ter is “kind of bittersweet” as the final students finish their time at AACC. “This program is very near and dear to my heart."
Now that the trustees approved the budget, Pres ident Dawn Lindsay will forward the proposal to the Anne Arundel County Exec utive, who will share it with the County Council. Finally, Gov. Larry Hogan must sign off on the state’s contribu tion to the college.
Vice President for Learn ing Resources Management Melissa Beardmore said the college does not require booster shots.
before that they're starting to transition over to com pletelyCherilynUMB.”
Millner said college may
Students can get their passes and tickets from
OSE’s office in Room 225 of the Student Union Building on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.OSEhas a limited num ber of passes to the Aquari um and Science Center, so it distributes them on a firstcome, first-serve basis and asks students to return them the day after they pick them up. Weekend passes are available to students who reserve them by Wednesday.
Mike Gavin, along with some students and other faculty, will do federal and state tax forms for anyone on campus or in the commu nity who earned less than $58,000 in 2021 as part of an IRS-sponsored program called the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.
“The volunteers do not receive pay or college credit for helping out, ‘’ Gavin said. “But they gain real-world experience to help further their education and careers.”
OSE has discounted mov
tutions. The student popu lation is shrinking a bit, so we’re fighting for the same students.”Enrollment declined by approximately 12% in fall 2021 and 6% in fall 2020.
Maggie Brown Reporter
The decline in enroll ment at community colleges is a national trend, accord ing to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, which said two-year enrollment nationwide fell by 14.8% since fall 2019.
Last fall, Millner said a drop in enrollment also could
be because students are un willing to take online classes. However, the week be fore the spring semester be gan, the college cut 100-plus face-to-face classes because of underenrollment. In their place, AACC added 44 online sections.“We’re trying to offer [in-person classes] to the best of our abilities, while keeping everyone as safe as
The Office of Student Engagement offers discounted movie tickets and free passes to Baltimore attrac tions, like the National Aquarium.
possible,” Millner said.
People who are interest ed in using the service can make an in-person or virtu al appointment to have their taxes prepared within an hour.“The goal of the IRS is to help the public that can’t understand the tax system,” GavinAboutsaid. 20 students and a few staff members help
ie tickets for $8 to Bow Tie Cinemas at the Westfield An napolis mall and $9 to Cine mark Egyptian 24 at Arun del Mills mall and to Regal Waugh Chapel in Gambrills.
As a result of declining enrollment, the college has lost $3 million plus, she said.
AACC students said they weren’t surprised over the downward trend in commu nity college enrollment.
Fewer students are enrolling in community colleges nationwide.
Over a five-year span, the college lost 2,671 students, according to Vice President for Learning Tanya Millner. This semester, 7,688 stu dents registered for classes.
“I always wanted to do taxes since high school,” Ann Joby, a student volunteer and business administration stu dent, said. “I’m really into accounting ... since professor Gavin gave me the opportuni ty to join this program. I [have been] thrilled.”
This is the eighth year AACC will participate in the VITA program. Twenty-eight other organizations in Mary land also are doing free taxes.
“They give up their Sat urday mornings to come in here and do this,” Gavin said. “I’m just so proud [of them].”
Gavin with taxes.
An accounting profes sor is offering to fill out tax forms for free for students, faculty and staff this spring.
Sydney Klabnik Reporter
Dan Elson Editor-in-Chief
VITA is a federal gov ernment program that uses IRS-certified volunteers to review clients’ tax situations and prepare returns.
not be a priority for some students.“The priority may be trying to find a job [and] trying to take care of elder ly loved ones or sick loved ones,” Millner said. “So, you know, oftentimes, for many students and their families college falls down on the list of priorities when there’s an emergency.”Plus,she said, “We have a great deal of increasing competition from our fouryear private institutions and our four-year public insti
OSE is open to sugges tions from students about other passes they would like the college to offer, Cheatham said.
Shutterstock photo
“A lot of people realize that they don’t really want to do school,” first-year trans fer studies student Halima Jama said. “[Instead] they want to [pursue] small busi nesses and things that they want to do.”
“We know college can be expensive,” OSE Director Amberdawn Cheatham said. “People are working jobs … so if we can discount some thing, or if we can make it free, we’re always thinking of our students first.”
Jeremy Long, a first-year nursing student, said a free pass to the Science Center “would entice me to ... go.”
To make an appoint ment, email VITA@aacc.edu.
Professor offers free support for tax forms
Accounting professor Mike Gavin and his volunteers fill out tax forms for free. Shutterstock photo
Students can get dis counted movie tickets and free passes to the National Aquarium and the Maryland Science Center from the Of fice of Student Engagement.
The number of full-time students enrolled in AACC this semester is down 11.3% compared with last spring.
Students can buy up to two tickets at a time but are limited to 10 per semester.
Enrollment drops by 11.3% in single year
Photo by Dan Elson
| Campus Current | 2022 | March News 4
“Taxes are difficult,” said Gavin, who said many clients are “single working people … younger people ... just start ing their careers.”
OSE provides passes to nearby attractions
Cheatham noted that students must show an AACC ID and proof of enroll ment in classes before pick ing up tickets or passes.
Named the Clauson Center, this new building for skilled trades, located behind the Careers Center, on the Arnold campus. It opened in January and wel comed its first non-credit trade
Campus Current | 2022 | March | News 5
behappyStudentstoback
Still, he said, the cam pus feels empty, even though approximately 43% of class sections are face-to-face this semester.“Onone hand … I think it might be a bit nicer if there were more people around campus … more friendly fac es around,” Lovell said, but added, “I’m completely fine with restricted capacity for campus as long as it keeps more people healthy.”
In fall 2021 the college held 16% of classes in-per son and 12% in the hybrid format, which means stu dents met on campus occa sionally but studied mostly
online. The rest of the cours es were online last semester. “I do like the experience to come on campus and so cialize with all the students,” Raquel Kromer, a physical therapy student, said. “And you know, meet new people. I like it but also I do like to feel the comfort of being in a home and taking classes on line.”Lovell agreed and said he is eager to join some clubs.“I’m excited for the next fall semester when they have the game design or develop er club back open up again,” Lovell said. “I’m quite keen
and accessible education.
Photo by Zack Buster
Ryan Arbogast, a sec ond-year transfer studies student, also said he likes
Every trade is a “fabric of our lives,” Clauson said.
Clauson also said, stu dents with an education and experience in the skilled trades can find jobs any where around the world.
Photo courtesy of Vollie Melson
Some still like online better
“It’s very calm here,” Charles Lovell, a first-year computer science student, said. “I quite like the atmo sphere and the environment of working on a campus. It’s a bit more pleasant. And it’s less distractions compared to working at home.”
Clauson said the work force development classes that students take in the Clauson Center will help feed Anne Arundel County employers’ needs for skilled trade workers in the field.
Although some students say they're happy to be back in classrooms, more registered for online class es rather than in-person classes this semester.
“It’s easier to focus,” Le goey said. “It’s easier to en gage with the teacher. I feel like I pay more attention, so I do better on tests rather than online.”Even though those stu dents said they prefer faceto-face classes, they said they understand why others like online courses.
Some students said they learn better on campus.
Local donatephilanthropiststohelpAACC
“My schedule can flex more,” Arbogast said. “I have class at 8 a.m.? Well, then I can get up at However,7:55.”other students said they like coming to on-campus classes.
Two Anne Arundel County philanthropists do nated $1 million to help AACC build a space for skilled trades classes on the ArnoldJamescampus.and Janet Clau son of Hanover, Maryland regularly donate money to the college from their per sonal finances as well as from their charitable orga nization, the Clauson Family Foundation.“Whether it is recre ational or it is aspirational for someone … who wants to go on to a four-year de gree,” Janet Clauson said, “the community college simply provides an incredi ble resource for students of all ages in [the] community.”
“I prefer in person,” Thomas Boxall, a first-year general studies student, said. “I believe that it’s a higher quality of education. You lose a lot of that with online.”
Clauson, a former NASA employee, said the $1 mil lion donation will support the vitality of trade workers
Asstudents.residents of Anne Arundel County for many years, Clauson said the cou ple’s personal contribution to the Center was motivated by the “need for workforce training.”When AACC revealed that it was looking to build a skilled trades center, Clau son said, the couple wanted to play a critical role in help ing this plan come to life.
“For some people, [com ing to class on campus] just isn’t doable,” said Arbogast, who commutes an hour to school.
“I still do see the value of online classes,” Boxall said. “It gives people the flexibility to not necessarily have to be near the location.”
tended AACC for more than 15 years, said she appreci ates the opportunities the college offers to its students.
Lily Roser Reporter
making his own schedule.
Philanthropist Janet Clauson speaks at an AACC foundation event revealing the Clauson Center. Clauson and her husband, James, donated $1 million toward its construction.
Zack Buster Associate Editor
Students who chose to take in-person classes this se mester said they prefer faceto-face courses over online instruction.Yetcollege administra tors said because of underen rollment, they cut more than 100 in-person sections a week before those classes started.Intheir place, they added 44 online sections. Approxi mately 43% of classes this se mester are either face-to-face or hybrid.Some students said they can understand why online classes are more popular thanBradleyin-person.Zoellner, a thirdyear transfer studies student, took in-person classes last semester and opted to take online courses this semester.
Campus closed in March 2020 because of the pan demic. Since then, it re opened in fall 2020 with all online classes except a few sections in nursing, health science, culinary and studio arts, which were on campus.
“These are good jobs," Clauson said. “These are jobs that will sustain fami lies, that will … help people to be able to purchase their own homes and to take care of [them], to marry and to take care of kids. And I think that’s what we need in this country. We don’t necessar ily need more hedge fund managers."
to join that as that’s my ca reer plan [to] work for either myself or a big AAA studio working on [video] games.”
“I wanted to have a job,” Zoellner said. “I felt that be ing able to schedule my as signments at any time of day would make it easier to work while also being a student.”
AACC students who returned to school in Jan uary said they are happy to be back on campus but are worried about catching COVID-19.Mostsaid they prefer to take classes in person and have enjoyed meeting their classmates and teachers for the first time in two years.
Ultimately, the certifi cations and education that skilled trades students will leave the Clauson Center with will be valuable and that is the main goal, Clau son, who has an MBA, said. Clauson, who has at
Jenna Legoey, a first-year fine arts student, agreed.
D'Angelo Williams Reporter
store. For Borneman, it’s the vintage Levi’s she finds that are $10, compared with the going price of $200. And for Meyer, it’s a $50 designer red blouse with white polka dots, which would have been $400Whennew. thrifting, luck plays a large role in a bar gain-hunters’ finds.
Yasa Mastoi, a firstyear business student, typ ically buys his sneakers brand-new from a store like Champs. But when he found a pair of unused Polo sneak ers at Uptown Cheapskate, a thrift shop in Annapolis, for a mere $25, he changed his shopping habits for good.
“After I had to start buy ing my own stuff through working,” first-year business student Luis Pena said, “I’m like, ‘Whoa, $60 for a shirt?’”
Gia Gilbert, a first-year
Ava Moore Reporter profit shops reside in the U.S. These shops attract consumers of all economic levels, and the age range is “across the board in this in dustry,” Executive Director Adele Meyer said.
Photo by Dana Moore
Did
Because thrifting helps save money, it could also open its consumers’ eyes to regular stores’ high pricing.
“It’ssaid.always better to re cycle,” Meyer said.
However, thrifting is not just about saving money. It’s also about finding oneof-a-kind pieces that shop pers cannot find in full-price stores.“I’ve found really nice pairs of jeans that are co
“I don’t really look for brands,” Pena said. “I just kind of go for whatever catches my eye and is my size.” you know?
There are pull-up bars behind the Clauson Center
As with any type of shop ping, thrifters always have a favoriteGilbertpiece.said her favorite thrift-store find was a $15 Ugg purse that would have cost $200 at a department
A downside to thrift ing, Meyer said, is “it may take more time to find what you’re looking for, but it’s a treasure hunt. You have to shop often because you nev er know what’s going to be in store.”
forensics student, has found pros and cons to thrifting, which can make it difficult to find multiple items in a single visit. But it might be good for the environment that shoppers aren’t finding as much so what they buy doesn’t go to waste, she said.
Accordingaccounts. to the Na tional Association of Resale and Thrift Shops, or NARTS, more than 25,000 resale, consignment and not-for-
| Campus Current | 2022 | March Campus Life 6 GamesandFun
Thrifters save cash, planet
Campus Current reporter Ava Moore, a communications student, says she buys most of her clothes in thrift stores like Uptown Cheapskate in Annapolis, shown.
incidently Levi’s,” Mikayla Borneman, a second-year English student, said. “I’m like, ‘Whoa, these are so nice and they fit well. Like wait; they’re Levi’s,’ which is kind of like a bonus point.”
“Sometimes the clothes are cheap, and I’m broke,” MastoiUptownsaid. Cheapskate is one of the handful of thrift shops near campus that offer deals on brands that depart ment stores sell for twice the price—or more. Students who “thrift” agreed the pric es at these second-hand shops complement their bank
Thrift shopping, or thrifting, is beneficial to its customers because they save money in a sustainable way, Meyer
First-year psycholo gy student Amber Bartlett said she struggled to make friends in high school after moving to Maryland from Georgia for her senior year.
Campus Current | 2022 | March | Campus Life 7 GamesandFun
Abigail Billovits-Hayes, SGA’s vice president of pub lic relations, agreed.
After four semesters of limited in-person interac tions with classmates be cause of the pandemic, AACC students are beginning to make friends on campus as the college transitions into a new sense of normal.
Some students said joining clubs, chatting with classmates and approaching others on campus is helping them find people with com mon interests.
Tommie Parker, a sec ond-year undecided student, said students he has met so far are eager to make friends.
“It’s definitely much bet ter than it was when every thing was all online because now, we’re here in person and it’s so much easier to talk to people and make friends,” Student Government Asso ciation President Ben Nuss baumer, a third-year general education student, said.
Dominic Salacki Reporter
According to Nussbaum er, "Students prefer in-per son events.”
of Experience Campus Min istryLewisInternational.andParker agreed that being friendly to others is one way to make friends on campus.“Speak up to people be cause if you’re quiet, you can’t just wait for somebody to come over to you and speak,” Lewis said. “Some times you have to initiate it.” He added: “Something my father says is, ‘If you want friends, you have to show yourself friendly.’”
“Coming to events defi nitely helps, at least, to talk to someone even if you only see them for that one event,” Billovits-Hayes, a second-year marketing and advertising student, said. “At least you’re getting out of your house and saying words to people that aren’t your pet or yourNussbaumerparents.” said if stu dents feel comfortable get
“I’ve noticed that, with COVID and the lockdown, people are very open to mak ing friends easily, but they’re not as open to making that first initial conversation,” Parker said. “I’ve noticed that clubs are the best way to meet people and get connected.”
The college is offering more than 40% of its class sections on campus this se mester, and more student
clubs are hosting in-person events than in the fall.
“I didn’t know anybody [at Arundel High School], so I joined a bunch of clubs and that’s where I found my friends,” Bartlett said. “I did photography, so the artsy kids [were in] my group.”
Friends Caleb Lewis, left, and Tommie Parker met through a campus club spon sored by their church.
ting outside of their homes, they should come to campus.
Looking for answers? check out TheCampusCurrent.com
Friends start at club events
Photo by Dominic Salacki
“Being on campus is a really big part of college life … even if you’re not active ly making new friends [but still making] small talk [with others],” Nussbaumer said. “I think it’s important for peo ple to get out and socialize.”
Caleb Lewis, a third-year business administration stu dent, said he and Parker met and became friends last year through their church, which sponsors the AACC chapter
Gregory said it’s import ant for drivers to choose electric cars over gas.
on the first and the lower half the next day.
Dan Elson Editor-in-Chief
“I think it’s good for us,” Gregory said. “It provides service. There are definite ly individuals out there that
manageable.”Students can work out in the Jenkins Gymnasium Mondays and Wednesdays from noon to 1:30 p.m. and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 HeworksmajorSecond-yearp.m.businessGabrielDaRochaouttwiceaweek.targetstheupperbody
He said charging an elec tric car and putting gas in a
| Campus Current | 2022 | March Campus life 8
Dan Elson Editor-in-Chief
dent Faith Campbell said a new roof seems like a safety feature.“So, it’d be [great] to en sure safety of the students and then make sure there’s nothing getting in that
He added, “That’s a reasonable price. It’s re ally based on the square footage and total scope of work. Some brickwork [and] sheet metal around the edg es needs to be replaced. [It also] depends on the size of the building.”Duringconstruction, the dining area inside the Stu dent Union will close, but the Hawk’s Nest Grill & Deli will
vehicle is a similar process. Instead of pumping gas into the car, the driver plugs it into a charging station.
Even working out for just 10 minutes has bene fits, Noble said.
Photo by Dan Elson
Susan Noble, who is also the head coach for wom en’s cross country, also rec ommended that beginners start with small, achievable fitness goals.
goals are for basic cardio fitness,” Noble said. “Just to maintain good mental health and keep your heart healthy … 20 minutes a day of moderate exercise is what is recommended.”First-yearnursing stu dent Savannah Davidson said she runs two to four times a week for four to five miles.
“I had to tell myself I paid for this commitment,” Da Rocha said. “It kind of gave me a reason to keep going [to a gym] to make the most of my money.”
“Commit to coming into the gym for 10 to 15 min utes three times a week,” Noble said. “Start [small]; don’t say, ‘I’m going to come in here five days a week and I’m going to work out for an hour’ because you can’t go from zero to an hour. [Com mit] to something small and
Dan Elson Editor-in-Chief
Parking on Ring Road will close during Third-yearconstruction.nursingstu
Photo by Frank Fitzgeralde Libom
Nine electric vehicle charging stations are in campus parking lots.
Coach: Slow, steady keys to get in shape
AACC has hired a roof ing contractor to replace the roof by the end of June.
Noble said it’s also im portant to work out regularly.
First-year psychology student Austin Smith works out in Jenkins Gymnasium.
Plus, she said she stretches before she runs.
Photo by Dan Elson
Students and employees who drive electric vehicles can charge them at Annex B, the Careers Center and Park ing Lot M near the Health and Life Sciences building.
“[We] absolutely [need to] work away from fossil fuels,” Gregory said. “Just because of the sustainabil ity and also the impact to the environment. We can’t continue with fossil fuels.
An adjunct health pro fessor said in February the best way to get in shape is to exercise consistently.
Da Rocha agreed.
have electric vehicles, and that’s what we’re here to do, to provide customer support to people for their needs. So we try to do it for all the fac ulty, staff and students.”
“It doesn’t really matter so much what you’re doing right away,” Noble said. “It’s showing up. You’re not go ing to get fit by coming to the gym or doing something
SUN building gets new roof
once in a while. You need to start making it a habit. You want to make it feel worse on days that you don’t go than on the days that you do go.”
replace it before it fails, then you’re going to have water getting in so we tend to re place these things.”
The Student Union build ing will get a new roof over the next few months.
AACC offers nine electric car charging stations on the ArnoldLarrycampus.Gregory, director of facilities maintenance and operations, said more elec tric vehicles are on campus compared to 2020.
Gregory said the col lege installed the charging stations about eight to nine yearsAnago.average electric vehi cle takes up to eight hours to fully charge. Drivers pay $1 per hour to use the charging stations, which only accept creditOutcards.ofone charge, Greg ory said, some electric cars can operate for 500 miles.
AACC pays $240 a year for each station.
Noble said the frequen cy of workouts depends on the individual’s fitness goals.“It depends what your
shouldn’t be [in],” Campbell said.Second-year biology stu dent Tiffany Bixler agreed. “I don’t have to worry about [the roof] caving in,” Bixler said.
remain open, Lawrence said.
EV drivers can charge cars while in classes
AACC is replacing the Student Union building's 20-year-old roof this semester
The college will spend roughly $780,000 to replace the 20-year-old roof, ac cording to Chet Lawrence, a project manager in facili ties, planning and construc tion.“[Roofs] just deteriorate over time,” Lawrence said. “It’s just like in your house or anything and if you don’t
There’s going to have to be a transition.”Thecollege has a sub scription with SemaConnect, which owns the stations.
May
“If you intend to sell your sculptures to a community, a town or a county, you have to know how to do that,” Muir said. “Who do you talk to? What information do you need? What information do you give? That type of thing.”
to balance all the parts of their“We’relives. still learning how to balance it,” Spence said. “Balancing a full-time job and school work … it’s re ally hard … talking about it. Trying to stay on track and be on the same page really helps us a lot.”
there are many ways to con tribute, and we have a lot of talent and creativity.”
Couples on campus who work together said they love working with their partners.
“[It’s]agreed.awesome,” May said. “Candice is just ridicu lously good at what we do. That spark and excitement and manic energy translates to ourAnotherclasses.”couple, English professors Suzanne Spoor and Steve Canaday, said they like helping each other at work.
should read,” May said.
Two first-year business students, Amanda Spence and Ashton Fulton, said they commute together to school.
Campus Current | 2022 | March | Campus life 9
Married English profes sors Candice Hill and Tim May work next door to each other in the Humanities building.“Ireally like working with Tim because he has great ideas and great ener gy,” said Hill, who married May in 2017. “It is what made me notice him before we were together.”
“The downside is that we both bring work home and have to try really hard to switch off” from work mode, Hill said.
They also said they try
According to Rob Muir, one of a number of “perpet ual students” who frequently enroll in art classes, this new course had two components: collaboration among stu dents from concept to instal lation, and interactions with clients, which helps them learn about the business of selling art.
Married English professors Candice Hill and Tim May celebrate their anniversary by taking a hike in Maine.
Spoor said the opposite can happen, too.
Dominic Salacki Reporter
Seven student artists will build a personalized struc ture for an Edgewater senior center as part of a new sculp ture
Dunn said she noticed that the senior center has the space for a sculpture, so she discussed her idea with the facility’s director.
Couples love working together on campus
Hill and May also said one of the drawbacks of working together is trying to find that work-life bal ance at home with each oth er.
Zack Buster Associate Editor
Muir’s classmate and fellow perpetual student Ro salie Dunn proposed this art collaboration between AACC and Anne Arundel County. Her husband attends classes at the South County Senior Center.“How about a project that we can all work on, whether we get our hands into it, or we have ideas?” Dunn said. “Can we somehow anchor this time and space [at the senior center], where we’ve been going through COVID? [A project] that anchors that, and we can do it, but some
“As you get older, peo ple become invisible,” perpetual student Wein er-Reed said. “Beneath the aging masks that we wear, there are vital lives that still matter and should not be ignored.”
Hill “We’reagreed.always challeng ing each other to try new things, read new research, and test out new approaches in the classroom,” Hill said.
“Working with my part ner is fun because we get to share funny stories during the day,” Spoor said. “We also get to talk about books and teaching ideas, and solve problems together.”
“The director of the se nior center said, ‘Fine,’ so then I spoke to [Valladares], and he took off with it, and that's how [this collabora tion between AACC and the surrounding county] began,” DunnDunnsaid. retired from the National Institutes of Health
thing that also includes the individuals'Accordinghistories.”toDunn, the senior center’s patrons include some World War II veterans.Thesculpture the stu dents create will answer questions like: “What things brought us to this point?” Dunn said. “And something that also includes an ele ment of hope for the future, that the future will be even better.”She added: “We could in corporate all this into some kind of sculpture because
Hill and May also said they like collaborating at work.“We get to bounce ideas off of each other all the time,” Hill said. “I al ways have someone to talk through problems or chal lenges or projects with.”
Students’ art helps seniors
Photo courtesy of Candice Hill
Theclass.Outdoor Public Art course, or ART 292, started Feb. 7 with a meeting be tween the students and pro fessor Wilfredo Valladares to discuss ideas for a sculpture for the front of the South County Senior Center. This semester’s students will start the project and the fall semester cohort will finish it, said Valladares, who also advises the student Sculp ture
“WhatClub. is important is that students are collabo rating in experiential learn ing,” Valladares said. “That is something that is very important, in terms of learn ing, because the students are actually implementing tech niques and processes in the real field.”
in 2006 and has been a per petual student at AACC ever since.“I love being a perpetual student,” Dunn said. “Perpet ual means Classmateforever.”Elaine Wein er-Reed said working on the project with other student artists is exciting.
Fulton and Spence also run a small business togeth er doing odd-jobs for home owners.“We’re like, together 24/7,” Spence said.
“The only drawback is that if we were annoyed with each other at home, we don’t get a break at work,” SpoorMaysaid.and Hill also said they try to one-up each oth er constantly.“There’salways a compe tition about how classes go, what we’re teaching, what question we’re thinking about and reading, even how we read things and what we
Photo by Dominic Salacki
May agreed, saying he enjoys “tossing ideas back and forth” with her at work.
Art students from pri or semesters created metal sculptures, which are locat ed on the parking lot side of the Humanities building.
Professor Wilfredo Valladares, shown at his desk in the sculpture studio, is work ing with students to create a piece for the South County Senior Center.
She said she likes to wear a mask that is washable.
Jenkins said it’s import ant to wash a fabric mask frequently, especially if stu dents wear the masks in classrooms where they are in close contact with others.
pensive program,” Bilyeu said. “So adding uniforms to it just adds to the cost and it adds up quickly.”
Still, Jenkins said, ”What’s nice about the KN95 and or the [dispos able] mask is you [just] can throw it First-yearaway.”nutrition sci
"We had a lot of energy
Reverdy said she is most excited about a monthlong Wikipedia Edit-a-thon, which will give participants access to Wikipedia training tutorials so they can pub lish more information about
Nurse Stephanie Jenkins wears a KN95 mask, the kind that the college recommends.
AACC students said they choose their face masks based on how comfortable theyStudentsfeel. have three ba sic masks to choose from: cloth, disposable and KN95. KN95 masks, which the Centers for Disease Control recommends for indoor use, offer five-layer protection.
ence student Merna Shaa lan, on the other hand, wears disposable masks.
women’s history on the site. DeBlasis said she is looking forward to an event called Soapbox Sisters that invites students to read sto ries by and about women through history.
Photo by Dan Elson
In addition, Parker said, “The cotton mask, it gets stuck on my nose ring."
[the fabric] is easier to [in hale],” Parker said.
Cordell Mackall Reporter
Graduating students donate nursing attire
This year’s events will come from departments across campus, according to librarian Sophie Reverdy, cochair of this year’s Women’s History Month observation.
“[You can] throw [it] in a washing machine on hot water and [in the] dryer and hand wash it,” Jenkins said.
| Campus Current | 2022 | March10 Campus life
But first-year nursing student Brianna Shankster said she bought her uniform.
Nursing students wear uniforms to class and can donate them to newer classmates when they graduate.
nation,” nursing professor Denise Lyons said.
Lyons said past nursing students can donate their uniforms by dropping them in a collection bin in Room 270 of the Health and Life SciencesGraduatesbuilding.have been do nating their used uniforms, which cost between $17 and $35 per piece, for the last few years, Lyons said.
First-year information systems student Patrick Carroll said he wears a KN95 mask for the most protec tion and because wearing it does not make his glasses fog up.But replacing those masks can get expensive, he said.“Because they’re not the ones you can keep forever,” Caroll said, “you got to buy new ones. You got to throw [them] away like a dispos able, but other than that, I think they’re aremask.shestudentFirst-yearcool."pre-medicalNaijaParkersaidpreferstowearafabric“The[disposable]maskshardertobreatheand
Anne Arundel Commu nity College will celebrate Women’s History Month in March with virtual events.
Graduating nursing stu dents can donate their uni forms to incoming class mates to help the next group saveNursingmoney. students wear white uniform shirts, blue pants and white leather shoes in their classes and labs.“It’s so nice to be able to see the students on the oth er end wanting to take care of those incoming students just by doing that small do
Comfort determines choice of face mask
Dan Elson Editor-in-Chief
Stephanie Jenkins, a Health and Wellness Center nurse, said the KN95 mask is the best one and the cloth mask is the least effective. Campus officials recom mend that students and employees wear the KN95 mask, but do not require it.
Every year, AACC holds events for the campus to cel ebrate women’s history.
First-year nursing stu dent Cady Bilyeu said she appreciates the donation system.“It’s already a really ex
Because of COVID-19, all of the events will be online except an exhibit in Truxal Library called “Connections, Community and Change.”
ahead and we let them have these uniforms. So it’s on a selective basis that I try to do this for the students that are in need.”
Photo by Cordell Mackall
“I don’t mind having a fresh pair,” Shankster said. “So I wasn’t opposed to buyingLyonsthem.”said she reserves the donated uniforms for students who have a finan cial “It’sneed.not really a free for all,” Lyons said. “I really go through and tell somebody if
AACC to host WHM events
they’re in need, financially, for individuals who maybe are single moms, or they’re not getting as much financial aid as possible, that we go
and [the cotton mask] just [gets] a lot of germs on it,” Shaalan said. “So I feel like it broke my skin out and it never used to break out.”
“I wear makeup some times when I’m going out
Lilly Roser Reporter
this year from faculty mem bers in different depart ments that wanted to orga nize events,” she said. The result, Reverdy said, is that “I’m looking forward to an opportunity … to see faculty and students and commu nity members that may not typically engage with each other come together in con versation.”English professor Shel ley DeBlasis, Reverdy’s cochair, agreed that March is a month to bring up challeng ing conversations and get
more educated about and aware of women’s issues.
Photo by Frank Fitzgaralde Libom
update, Baltimore City Community College Presi dent Debra L. McCurdy said the school is one of them.
Campus Current | 2022 | March | 11 Campus Life
and Prince George’s Community College require proof of vaccination or a negative test result sub mittedMostweekly.ofthe colleges re quire students in some health fields to be vaccinated.
College of Southern Maryland and Montgomery College require that all facul ty and students be vaccinat ed in order to attend in-per son
Montgomery College
“We are reviewing a vac cine requirement for faculty, staff and students,” McCurdy said.
AACCclasses.
“I encourage all facul ty, staff and students to get vaccinated as soon as pos sible,” Powell said. “The data appears to be very clear. The best protection against COVID-19 and its variants is the vaccine.”
Montgomery College is one of two Maryland community colleges that require COVID-19 vaccines for all students and faculty.
In a letter from the in terim president of Freder ick Community College on Feb. 7, Thomas H. Powell strongly advocated for vaccinations but stopped short of requiring them of students and employees.
Zack Buster Associate Editor
encourage vaccinations, some of them are consid ering making them a re quirement. In a student
Colleges vary their policies
also requires boosters for college employees.
In a memo to employees, Montgomery College Interim President Charlene M. Dukes said employees are required to “get a booster shot as soon as possible.”However, most commu nity colleges do not require vaccinations to attend inperson classes. These col leges require mask use and encourage vaccinations.
To learn more about AACC's policies,COVID-19visitthewebsiteat www.aacc.edu/riverhawks-reunite/
Of all the colleges that
Two of the 16 communi ty colleges in Maryland re quire COVID-19 vaccines for students and faculty.
“[I] think [we] slightly underperformed,” Cantrell said. This season was Cantrell’sSnowdenlast. said his goal for next year is to get the teamThemotivated.women’s basketball team finished the year off with six players on the roster.
Johnson said, “just being able to reach out and let people know there's a pro gram.”
Dan Elson Editor-in-Chief Jerryt Haley Reporter
Zack Buster Associate Editor
league full of tough teams.
“That’s a big deal,” John son said. “We’re talking SSL-level players. SSL is … the top 2 to 5% [of players].”
The day before, the wom en’s team lost in the semi-fi nal round.Women’s head basket ball coach Lionel Makell said he is proud of the team’s per formance in the playoffs, de spite the loss.
Makell said the team “played as one [and] we moved the ball [throughout the game].”Woodland said the team played a good game.
“I think we just got over whelmed a little bit,” Wood land said. “We focused on one player and forgot about the outside shooters, but overall I feel like that we played one of our best games of theWoodland,season.” who plans to graduate in May, played in her final game for the River hawks on Saturday.
AACC’s new athletic es ports team lost every match so far in its first season, but the players improved with each tournament, according to the“Yeah,coach.I’m crazy proud of them,” coach Conway Johnson said. “They’ve gone from … total strangers to being able to swing at [teams from fouryear schools] in just a few weeks. That’s incredible.”
“I had a good experi ence here academically and through athletics,” Wood land said. “And over the sea son as a whole. I feel like we came a long way.
The men’s team finished the regular season with nine wins and 12 losses. The wom en’s team finished the year with two wins and 17 losses.
Photo by Frank Fitzgeralde Libom
“The season was good,” Snowden said. “ We had a lot of freshmen. We only had four sophomores. So yes, I thought it was a good therapycord.”wewecord,”couldyear.team[learned]said.prettyastudiesSecond-yearseason.”transferstudentJamarYoung,forward,agreed.“Ithink[the]team[did]goodthisyear,’’Young“Weall[played]andtogether.”StillSnowdensaidtheunderperformedthis“Yes,IwouldsaythatwehavehadabetterreSnowdensaid.“Yes,underperformed[and]should’vehadabetterreSecond-yearphysicalstudentMichael
The Wednesday after that first tournament, the es ports team was scheduled to play one of Catholic Univer sity’s two teams. However,
“[As] long as they give everything they have, that's what's important,” Makell said. “And that's what we've been teaching, character and everythingSecond-yearelse.” trans fer studies student Sydney Woodland, a guard, led the team with 19 points. She had 11 rebounds and two assists.
For its first-ever tourna ment on Feb. 2, a Riverhawks team of four Rocket League players competed against the University of North America in a 45-minute virtual tour nament.Despite the loss, Johnson said the team got better with each of the three rounds.
came on top unfortunately.”
Men’s basketball head coach Joe Snowden said he enjoyed coaching his team this “They’reseason. winners,” he said of the players. “So I have no regrets at all.”
More than 200 fans at tended the game.
just three hours before the game, CU Johnsoncanceled.saidCU prob ably forfeited because the team didn't have enough players.“Ithink the biggest dif ficulty for us has just been that word-of-mouth thing,”
wrapteamsAthleticup
Esports team starts season
Women’s head basket
Riverhawks men’s bas ketball made it to the NJ CAA Region 20 Division III championship game in Jen kins Gymnasium in Febru ary but lost 80-71 to Prince George’s Community Col lege.Women’s basketball also played in the tournament, but the team lost its first game Saturday to Butler County Community College, 68-59.Men's basketball head coach Joe Snowden said his team struggled with re bounds.“We didn’t get those loose balls,” Snowden said. “We didn't get those re bounds that we needed. Key rebounds played a part in this Thegame.”Riverhawks never led in the game. PGCC’s larg est lead of the game was 11 points.Second-year transfer studies student Jamar Young, a forward, scored 15 points with 5 rebounds and 5 as sists. He played 37 minutes. First-year criminal jus tice student Kanari Smith, a guard, said the team didn’t come together at the end of the game.“Wejust were supposed to bear together and lock in,” Smith said. “We should have come together and had a game plan for defense but PG
AACC esports gamers practice League of Legends to prepare for their upcoming matches.
For a full esports round up, visit rent.com.www.thecampuscur
Photo by Frank Fitzgeralde Libom
The Riverhawks beat the Westmoreland County Com munity College Wolfpack 98-55 on Feb. 20.
Bball squads play tourney
Cantrell, a guard, agreed.
| Campus Current | 2022 | March12 Sports
Reporter Jerryt Haley contributed to this article.
Johnson said the gamers, who so far have competed in tournaments playing the vid eo game Rocket League, are making great progress in a
Dan Elson Editor-in-Chief
Even though the Riv erhawks basketball teams failed to take home trophies from the NJCAA Region 20 Division III tournament, one coach called them “winners.”
“9-0 in the first game,” Johnson said. “7-0 in the second. … We were able to turn around and make it 2-3 in GameJohnson3.” said the team, which only practiced to gether two times before the tournament, was up against skilled, four-year players.
ball coach Lionel Makell said the players gave it their all this “[I]season.love their energy,” Makell said. “Every day, they come to fight regardless of if we are down 10, if we’re down 50, they come to fight and leave everything on the floor. And that’s the charac ter they have, and what they were made of.”