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Editors respond to Charlottesville events with call to end racism, Page 2
New Fun and Games section features puzzles and campus trivia, Page 9
AACC’s Athletics Department will stream its home sports games, Page 11
Bookstore to offer price match Elizabeth Spearman Co-Editor AACC’s bookstore will match Amazon.com prices for new textbooks this semester. Amazon Price Match gives students an opportunity to buy new textbooks at the bookstore for a price equal to Amazon’s. “We’re trying to win against our competitor and bring back customers,” said Jen Lin, a supervisor for the bookstore.
To receive a refund, students will have to purchase a new book from the bookstore. If they find the same text on Amazon for a lower price, they can complete a price-matching form on the bookstore’s website. Within seven days of the purchase, students must submit a printed screenshot of the Amazon price and an original receipt to the bookstore. The bookstore will notify the student when the cash refund can be picked up, within 72 hours.
“Instead of our regular 15 percent-off sale, I feel this will encourage more students to buy [from the bookstore],” Alex Sawyer, a second-year education major and bookstore employee, said. “Because it is just starting off, it is restricted to just new books, but hopefully we can expand to used books for future semesters.” Dr. Michael Gavin, vice president of learning, said, “We have been trying to direct an intentional discussion across all divisions on how to
reduce textbook prices for students because we don’t want that to be the barrier to their learning.” Students said the Amazon Price Match is a good way to bring in customers. “Students will always go for the cheaper option, so it is nice that the bookstore is using [the price match] to bring back customers,” Lily Bdughan, a second-year English student, said. Amazon Price Match will run throughout the Fall semester.
Elizabeth Spearman Co-Editor
ment of the Grill, which has been in the Student Union for 17 years. CDL will stock the hot food bar with items that will change each day. Diners will pay by the pound: $4.95 for breakfast and $5.95 for lunch. “I think it is good they are adding an option to pay by the pound,” Loryane Rice,
Diners get lunch from the new hot food bar at the Hawk’s Nest Grill & Deli. Photo by Elizabeth Spearman
Even an all-nighter could not have prepared the freshman for what came next. Still feeling good about his exam, Pearl parked and stepped out of his car. That’s when he heard the seam of his jeans rip apart. Too late to rush home
and change, Pearl walked around with a hole in his pants for the rest of the day. Any mishap on the way to an exam can make the day feel overwhelming. So can the first semester of college. AACC has welcomed more than 3,000 freshmen
Advice to freshmen: Join clubs After a long night of studying for his criminal justice final last semester, Jackson Pearl drove to school the next day feeling confident and ready to ace his exam.
Monday 8/28
Convocation Closure AACC President Dawn Lindsay said at a campuswide meeting Tuesday the college is considering more than 250 recommendations for improving student engagement. Lindsay closed the college until 1 p.m. so all staff and faculty could attend. Read the full story at: thecampuscurrent.com
New food bar comes to Hawk’s Nest Grill & Deli The Hawk’s Nest Grill & Deli will introduce tacos, milkshakes and a hot food bar this semester. It could also start delivering made-to-order pizzas around campus. An outside food vendor, CDL, has taken over manage-
Jake Moorhead Reporter
September 2017
Tuesday 8/29
to campus each Fall for the past two years, according to the department of Public Relations and Marketing. This Fall’s tally is not yet complete. Last semester’s first-year
Continued on Page 4
Wednesday 8/30
Thursday 8/31
a second-semester transfer student, said. “It will be easier to control your portion size and not worry about wasting food.” CDL has not changed the Grill’s name. The Hawk’s Nest Grill & Deli will keep the same staff and most of the Grill’s traditional menu
Continued on Page 4
Sabrina Poole (left) helps daughter Shawn Connor register for classes. Photo by Roxanne Ready
Friday 9/1
2 | Campus Current | 2017 | September
Editorial
Letter from the editor
Meet the Campus Current Staff Editor-in-Chief
Roxanne Ready co-editors/ Photographers
James Haggerty Sarah Noble Elizabeth Spearman Tre Mooring Graphic Designer
Morgan Gordon Adviser
Sharon O’Malley
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Make AACC your school; life is better with friends, community dodge some of those fears by just slipping in and out for classes, missing the opWelcome new River- portunities around you for hawks, returning students, friendships, mentoring and and faculty and staff to the internships. In fact, some of start of another academic you may have been here for years and still not realize the year at AACC. Fall semester is a time wealth of activities happenof excitement and change. ing on campus every day. We at Campus Current As the leaves begin to turn and the temperature cools, hope we can help you settle it’s a time of not only chang- in to AACC as not just a place ing weather, but of changing to take classes, but as a community. lives. We believe our job as Some of you may be spreading your wings for the student journalists is to keep first time in a college set- you informed of what is hapting. It’s both an exciting and pening around you, from nerve-racking time. We’ve all covering speeches and club been there: fears of missing activities to reporting camclasses, of picking the wrong pus news and the impact of path, of not making friends. national current events on You may feel like you’ve your life. From there, you can decide where been pushed “We don’t want this and how you far out of your to be a one-way want to make comfort zone, street.” your mark surrounded by —Editor-in-Chief during your strangers and time here. weighed down Roxanne Ready But we with new responsibilities and unfamiliar don’t want this to be a oneway street; we want Campus ideas. In a community college Current to be your paper. To especially, it can be easy to be that, we need your voice.
Roxanne Ready Editor-in-Chief
Campus Current is looking for more student opinions, says Editor-in-Chief Roxanne Ready. Photo by Tre Mooring That’s why this semester we’re encouraging everyone to join in the conversation through our social media, letters to the editor and an expanded Opinions section. College may seem overwhelming at first, but there’s
no better way to deal with the stresses of life than with friends by your side. So join a club, make some friends and engage in the AACC community. Campus Current will be right beside you.
see the same level of hate that other cities in America do. As we write this—one of us Jewish and the other black—we have encountered very few verbal assaults because of our religion or race. Still, we are concerned with the ongoing racial tension in our country. We are afraid that what happened in Charlottesville
can easily happen in our back yard. Our generation must speak out. We should have peaceful protests and make our voices heard. And we should stop blaming all white people for the violence of a few. We noticed that some social media users responded to the events in Charlottesville by saying that all whites are to blame. We don’t agree. It is not the fault of all white people that some from their race have these extremist views. Saying that is no better than blaming all Muslims for ISIS or blaming all Hispanic people for drug trafficking. It is now our responsibility as Millennials to take action by calling out acts of violence. As a generation, we should not define others solely by their skin color, but by their own personal choices. Racism is here, it is now and it should not stand.
Gen Y, take a stand for equality Sarah Noble Elizabeth Spearman Co-Editors At 20 years old, James Alex Fields allegedly injured 19 people and killed one with his car earlier this month in Charlottesville, Virginia. He’s about the same age as we are. And we’ve seen endless photos of other men our age doing the Nazi salute. We’ve heard many of them pledge their allegiance to racism, white supremacy and neo-Nazism. The fact that they are involved in those things is disturbing by itself. But the fact that they are part of our generation makes us sick. As a generation, we can no longer ignore this. We can no longer look the other way when people our age act out in violence because of their bigotry; spread hate speech about people just because of their skin color or ethnicity; or even buy into these outdated political ideologies.
Let’s take a stand. Ours is that we should not let this stand. People who are part of Gen Y and proclaiming themselves as neo-Nazis are taking a step in the wrong direction. We as a progressive generation should step away from this kind of thinking. On campus and in Anne Arundel County, we do not
Elizabeth Spearman (left) and Sarah Noble say events in Charlottesville prove Millennials must not ignore racism. Photo by Roxanne Ready
| Campus Current | 2017 | September
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Opinion
Be bold; be you
Finding myself Brad Dress Guest Columnist The first time I set foot on AACC’s Arnold campus, I had no idea where my life was headed. I remember thinking to myself: “Look, I have this passion for writing, clearly, and I’ve been doing it my entire life. So, do I pick up some skills at school and wing it as an author, or should I pursue journalism to seal a job, and then write fiction on the side? Or should I dump it all because I’m scared of college math classes?” By the end of my third semester at AACC, I had a detailed trajectory of where I was going and what I was going to do. I knew how my life was going to play out career-wise down to the bone. I know what to expect with each five-year increment as I add on more career aspirations and discover more options for my insatiable appetite.
In short, I found my calling at AACC. It’s not a four-year college, but AACC is by far the best substitute I have ever seen. Soak in the environment, the staff and the buildings. You might just smile a little. Not only is the campus beautiful and up-to-date, but its teachers are insistent on helping and nurturing the pupils. AACC’s quality of education is on-par with many four-year universities. There are so many clubs, activities and events; it’s a wonder quality education could be so cheap. But it is really the professors who make it shine. A good teacher is a stepping stone in life, and because of AACC’s professors, I found my first rock poking out of the rushing river of life. You will, too. Brad Dress is a junior at the University of Maryland, College Park. He was Campus Current’s associate editor and police reporter during the 2016-17 school year.
Tre Mooring Co-Editor
Brad Dress says he found direction at AACC. Photo by Britney Pieraldi
Try out a trade program to be sure of your interests, says Tre Mooring. Photo by Tre Mooring
As an alumnus of AACC, I believe all students should consider learning a trade along with getting a formal education. When I chose AACC, I knew I wanted to work in a field that would have an impact on lives—something more than just sitting at a desk. When I registered for the pre-med pharmacy track, I was excited. But at the same time, it was daunting and a bit vague. Even after starting classes, I still didn’t really know what I was getting into, and that bothered me. It felt like I was investing in a shadow. Then, at the beginning of my second year, I heard about the pharmacy technician program and saw an opportunity to get a start in the field. The beauty of a trade program is that almost everything I learned mattered
right away. It streamlined and reinforced everything daily. Most importantly, I had hands-on use of medical equipment and learned the safety guidelines of my field. At the same time, confidence in my own abilities was growing. I got to know my professors and learn from their experiences. I had support from day one with everything from coursework to job security. The best part was the five-week internship, during which I could show off what I had learned and discover more about the ever-changing field I am proud to be a part of. I hope my experience will encourage you to also find a trade you can thoroughly experience before you’ve dedicated your time and effort to a “maybe.” Be sure, be bold, be you. Tre Mooring graduated from AACC in May with an associate’s degree in transfer studies and a pharmacy technician certificate.
4 | Campus Current | 2017 | September
News
Canvas use mandatory for all AACC professors Roxanne Ready Editor-in-Chief Catherine O’Reilly Reporter All AACC professors this Fall must use Canvas, the virtual campus, to share their course syllabi and post grades, even for in-person classes. Professors can also use the system to make announcements and accept homework, but they are not required to do so. More than 2,000 institutions use the Canvas learning management system, accord-
ing to the Canvas website. Dr. Michael Gavin, AACC’s vice president of learning, said the administration designed the mandate to help students. It was announced in February to take effect this Fall. “Students just need to know where they are [in terms of grades],” said Gavin. He also said it is important for them to be able to look up basic course information “24/7.” Gavin said the change reflects the college’s recent focus on helping students complete their goals, such
as earning degrees, certifications or job placements. “Which is, believe it or not, for community colleges, a big shift,” said Gavin. “For decades, community colleges were focused [only] on making sure that students got in the door.” AACC students said they like Canvas, and it’s easy to use. In an informal poll of 20 students on campus, 14 said they like Canvas, three said they had no problems with it and three prefer traditional paper methods for turning in assignments.
Mason Owens, who also started at AACC while in high school, said others might find, as he did, that college “isn’t as hard or gritty as people make it seem. Many people try to make it sound like the hardest thing in the world, when in fact, it’s not. It just comes down to your work ethic and how badly you want to earn your credentials.” Roxanne Ready, a first-time AACC student last semester—and this year’s Campus Current editor-in-chief—said she “would tell new students to take their professors up on things they mention in class
Freshmen Yaru Li (left) and Bailee Olah wait for advising for their upcoming Fall semester classes. Photo by Roxanne Ready
items is a good idea. “It helps to have options, and it’s nice the new company is not trying to completely take over but just switch things up a bit,” Melissa Burgos, a third-year transfer student, said. CDL also plans to cater campus events hosted by student clubs, academic departments and individuals. The company has not set firm prices for catering of subs and soups. But Buendvenmrs said the Grill could start delivering pizza for around $13 to
people on campus. The Hawk’s Nest Grill & Deli employees said the new company is good for the campus. “It will definitely draw in a bigger crowd,” Reneé Marson, a Hawk’s Nest Grill & Deli employee, said. “However, we won’t know the initial reaction until the Fall semester starts.” CDL plans to set up an online student opinion form so customers can make comments and suggestions. For now, however, people can leave their feedback,
Freshmen give college advice Continued from Page 1 students have some advice for campus newcomers. “My biggest concern was meeting people,” said freshman Trevor Gardner, who started at AACC last year while he was a high school senior. “In high school, most of the people I had classes with I’ve known since elementary school, but with college it’s like starting over again.” His advice: “Join clubs, especially your first semester. The best way to meet new people that you are going to like is to join clubs that you will like.”
because it can make things more interesting and has the potential to help you do better. ... It’s just as important finding time to relax as it is managing time effectively to get your work done.” But student Sara Streeks
Grill adds milkshakes, breakfast bar to menu Continued from Page 1 items, like wraps, sushi and burgers, because too much change is “very dramatic,” Robert Buendvenmrs, director of operations, said. However, two familiar faces will be absent. Wanda Grace and Dan Gechter, the two managers of The Hawk’s Nest since 2000 and 2001, retired on June 30. AACC officials told the pair the Grill will not be the same without them. Some students said keeping the original Grill food
Professor Matthew Moore updates his Canvas page in preparation for the Fall semester. Photo by Tre Mooring “I love it,” said Alexandra Radovic, a freshman education major. “I think there are a lot of resources on [Canvas] that most students don’t even know about.” But not all students said they love Canvas. “I’m not a fan,” said Ab-
said she has a different take on the professors. “The best advice I can give to any incoming freshman is to remember that most professors won’t help you with every little thing like they may have in high
dul Barry, a freshman cybersecurity student. “I like writing stuff down old-school.” The new mandate also requires professors to send out welcome emails to their students along with their course syllabi before the start of classes.
school,” she said. “You have to learn to be independent.” Pearl also had some of his own advice for this year’s freshmen: “Always—and I do mean always—keep a spare change of clothes in your car,” he said.
Hawk’s Nest Grill & Deli will keep its orginal name despite being under new management. Photo by Elizabeth Spearman thoughts or complaints with workers. They are “always listening,” Marson said. “All we want to do is bring good food and be part of campus,” Buendvenmrs
said of CDL’s plans. CDL also runs another food venue at College of Southern Maryland as well as one in the courthouse in Upper Marlboro.
| Campus Current | 2017 | September
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News
New food menu is huge hit with HCAT students Sarah Noble Co-Editor Two Hotel Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute students and one instructor reviewed the updated Hawk’s Nest Grill & Deli and said it offers good food for a fair price. Carrie Svoboda and Clark Wagner, culinary students, and Louise Nielsen, an instructor, ordered a variety of new food that the Grill has to offer this semester. “Everything was good,” Svoboda said. “And at a good price too; it’s a meal for $5.” The test items included: loaded fries, a BLT-styled hot dog, a chocolate milkshake, red velvet cookies, a grilled chicken sandwich, a grilled chicken wrap and a turkey burger. “The BLT hotdog was my favorite,” Svoboda said. She deemed the lunch item “very
good and well cooked.” “It was a good, juicy Hebrew National hotdog,” Nielsen added. Svoboda also sampled a grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce, tomato and barbecue sauce on it. “[The sandwich] was very reasonable for its price [$5.25],” said Svoboda. “It was fresh and well cooked. But they charged me extra for the barbecue sauce.” Wagner ordered a turkey burger and fries with a side of ranch. All three participants agreed the sandwich had too much bread and not enough meat. “The meat was overcooked, but it’s difficult to get that correct with a turkey burger,” Wagner said. Svoboda and Wagner said they enjoyed the side of fries better than the loaded fries, which come covered in a cheese sauce with bacon
bits and cost $3.79. “The loaded fries were a bit soggy from the cheese sauce, but of course that is to be expected with loaded fries,” Svoboda said. “The side of fries with the turkey burger were good and crispy, which is what I enjoy with fries.” For dessert, the three ordered two red velvet macadamia nut cookies and a chocolate milkshake, both new additions to this year’s menu. “[The milkshake] was a good consistency and just enough chocolate to where it wasn’t too overpowering,” Nielsen said. The price of the three meals and extras was $32.46. All three agreed the price was “incredibly reasonable” for the amount of food ordered. None of the group chose to try items from the Grill’s new hot food bar. But days
studies student, said. A survey by the National Association of College Stores found college students spent less on textbooks between 2014 and 2015 than they did in the year before: $563 compared with $638. The reason, the association’s research director, Elizabeth Riddle, said, is the increasing number of textbook rentals, second-hand book sales and digital alternatives. Riddle added, “Students are just becoming much savvier in terms of their shopping experience.”
“Love the option,” Nora Vanpeppen, a second-year physical therapy major, said. “[I] love the fact that I can rent my books for half the price,” Isabella Weavering, a third-year nursing student, said. “[It’s] better than buying,” Dylan Panell, a second-year business administration major, said. The students agreed that renting is better than buying books. Students who buy new books will pay around $50 more per a book than if they
course list and a letter from AACC President Dawn Lindsay, as well as articles about the college and its different events. “It gives you a lot of good detail about different courses,” said Chris Halbig, a second-year student. The magazine replaces the course catalog AACC previously sent to county households, which contained a course list but no articles or pictures.
“A 55-year old man that has never taken any classes here shouldn’t have to get a giant course list,” said Beardmore. The magazine cost less to produce than the catalog, according to Dan Baum, executive director of public relations and marketing. “I don’t know if it’s a good use of resources to mail it out to everybody, honestly,” said Mike Hallinan, a continuing education culinary student.
Students prefer to rent books rather than buy Mary Brunal Reporter AACC students said in April they prefer to rent their textbooks rather than buying them. In an informal poll of 20 students on campus, 14 said they rent their books, four said they buy new or used books, and two said they don’t do either and just go to the library to read the books there. “I’m tired of wasting, like, $800 on books,” Alyse Gaist, a second-year transfer
HCAT students and an instructor try new food items from the Hawk’s Nest Grill & Deli. Photo by Tre Mooring prior to this taste test, Wagner had sampled different items from the buffet. “Everything was good; I had a taste of everything,” Wagner said. “Things will probably change throughout the year, but I enjoyed it.” The Grill also offers a hot breakfast bar in the mornings. Along with the food updates, the Hawk’s Nest layout has changed as well. “I walked around for a couple of minutes to find the area with the silverware, so I
Some students say that renting textbooks is cheaper than buying them. Photo by Roxanne Ready rent, according to a Campus Current comparison of several books. “[Renting textbooks is a] good option because not everyone has the money, but I still buy my books,” Lysa
Wells, a first-year forensics major, said. “I usually just rent my books because it’s usually cheaper than buying,” Lillie Peterson, a second-year undecided major, said.
“Probably half of them are just going to end up being tossed [out].” But freshman Amanda Gardner said she likes the magazine. “The stories look good. I’d definitely read that. It looks well put together.” “[Wingspan] is meant to show that we are here as a service [for the community],” Baum said. AACC plans to distribute two more issues throughout the school year.
Wingspan features an article about AACC’s 2-yearold mascot, Swoop. Photo by Sarah Noble
AACC sends out new magazine Sarah Noble Co-Editor Some Anne Arundel county residents found a new magazine in their mail this summer. AACC designed the new magazine, Wingspan, to showcase “the breadth and depth of our campus,” said Melissa Beardmore, vice president of learning and research management. Wingspan contains a
think they could maybe have a sign for that,” said Nielsen. The location of the slushie machine, condiment station and silverware area have moved. In charge of the changes is new manager Richard Buendvenmrs. Students should expect more changes to the Grill throughout the school year, including additions to the hot bar and the lunch menu. “AACC has great options for food with Subway, Chickfil-A and the Grill & Deli,” Nielsen said.
6 | Campus Current | 2017 | September
Campus Life
Students take ADD pill hoping to boost grades Tre Puccinelli Reporter Transfer studies major Jake M. found himself in the same math class for the third time last spring. Numbers never seemed to click for him. The further into the semester he got, the more he struggled. Despite endless nights of studying, Jake M. earned C after C after C and started to fall behind in class for the third time. “I was under a lot of pressure and I needed to get a lot done,” Jake M. said. One day Jake M. figured it out. He took Adderall. And he’s not the only one. According to the University of Maryland’s Center on Young Adult Health and Development, 61.8 percent of college students have been offered attention deficit disorder medication like Adderall for non-medical use, and
31 percent of them took it without a prescription from a doctor. For Jake M., it worked. He said he began to outperform others in the class who were previously doing better than he was. His test results were increasing. So was his attitude toward the class. But that’s not the case for everyone. One AACC student who requested anonymity told a much different story than Jake M. “Short-term, Adderall was fantastic for me,” the student said. “It wasn’t till the long-run when it started affecting me negatively.” He added: “I decided to take Adderall because I felt like I needed an extra boost because I began to struggle. The more I took it, my tolerance went up. And then my motivation went down.” A former AACC student who requested anonymity admitted he has sold ADD
medication to college students in the past. “I started to sell my Adderall because I felt like I grew out of my ADHD, and I stopped going to school,” he said. The supplier said he never cared about making a profit by selling Adderall. He said he sells it mostly to friends. AACC nurse Beth Jacobson said those friends are wasting their money. Adderall, she said, doesn’t work for students who have not been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. The University of Maryland center, in fact, found students who take unprescribed ADD meds have lower GPAs. “Students generally take Adderall because they believe it will increase their test scores and help them study harder,” Jacobson said. “Students take Adderall because school can be very competitive in certain programs.”
Some AACC students have been taking Adderall, even if they do not have attention deficit disorder and have not been prescribed the drug. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org Taking it without a prescription is illegal, AACC police officer Donald Medtart said. He said police will confiscate Adderall from students who are caught bringing it to campus. Plus, it’s also possible they can be arrested on the spot. Medtart said he has not found any students taking Adderall or Vyvanse, another ADD drug, without a prescription, and he has not heard of anyone distributing it around campus. Third-year student Kyle S. said he doesn’t worry about getting caught with Adderall that was not prescribed for him. He admitted, “I would
take Adderall from my family, which made it simple to get for me.” He added: “Adderall helps me study and keeps me focused. I continued to take Adderall because I saw an increase in my test scores.” Third-year student Luc V. also said he doesn’t worry about the consequences. “I would get it from a friend because he no longer took his prescription,” Luc V. said. “I saw an increase in my focus.” Eventually, Jake M. stopped taking Adderall. “I stopped taking Adderall after I passed my test,” he said.
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Kreider leaves role as program coordinator Tre Mooring Co-Editor Steve Kreider, who oversaw the activities of campus clubs and the Student Government Association since 2015, has left AACC for a job at The Catholic University of America. The former program coordinator in AACC’s Office of Student Engagement, Kreider managed student organizations, co-advised the SGA and oversaw The Nest, which he created as an online platform for campus clubs. “It was great [to work with Kreider],” said Christine Storck, director of the Office of Student Engagement. “He was very easy to work with, very easy-going … He was very patient.” SGA President Johnathan O’Dea agreed. “[I was] not only a student but someone who worked at the office
… [and] Steve was a great person to work with, a great resource to be able to go to and a great adviser as well,” he said. Kreider will be the director of campus activities at The Catholic University. He said he will oversee a department
Steve Kreider has left AACC to work at The Catholic University of America in a similar job. Photo courtesy of Steve Kreider
there similar in responsibilities to AACC’s Office of Student Engagement. Kreider said he will miss AACC. “I think what I’ll miss most … is all the great people I got to work with, from the student engagement staff to the other faculty and staff members.” Emily Dreszer, president of AACC’s One Love student club and a campus ambassador, called Kreider “the best thing, in my opinion, that happened to Student Engagement. He brought all these great things to campus.” She praised AACC’s Habitat for Humanity Alternative Spring Break, which Kreider coordinated. “My best friends are only because I stayed on campus for the things that he brought to this campus,” Dreszer said. Storck said she will fill in as the point person for student organizations.
Club Page
Find clubs on The Nest The Nest is a hub of all the upcoming events on campus as well as the clubs that host them. Here you can find membership and contact information for student organizations as well as photos and club goals. Orientations, meetings, workshops and other programs frequent the site’s events tab. Under the organizations tab there is a list of registered AACC student clubs. In addition, news articles about campus events and the Office of Student Engagement are under the news tab.
Check out the nest at nest.aacc.edu
8 | Campus Current | 2017 | September
Police Beat
AACC distributes 2016 crime statistics report James Haggerty Co-Editor The 2017 Annual Security Report showed in July that 65 crimes occurred on AACC property last year. For the third year in a row, crime has decreased on the Arnold and Arundel Mills campuses. On the Glen Burnie Town Center campus, incidents dropped from 12 to seven in 2016 after doubling between 2014 and 2015, according to the report, published by the AACC department of Public Safety and Police. AACC’s Center for Cyber and Professional Training had one reported crime in
2016—disorderly conduct— and none in 2015. On public property surrounding the three campuses, crimes decreased from 11 in 2015 to eight in 2016. Larceny and theft were the most prominent crimes on the Arnold campus with 18 incidents in 2016, down from 23 the year before. The Arnold campus was the only campus to have any reported larcenies. Disorderly conduct was the second most common, with seven reported on the Arnold campus, one at Arundel Mills, one at the cybersecurity center and four at Glen Burnie. Police Chief Sean Kapf-
hammer attributed the college’s low crime rate in part to the addition of one armed officer to the police force. AACC employs 10 armed officers. In addition, Kapfhammer said the lack of dorms on the campuses helps keep crime low. “The campus is safe,” said Kapfhammer. “Our job is to keep it that way.” Some students said they feel safe on campus. “It’s pretty quiet,” said Jashaun Goodwin, a business administration major. “I feel safe coming to campus,” agreed Matt Vosburg, a business administration major.
2016 AACC reported offenses Larceny Disorderly conduct
Other offenses Vandalism Assault
Fraud 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
From the 2017 Annual Security Report Graphic by Morgan Gordon
Coffee with the Current
The Child Development Center at AACC
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| Campus Current | 2017 | September
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Fall functions feature food trucks, festivals Elizabeth Spearman Co-Editor Students will have dozens of on-campus events to choose from this semester, including dances, motivational speakers and more. Most of the events are available to view on The Nest, a website that lists student clubs and organizations and functions around campus. “You get so much more out of your campus experience if you attend events
Fun and Games
AACC alumna Martine Parode sings at Amaranth’s Open Mic Night in March. Photo by Campus Current staff
and get involved,” Christine Storck, director of student engagement, said. Welcome Week The Campus Activities Board will host an event every day during the first week of classes, starting Aug. 28. Welcome Week starts with free Chick-fil-A on Monday at noon outside the gym, and ends with a dance on Friday night. The DJ Spins Musical Roulette dance will take place on the Quad at 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 1. During the dance, attendees will be able to spin a wheel of genres and the DJ will play a song in that genre. “I know the campus had a musical festival last year and another musical act in the spring, but it’s cool that they’re doing more music-related events,” said Jennifer Johnson, a third-year transfer student at AACC.
Involvement Fair Students will have the opportunity to learn about clubs and organizations on campus at an Involvement Fair on on the Quad on Sept. 6 at 11 a.m. “It’s a great opportunity for students to see what they want to get involved in,” Storck said. Food Truck Fest For a second year, CAB will host a Food Truck Fest on Sept. 13 in Parking Lot A. Storck said more trucks will be at this year’s event than the three at last year’s. “It was a big hit last year ... so we added more food trucks this time around,” Leslie Cook, student engagement specialist, said. Around 500 students came to that event, according to Cook. The first 150 students with a valid student ID will receive free food. Remaining customers will get a discounted price.
Entertainment
The AACC Dance Company performs “Best Foot Forward” at its annual dance show in 2015. Photo by Zach Tennant “I go to food trucks all of the time, so I am excited to see that they are hosting a few on campus,” first-year computer science major Jake Scarlas said. Other Events • CAB will host an outdoor showing of “The Princess Bride” on Sept. 15. • Josh Sundquist, a motivational speaker and comedian, will speak about disabilities on Oct. 10. • The dance department will host its annual dance show in December. This year, the show is titled “Stepping Out.”
• Amaranth, a student-run literary and arts magazine, will host an open mic night every third Wednesday of each month and at least two readings by poets during the semester. • Campus Current will hand out free coffee and newspapers once a month when each new issue comes out. • The Alive! Mental Health Fair on Oct. 30 at 10 a.m. will feature suicide awareness and prevention programming. • Keep an eye on The Nest for updates and other events during the semester.
Did you know?
AACC’s Martin Luther King Jr. statue is the only one in Maryland Denver sculptor Ed Dwight installed the 7-foot statue on AACC’s West Campus in 2006. Five plaques encircle the statue with King’s words. A sixth quote is beneath him, along with the sculptor’s name and the years of King’s life.
“Let us move on in these powerful days, these days of challenge, to make America what it ought to be.
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Looking for answers? Check campuscurrent.com on Friday
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We have an opportunity to make America a better nation.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
10 | Campus Current | 2017 | September
sports
Letters of intent for ’17 total highest recorded Roxanne Ready Editor-in-Chief The number of incoming athletes who have signed contracts with AACC this year is
the highest on record, according to the athletics director. Across the 11 teams playing at AACC throughout this school year, 49 student athletes have signed contracts with the
Athletics Director Duane Herr and Men’s Soccer head coach Nick Cosentino welcome new signee Austin Nolan (goalie). Photo courtesy of Zach Malone
college so far. Athletics Director Duane Herr said most of the signees are freshmen. When a student signs a contract, called a letter of intent, with a college, he or she promises not to play a chosen sport for anyone but that college. AACC offers limited scholarships to qualified students who sign letters for Baseball, Softball, Men’s Lacrosse and Women’s Lacrosse. Herr said the department put more emphasis on letters during recruitment this year than previous years because signing is exciting for incoming freshmen. “With the letter of intent signing you get more exposure,” Herr said. “And when student athletes see [that], they … want to sign as well.” Karin Victorio, head coach for Women’s Soccer, said 19 players came to the team’s first practice, compared with six last year. She said the high number of incoming players on her team
New players Ashley Sherwin (midfielder), Courtney Shulte (defender) and Angelina Shoran (midfielder), sign letters of intent for Women’s Soccer. Photo courtesy of Zach Malone is the result of the time she spent recruiting on social media and putting “boots on the ground” with visits to local high schools. Women’s Soccer has 16 signed students, the highest number of all the teams. Men’s Lacrosse is next at 14 signings, followed by Softball and Baseball, with six each. Women’s Basketball recruited four and Men’s Soccer signed three. Students can join any AACC sports team without signing a letter of intent, and
they are not required to play if they have signed one. The National Junior College Athletic Association oversees letters between students and AACC. The NJCAA website lists 24 national regions and 508 schools in its membership directory.
To see a fall sports preview visit thecampuscurrent.com
| Campus Current | 2017 | September
11
Sports
Coach’s life journey
Soccer welcomes new players to 2017 rosters James Haggerty Co-Editor
Joseph M. Snowden is entering his fourth year as Men’s Basketball head coach. Photo courtesy of AACC Athletics Department For most of the 38 years Joe Snowden worked as a supervisor in the AACC mail room, he doubled as an assistant coach. Three years ago, he retired from his mail room career. A few months later, he became the Men’s Basketball head coach.
Athletics Director Duane Herr says making Snowden the head coach was a “no-brainer.”
Read the full profile by Campus Current’s former sports editor James Whitley on thecampuscurrent.com
For the first time, the Athletics Department plans to live stream as many home games as possible starting this fall. The department will stream using the official AACC Athletics page on YouTube. The live stream allows students, faculty, scouts and anyone interested to view the games. It’s a popular tool for
potential recruiters, Athletics Director Duane Herr said. “Many schools are moving in this direction and we certainly don’t want to be left behind,” Herr said. Each live stream is accompanied by live stats, hosted by the AACC Front Row app available on smartphones and other devices. “We value any way that we can further promote our sports and our athletes,” Herr said. “It’s really important for us.”
head coach Nick Cosentino, has seven returning players from the previous year and one returning from the 2015 season, including center
“This lets others know how seriously we take things,” said sports information specialist Zach Malone. The plan is to “continue growth,” said Herr, “but a few small hiccups are to be expected.” The Athletics Department is looking for interns with experience in video production to help with the live streams. Herr said the department will not broadcast every game.
Sports information specialist Zach Malone tests the department’s new camera. Photo by James Haggerty
Friday Sept. 8 Siegert Field Women’s Soccer 4 p.m. Men’s Soccer 7 p.m.
Athletics Department introduces Spirit Days Roxanne Ready Editor-in-Chief
The AACC bookstore sells multiple Riverhawks products that encourage school pride. Photo by Roxanne Ready
back Mark Jacoby, left midfielder Logan Mayette and defender Mark Woodard, all sophomores. In addition, Cosentino said in an email, the team has welcomed four transfer students who “will make a direct impact.” The coach said it is “key” for his players to “gel as a team and [be] committed to defense” and leadership. Men’s Soccer’s first home game is Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. The next home game for Women’s Soccer is the same day, at 4 p.m. Both teams are holding a volunteer youth clinic Sept. 15 on the turf from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Women’s Soccer began practice in early August to prepare for a four-team tournament at Howard Community College. The tournament is Sept. 16-17. Twelve new players joined this season’s squad, with five players returning from last year. Coaches and players said they are optimistic about the upcoming season. “We have a lot of great soccer players this season,” said Karin Victorio, Women’s Soccer head coach. “Just playing with a new
AACC’s sports offering live stream to viewers James Haggerty Co-Editor
set of girls is exciting,” said Ashley Sherwin, a freshman mid-center majoring in athletic training. Men’s Soccer, led by
The Athletics Department is launching a weekly Spirit Day this Fall to encourage school pride. Athletics Director Duane Herr said he hopes students will feel a stronger sense of school identity by wearing AACC colors each Friday, starting the first week of school. Herr said he has noticed the overall sense of school identity has strengthened since the college introduced Swoop the Riverhawk as AACC’s new mascot in the
Fall semester of 2015. “It’s always challenging to go away from your history,” Herr said of the decision to replace the department’s previous branding, the Pioneers. But, he added, campus and local community adoption of Swoop “has surpassed my wildest dreams.” “I see ‘AACC’ everywhere,” said Kayla Beasley, a sophomore on the women’s soccer team. “AACC [logo shirts and accessories are] really big.” “I love school spirit,” Beasley said. “I love … buying all kinds of cool gear like
binders, notebooks [and] T-shirts, [and] representing my school when I go out.” To encourage students and faculty to participate in Spirit Days, AACC Athletics plans to give away Riverhawks gear. Items will include T-shirts and stickers at each team’s first home game this fall, Herr said. The game schedule is available on the Athletics Department website. Herr added that the T-shirt cannon, which fires T-shirts into the bleachers at games, is “probably the coolest thing about our department.”
12 | Campus Current | 2017 | September
CLUB News
STEM
AMBASSADORS
A cutting-edge leadership training and service experience for students of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The STEM AMBASSADORS program is an opportunity for science , technology, engineering and mathematics students to develop their leadership and professional skills in a service setting. STEM ambassadors participate in specialized leadership training and then represent AACC while providing support to a variety of school, college and community-based STEM initiatives.
As a STEM ambassador, you will receive:
! Specialized training sessions
to develop and enhance professional skills.
$ Leadership opportunities where you can shine.
% STEM ambassador shirt and name badge.
Q A certificate of recognition for your service! W A $250 per semester stipend.
Visit us at www.aacc.edu and select the School of Science and Technology to learn more and apply. NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION: AACC is an equal opportunity, affirmative action, Title IX, ADA Title 504 compliant institution. Call Disability Support Services, 410-777-2306 or Maryland Relay 711, 72 hours in advance to request most accommodations. Requests for sign language interpreters, alternative format books or assistive technology require 30 days’ notice. For information on AACC’s compliance and complaints concerning sexual assault, sexual misconduct, discrimination or harassment, contact the federal compliance officer and Title IX coordinator at 410-777-1239, complianceofficer@aacc.edu or Maryland Relay 711. 6/17