Some students said they changed their majors because of impactful experiences with a single professor or class.
In our monthly Campus Current “Web Exclusive,” reporter Micah Walker talks to students who made big decisions about their future after a favorite teacher or course convinced them to try something different.
Read the full story online at www.thecampuscurrent.com.
Two AACC students are running for president of the Student Government Association.
The candidates are firstyear engineering student Rabiyatou Bah, 19, and second-year communications student Zack Buster, 20.
A third candidate, Kaitlyn Hall, 16, a dual-enrolled high school student, dropped out of the race after the college raised questions about
her eligibility to run.
The winner of the election, scheduled for May 1 to 5 online, will replace outgoing SGA president Abigail Billovits-Hayes, who will graduate in May and transfer to Towson University in the fall.
The candidates will face off in a debate on May 1 at 2 p.m.
Both candidates agreed that they want students’ voices to be heard.
Continued on page 3
Tomi Brunton Associate Editor
A second-year dual-enrollment student became the editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper on April 1.
Sam Gauntt, who served as associate editor and then
managing editor of Campus Current this school year, replaced second-year communications student Zack Buster, who stepped down from his position as editor-in-chief to run for Student Government Association president.
Gauntt, who will leave
AACC at the end of the semester, said he wants “to make the paper the best it can be.” Gauntt plans to attend a fouryear university in the fall.
“I want to make sure that we’re serving our com- Second-year dual-enrollment student Sam Gauntt is Campus Current’s new editor-in-chief.
Continued on page 3
More public high school students, like Chesapeake High School senior Audrey Guinn, are taking classes at AACC this semester. Because of a 2022 law, they receive free tuition at state community colleges.
The number of high school students who take classes at AACC increased by approximately 30% after the Maryland Legislature passed a 2022 law to give high schoolers free tuition at community colleges.
In spring 2023, 1,552 dual-enrollment students were enrolled at AACC, compared with 1,201 in spring 2022.
“That’s the biggest thing with these colleges,” JT Hartlove, a Chesapeake High School senior who takes computer tech and public speaking classes here, said.
“It’s just money. And I mean, it costs a lot of money to go to college in the first place. So if they’re going to make it free for high schoolers, it’s a good in.”
The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future passed and made tuition free at Mary-
Continued on page 3
Riverhawks: As you prepare to leave AACC to start the next phase of your life, why not take a little bit of community college with you?
The same classmates and professors who have helped you during the past one, two, three, four or five years can continue to be helpful long past your time at AACC—if you let them.
All you have to do is keep in touch.
If you maintain long-term relationships with your professors, they are much more likely to write recommendations when you ask for them later or send you that great job opportunity because you’ll be on their minds.
Smith
Kaylah Rashid
Sierra Barnes
Andrea Bridgett
Izzy Chase
Jordan Crymes Devan Grubb-Hayes
Aidan Gunn Cole Popov Payton Thompson Micah Walker
Walls
Brunton
Derry
Gunn
O’Malley
Most faculty members are more than willing to help their former students; in fact, most truly want to. But they have to know you. They have to be able to put a face to the name.
Don’t let them forget you.
If, five years from now,
you haven’t spoken to your professors since graduation, they are less likely to do you a favor. They won’t know you anymore.
Our advice: After you leave AACC, stay connected on LinkedIn or over email or text. An occasional friendly catch-up email or an update on what you’re doing in life is all it takes to keep that relationship.
By keeping in touch with your professors, you make them feel great as well.
For students transferring to universities as juniors, it is especially important to keep these AACC connections.
Your classmates who didn’t start college at a twoyear school will have spent those years cultivating relationships with your fouryear professors. But you’ll be just starting.
So keep access to the network you have already.
Whether it’s recommendations or references for a job application; information on internships; or general advice, there are many ways
Letter from the newsroomDon’t
a professional community that knows you can help you.
Very few students will keep in touch with their professors. So if you’re one who does, you will stand out.
And don’t only reach out when you need something. A friendly hello every now and again can go a long way.
One former Campus Current editor-in-chief comes back to the newsroom almost every semester to pitch in for a day or two and meet the new staff. Every time he does,
he expands his network.
Networking is the best way to find new job opportunities and expand your career options.
This goes for keeping in contact with your fellow students as well.
Whether it’s your best friend or a classmate, most community college students will land a good job at some point. And they might be in a position to hire you.
So make sure they remember you.
If you have ADHD like I do, I know how hard school is for you. You avoid your teachers and lie about having assignments done because you don’t want to be lectured on stuff you already know you should be doing.
I have great news for you. You can stop avoiding your teachers. That’s what I did and it’s working out great for me.
I know that having a professor call you aside for a talk can be stressful and intimidating, but the chances are good that nothing you say can surprise your teachers because they’ve heard it all before.
I found this out when I finally mustered up the courage to approach a teacher who seemed to be harsh with students. I told her about my learning disability and how it was affecting my performance in the class, and she softened. We had a great working relationship for the rest of the semester.
The great thing about community college is that the professors take the time to get to know you and they
are willing to work with you so you can be confident and successful. People who attend larger schools often don’t have that luxury and can’t even get in touch with their professors. Establishing a relationship with our professors is something that we shouldn’t take for granted.
Many students end each class by walking out with their friends, but simply stopping by to check in with your professor can benefit you both. This communicates to professors that you are trying, which is what matters most.
If you’re struggling in a class and don’t reveal that, the teacher will assume you don’t care and you’re just not putting in the work, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Anyone who has a disability has to work twice as hard as the average person and that effort should never go unnoticed. It is OK to give yourself the credit you deserve.
In some classes, I find myself drowning in work. But when I am able to open up to my teachers about my struggles, I can almost always improve my skills. Learning how and when to
Second-year transfer studies student Lexi Grieder says developing relationships with your professors is important, especially when you have a learning disability.
ask for help is something I am still continuing to work on but I can confidently say I
have come a long way. The first step is being your own advocate.
Continued from page 1
“I want to make sure that students, even though they have the opportunity to use their voice, [are] encouraged to use it,” Bah, who is SGA’s vice president of campus activities, said. “Because I think a lot of the times students don’t say anything out of fear that they won’t be heard or that their ideas won’t be taken seriously.”
Buster, who served as editor-in-chief of Campus Current this school year, agreed.
“I fought for student opinions to be heard as editor-in-chief and I’ll fight for them as president,” Buster said. “So in the end, what I really want to do is … make
sure students have more of a say in decision-making processes around the college and not just in a representative capacity.”
Bah said a vote for her for SGA president will be a vote for a different perspective.
“I’m the only Black candidate,” Bah said. “I’m also Muslim, so all of those different aspects of my identity, I think, bring a different perspective.”
Buster said AACC “needs a bridge between administration and the students, and I want to be that bridge.”
Buster added he plans
“to make Anne Arundel Community College live up to the community part of its name. Because it’s a community college, it doesn’t just mean it’s a two-year college. It means it’s a small community atmosphere, where everyone works together, and everyone has a place to belong.”
Bah said her platform is more about accessibility.
“I want to make sure that everybody has the proper accessibility no matter if they’re on this campus; on our other campuses, like in Glen Burnie or Arundel
Students will elect a president, an executive vice president and five vice presidents for next semester’s Student Government Association during online voting from May 1 to 5. Shown, presidential candidates Rabiyatou Bah, left, and Zack Buster.
Photos by Megan Cunningham
Mills; and then also our virtual campuses,” Bah said.
Billovits-Hayes said it’s
“important for students to know who is representing them.”
Continued from page 1
munity,” Gauntt, who is the first high school student to serve as editor-in-chief since the paper relaunched in 2016, said. “That’s our largest purpose, our most important purpose: to serve the community of Anne Arundel Community College, and to make sure that we’re delivering good news, timely, in an efficient manner, accu-
Continued from page 1 land community colleges for public high school students. The legislation did not make enrollment free for homeschool and private school students, who get a 50% tuition discount.
Sara Eger, director of instructional pathways and partnerships, said Anne Arundel County Public Schools will pay for students to attend AACC.
Eger said the law is beneficial for students wanting to dual enroll.
“Improving students’ access and expanding stu-
dents’ opportunities, I think that’s what people saw in it,” Eger said. “That’s what they saw in the value of the blueprint.”
Audrey Guinn, a Chesapeake High School senior who takes classes at AACC and plans to major in education, said free tuition was a big factor in choosing whether to enroll.
“At some point, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go or not,” Guinn said. “But then since I had that option, it was what motivated me.”
Kolton Tracey, a Chesapeake High School senior who takes history and En-
glish classes at AACC, also said free tuition convinced him to enroll here.
“It’s one of the only reasons I’m going,” Tracey said. “If it wasn’t free, I would have gone straight to a university.”
Another student said the free tuition helps him focus on college work.
“Being able to come to community college and not have to worry about paying tuition is a stress reliever,” Nathan Busch, a Chesapeake High School student, said. “It lets me focus on getting my credits and it saves me a lot of money.”
rately, without bias.”
Buster said Gauntt is “responsible. He’s like the very definition of an overachiever. He’s got the skill set for [editor-in-chief and] he’s got the experience.”
Journalism professor and Campus Current faculty adviser Sharon O’Malley said Gauntt is “very well prepared to step into Zack’s very big shoes.”
“He’s among the young-
est people on the staff, but he’s by far one of the best writers, one of the best reporters, one of the best managers,” O’Malley said. “He’s mature way beyond his age. And one of the things that impresses me the most about him is … his disposition. He never seems to be angry. … He’s just very level, which is a good, calming influence on the newsroom. And it’s a sign of a great leader.”
“It’s important for students to know who is representing them.”
—Outgoing SGA President Abigail Billovits-Hayes
Colleges across the nation are seeing lower enrollment in the humanities, but AACC administrators say humanities programs here remain stable.
In fact, the School of Liberal Arts slightly increased enrollment this year.
3,680 students are enrolled in the School of Liberal Arts in the spring 2023 semester compared with 3,262 students enrolled in the spring 2022 semester.
“We’re in this tricky time with the pandemic and what happened with enrollments nationwide,” Dean of the School of Liberal Arts Alicia Morse said. “Liberal arts actually is up this year, a little bit. I
think a lot of that had to do … with traditional-age students coming back to campus, so in the School of Liberal Arts, we see students in those [general education courses].”
The humanities includes subjects like English, history, visual arts and philosophy. Some liberal arts programs, like math or psychology, are not humanities.
According to an article in The New Yorker magazine, English and history enrollment nationwide has dropped by a third over the past decade, and humanities enrollment has fallen by approximately 17%.
Academic Chair of the English Department Wayne Kobylinski said enrollment in the English and creative writing programs has re-
mained mostly stable, but added the English degree is fairly new, so a baseline has not been established.
Approximately 17 to 20 students seek English degrees each semester and 30 to 40 are working toward creative writing degrees, Kobylinski said.
First-year transfer studies student Micah Walker said he is “shocked” over the decline of the humanities.
“I think it’s because people are, like, more towards … getting money rather than [pursuing] their passion,” Walker said. “So they kind of shift towards a more well-paying job.”
English professor Steve Canaday said an education in the humanities can prepare students for a career and
teach them critical thinking skills.
“I think that there is a way to balance the idea of preparing students to enter the workforce with other needs that we have as human beings,” Canaday said. “Asking questions about, you know, not just what kind of job can I get, but … what am I doing in this life on this planet? ... Of course, it’s nice to earn a high salary and to be able to buy things that you need. But then I think that doesn’t excuse you from
asking questions about why you think you need what you need, and, in fact, what it is that you’re hoping to accomplish in this life?”
Morse explained the benefits of a humanities education.
“I think the humanities in the School of Liberal Arts is strong,” Morse said. “I think a liberal arts degree supports all of the core, college-wide competencies that a degree is supposed to embody: communication, problem solving, critical thinking.”
AACC installed a new fresh-food vending machine in the atrium of the CALT building over spring break.
The machine, operated by Washington-based Wellfound Foods, serves readymade, refrigerated meals such as sandwiches, wraps, rice bowls and yogurt.
Event Services Manager Peter Kaiser said the college added the machine to give more food options to people on West Campus.
“There’s not going to be
enough business to do a full operation that is manned and staffed, but there are enough people over there that need to eat,” Kaiser, who oversees the college’s dining services, said. “And so we said, ‘Let’s see if this machine’s going to work.’’
AACC has one other fresh-food kiosk, operated by Farmer’s Fridge, a different company, in the Health and Life Sciences building. A second Farmer’s Fridge machine on the second floor of Careers operated during the fall semester, but Farmer’s Fridge removed it at the be-
AACC’s physical therapist assistant program turned 25 this year.
“It’s actually one of the top programs in the country,” Dave Snow, who graduated from the PTA program in 2005, said. “When I did it, it was relatively new. So it was very easy to get into. Now, it’s much more competitive.”
Students spend five semesters working toward their associate of applied sci-
ence degree in physical therapist assistant. The program also prepares students for a national licensing exam.
Second-year physical therapist assistant student
Dianna Jimenez said the program is “very hard,” but added it is also “rewarding.”
“All the professors care about us learning and succeeding in the program, which I think is very hard to find,” Jimenez said.
Patricia Brady, the program’s director, said the “program is well respected in the community.”
“When we ask a hospital [to] take a student to do a clinical education course for six weeks, they say, ‘Yes, because we like your students; we like your reputation,’” Brady said. “That’s been an important factor in maintaining the longevity.”
Angela Bartoe, a second-year physical therapist assistant student, agreed.
“I think it’s awesome … the fact that it’s been going on so long [and] how successful it’s been,” Bartoe said.
Snow, who works in orthopedics, said the program
has many graduates who “have become successful.”
“I work with a lot of co-workers that came to this program,” Snow said.
Tricia Haberlein, who graduated from the physical therapist assistant program in 2015, said the program was “hard,” but gave her exactly what she “needed to be confident in the field.”
“It’s definitely not for someone that’s not sure of what they want to do,” Haberlein said. “You have to be pretty sure of what your end goal [is].”
ginning of the spring semester.
Kaiser added once the renovations of the Florestano building are complete, the college could potentially open a full-service dining option on West Campus.
The college’s three dining options, Chick-fil-A, Subway and the Hawk’s Nest, are all located on East Campus.
Some students said the fresh-food vending machine adds more food choices.
“I think it’s a new and interesting option for students,” first-year cybersecurity student Malcolm Huntley said.
AACC’s physical therapist assistant program has gained a top reputation since it began 25 years ago.
AACC began repairs for the West Campus quad in Arnold in March.
The renovations, which will finish by Aug. 15, include a complete replacement of the stairs of the amphitheater and repairs for the wall surrounding the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, according to Assistant Director of Facilities
Planning and Construction Joyce Dawson.
“I don’t think you’re going to notice that it looks significantly different,” Dawson said. “It’s just going to look refreshed.”
The amphitheater on West Campus was last renovated in 2020, according to Dawson.
One entrance to the second floor of the Cade building is closed during construction.
But once the work on the stairs is complete in late June, the construction’s impact on students will be minimal, Dawson said.
First-year creative writing student Emiley Anderson said campus renovations are “important.”
“It does interfere with my, like, traveling, because I do have to go in [the Cade] building,” Anderson said. “But I know the layout, so it’s fine with me. And as long
as it looks fine and it’s safe, then it’s OK.”
The college will also swap the white fences surrounding the quad with bronze re-
placements that match the surrounding area, Dawson said. Cracked concrete and capstones around the quad also will be repaired.
work of students here is really, really good.”
missions, compared with 35 last spring.
AACC’s journal for the arts, Amaranth, features student works from creative writing to photography. Shown, last year’s 47th edition.
by Megan Cunningham
The 48th edition of AACC’s student literary journal will come out on May 18.
Students can pick up a copy of Amaranth, the journal of literature and arts, on Campus Current newsracks in the Humanities building.
Editor-in-Chief Marquart Doty said the new issue includes “poems, plays, photography … different kinds of visual art, from digital to painting to architectural designs. ... And it’s also just worth reading, because the
AACC released the second volume of the college’s interdisciplinary student research journal at a launch party on April 28.
The latest edition of the Journal of Emerging Scholarship includes five articles from students of English, statistics, biology and environmental science.
“A student can submit their manuscripts for the work that they’ve done up to a year after having left AACC,” Lance Bowen, dean of the School of Science, Technology and Education, said.
“A few years back a group of [faculty] got together and
we talked about opportunities for students to do more than just show up and take courses,” Bowen said. “And one of the high-impact practices across the nation … is the opportunity to do undergraduate research. … So we drew out a plan for designing a peer review journal that we could publish student works in.”
Bowen said a faculty editorial board does a “tremendous amount of work” on the journal, “but next year, we’re looking to have an intern work on the publication for us” and to encourage students to become members of the editorial board.
Maggie Nester, a transfer studies student, has an arti-
cle in the next edition of the journal.
“It’s a benefit for me because I get hands-on experience,” Nester said. “I probably wouldn’t get experience like this at a four-year college.”
Biology and environmental science student Emily Archer, who also published research in the new edition, said she hopes the aquaponics project she wrote about will affect the industry.
In her project, she grew lettuce and tomato plants that shared water with an attached fish tank occupied by tilapia. She said the project created an environmentally safer way to farm food.
Find copies in the library or CALT 234.
One illustration, called “Just a Little Guy,” features colorful characters that the layout repeats throughout the journal.
“I think that it’s a lot [of] fun,” said first-year human services student Zoe Sharp, who worked on the journal.
Doty said submissions to the journal, which were selected by a jury of Amaranth members, led to a nature-focused theme.
“We’ve had a lot of bugand nature-themed submissions,” said Doty, who noted that editors received 85 sub-
Members of Amaranth said they are “excited” for people to see how creative the student submissions are.
“We’ve had so many submissions from so many different people and ... we have a really good representation of AACC students,” Amaranth Managing Editor Patrick Caswell, a second-year transfer studies student, said. “We have been able to select really high-quality pieces.”
Amaranth staff will host a release party and hand out journals on May 18 at 7 p.m. in Humanities 125.
More than 2,000 listeners follow “Stoppage Time,” a two-year-old podcast by first-year transfer studies student Joseph Angerome. Fellow student Micah Walker’s podcast, “At Least You’re Not Me,” has fewer fans.
To be exact, Walker’s podcast has only one follower.
That’s because Walker, a first-year transfer studies student, is still working out the kinks in his three-monthold podcast, so he has shared the link with only one person—his cousin.
Walker said it is important to “plan and also make sure you are determined” before doing a full-scale podcast launch.
Walker and Angerome are two of just a handful of AACC students who have created podcasts, and each one takes a different approach.
For example, Andrew Littin, a second-year film studies student who hosts a podcast called “Rock of Ages,” creates episodes lasting from 15 minutes to an hour, while Walker’s podcast runs a brief three to seven minutes per episode.
“There’s a lot of different formats [of podcasts] out there,” said Dan Baum, AACC’s executive director of strategic communications and host of the college’s podcast, “Redefine U.” “It might be a solo; it might be a story format.”
Baum said podcast hosts have many options when it comes to format, but timing is an important part of keeping the audience engaged.
“A number of years ago, the sweet spot seemed to be around 30 minutes … which really reflected the average [commuter] time,” Baum said. “What has changed, in COVID, is that people are doing other activities, wheth-
er it’s walking the dog … or working out … and that has grown. You now have a lot of long-format [podcasts], which could be 60 minutes or more.”
The student podcasters said it takes a lot of time but little money to produce a podcast.
“To be perfectly honest, your phone, in all likelihood, records some pretty awesome audio,” Baum said. “If you have some decent … AirPods or something, that may be all you need.”
But Baum agreed it takes hard work to create a thoughtful, polished podcast.
“Students who are interested in doing a podcast would be well advised to spend some time on the pre-production,” Baum said. “You can accomplish a lot by putting a lot of effort into that front piece.”
Littin said it’s worth it.
“At times it might be
time consuming,” Littin said. “It may seem like nothing’s moving at all, but … at the end of the day it’s worth it because you’re creating what I essentially think is art.”
Baum’s advice for wouldbe podcasters: “Look at some of the [podcasts] that
you admire, and you can sort of model after that.”
“If this interests you, give it a shot,” Baum added.
“Just know that there’s going to be a little more effort and just be prepared to give it that effort. Give it your all.”
Graphic courtesy of Strategic Communications
The bird in AACC’s logo is a seagull named Bob. The college is in the process of updating it.Student podcasters like first-year transfer studies student Micah Walker say the production is time consuming but doesn’t cost much money. Photo by Thomas Derry
Did you know AACC has its own armed police force?
Some students told Campus Current they feel safe on campus but they don’t know why crime is so low.
Campus Police Chief Sean Kapfhammer said the campus is safe, in part, because of the police presence.
“We try to be omnipresent, which means visible at all times,” Kapfhammer said. “We encourage the officers to be in the buildings walking around during their tours of duty so people can see them.”
Of the 16 community colleges in Maryland, four, including AACC, Montgomery College, Carroll Community College and Hagerstown Community College, have
armed police. Most others have security officers who cannot make arrests or carry guns.
In an informal poll on the Arnold campus, 38 out of 40 students said campus is safe.
The 2022 annual security report bears that out. The document noted 15 crimes on campus, including four larcenies and four vandalisms.
Kapfhammer said security cameras and a lack of dorms on campus contribute to low crime rates.
The Department of Public Safety and Police offers self-defense classes and non-emergency services like escorts after dark and training, including active shooter drills.
Kapfhammer said victims should immediately report
To report a crime: 410-777-1818
To talk to a counselor: 410-777-7111
crimes to campus police.
“Documentation is very important,” Kapfhammer said. “That all could be used as evidence at a later date.”
Nick Faravaugh, a firstyear business student, said he believes campus is safe but was unaware of the police presence.
“I haven’t noticed much campus security, but I don’t think it’s needed, either,” Faravaugh said.
First-year undecided student Georgia Sines said she’s had “uncomfortable” experiences on campus, but none she would consider unsafe.
On the other hand, some students, like Sebastian Swartz, a second-year communications student, said despite the resources available, students aren’t aware of the campus police force.
To learn self-defense: 410-777-2325
To get an escort to your car: 410-777-1818
To report harassment or bias: 410-777-1239
To report another student: 410-777-2766
To learn about sexual violence awareness programs: 410-777-7449
AACC students said in March a college education is worth the money it costs.
In an informal poll of 40 students on campus, 33 said college is worth what they pay.
“It’s like, the rich people are only getting richer because they can afford higher degrees,” Victoria Widener, a biology student, said. “And the only way to get a job and to get good money, you have to have a high degree.”
A 2022 GradGuard sur-
vey revealed out of 1,500 students, 83% said they will earn enough later to make college a good investment.
“I’ve definitely learned some things in, like, accounting and, like, career success classes,” Jack Suski, a transfer studies student, said. “They are useful.”
Audrey Guinn, a dual-enrollment student, also said college is a good deal.
“College helps to get you ready for whatever field that you want to work in,” Guinn said. “It makes it easier to find a job as well as a higher-paying one.”
Another student said college isn’t a bargain.
“In certain situations, no,” Grace Jimla, a biology student, said. “Definitely for the cost it should be based on your family background and your financial situation.”
JT Hartlove, a dual-enrollment student, agreed higher education isn’t a good value.
“I just feel like, with the amount of money you spend to go, college isn’t worth it,” Hartlove said. “I’ve seen people get jobs that don’t match what they majored in at college, so what’s the point of getting the degree?”
Students say college is worth the cost, especially at a community college like AACC.
Pexels photo
James Carico, a first-year music student, had a different outlook.
“A lot of what you learn in college, or ... a lot of what you get out of college, is the connections,” Carico said.
Still, some students said tuition at AACC, compared
with most universities, makes the time and money they spend here worth it.
“Compared to other colleges, it’s really cheap and nice that way,” Korbin Proctor, a first-year homeland security student, said. “And that’s mainly why I’m here.”
AACC students said Chick-fil-A is their favorite local restaurant on or off campus.
In an informal poll of 34 students on the Arnold campus, 17 chose Chick-fil-A as their favorite while others picked Subway and Chipotle.
“I don’t think there’s … any other fast food restaurants, at least, that does chicken like them,” second-year communications student Sebastian Swartz said of Chick-fil-A. “I certain-
AACC students said in March TikTok is their favorite social media platform.
In an informal survey of 50 students on campus, 16 said TikTok is their favorite, while 13 said they like Instagram the best. Nine students said Twitter is their favorite site, seven chose YouTube, three picked Snapchat and two said Pinterest.
Madison Schelfe, a second-year nursing student, said TikTok is her favorite platform because she gets “to relate with other people.”
TikTok launched in 2016 and has more than 1 billion active monthly users who share, create and watch short videos. According to research firm Statista, 38.5% of TikTok users around the world are 18 to 24 years old.
Students said TikTok is their greatest source of entertainment.
Some students said they mostly use the app to watch other creators’ videos.
Micah Smith, a second-year psychology student who serves as Campus Current’s social media manager, said it’s interesting to see other people’s content.
“You get to see how creative people can be,” Smith said.
Students said they use TikTok multiple times a day.
Second-year early childhood education student Ashley Perdomo said she uses the app for about five hours “staggered throughout the day.”
Damiya Williams, a second-year nursing student, checked her screen time for TikTok.
Williams said she uses TikTok “a good, like, nine [hours] … a day,” Williams said. “I get lost in the scrolling.”
ly like it better than McDonald’s or Subway or anything like that.”
AACC has three restaurants on campus: Subway in Careers, Chick-fil-A in the Health and Life Sciences building and the Hawk’s Nest Grill & Deli in the Student Union building.
“It’s just got a good variety of different things,” firstyear undecided student John Trader said of Chick-fil-A. “Chicken is the main thing but they also got … salads, wraps and grilled chicken.”
“Well, at Chick-fil-A, they will give me as many sauces
that I asked for,” first-year nursing student Alyssa Diblasi said. “And it’s also in the building that I have lecture.”
Students also named restaurants such as Rise Up Coffee Roasters and Poke N’ Ramen on Bay Dale Drive in Arnold, and Mezeh and Donut Shack on Ritchie Highway in Severna Park as their favorites.
“It’s like Dunkin’ Donuts but it tastes good,” first-year undecided student Patrick O’Malley said of Donut Shack. “They make espresso, they got good coffee.” He called the shop’s food “yummy.”
Some students say they spend time on social media that they could be using to study.
Students who named TikTok as their favorite platform said they sometimes procrastinate on school work because they spend so much time on the app.
“Those … hours could have been put towards studying,” Vanessa Cardozo, a second-year nursing student, said.
Cardozo said she spends “like 10,000 hours,” a day on TikTok.
Instagram also offers a section for short videos similar to TikTok, called Reels.
Alejandro Casanova, a first-year engineering student, said he likes Instagram the most because he “love[s] watching funny Reels.”
A journalist-turned-professional actor told students on April 20 to “be open minded” about art.
Ron Canada performed in theater productions of “Fences” and “Othello” and on television in “House of Cards.”
“Don’t try to impose the sensibilities of 2023 on all of the past,” Canada said. “That is dangerous, intellectually, and dangerous for people’s intellectual growth.”
Canada said actors must have “an obsessive desire” to perform.
Theatre AACC invited Canada, who also appeared
in three different Star Trek series, as part of the Guest Artist Speaker Series.
Canada began his career as a television news reporter in 1971, but switched to acting in 1978.
“It’s been a good career,” Canada said. “I’ve gotten … to work with some of the best practitioners of this craft that there are on this planet. I know a great number of them and I have one degree of separation from just about all of the others.”
In an interview with Campus Current before the event, Canada called acting “a handed-down craft. So that’s what I’m doing. I want to give back to the profession and
Opera AACC will perform the comedic opera “The Pirates of Penzance” in May.
The company’s production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s 1880 show will run May 1921 in the Kauffman Theater.
“It’s really fun music,” Maureen McArdle, a 10thyear music student who will sing in the chorus, said. “The tunes are very catchy. I think people will really like the whole [performance]. It’s … a funky little show.”
“The Pirates of Penzance” is centered around the ex-
ploits of a boy named Frederic who accidentally indentured himself to a group of pirates.
Will Kuethe, who will play Frederic, said Gilbert and Sullivan were “the Monty Python of classical music.”
“I’ve done a couple of their operas in other places, and they’re all really funny,” Kuethe, an eighth-year continuing education student, said. “It’s just good music and it’s fun.”
Doug Byerly, the artistic director of the show who will play Major General Stanley, said working on the performance is “a lot of fun.”
craft that has given me the bulk of success in my life.”
Canada said his advice for students who intend to become actors is to never “conflate the word actor with the word celebrity.”
“If you want to be a celebrity, that’s fine,” Canada said. “You can pursue that in many other ways, but don’t think it’s the same as an actor. If you have anything else you’re passionate about in life, that gives you more enjoyment that you think fits you better, then do that. The sacrifices that you have to make personally are going to be far too taxing and the emotional burden is going to be too great.”
“This company is a joy to work with,” Byerly, a music professor who founded the opera company in 2001, said. “We have a good diversity of students that repre-
sent the college in a great way.”
Liz Barrett, who will play one of the pirates, said she “knows this opera backwards and forwards.”
“I’ve been singing Gilbert and Sullivan since I was 6,” Barrett, who has been taking classes at AACC for 40 years, said. “[Pirates] is my favorite musical of all time.”
Cade Gallery director and digital arts professor
artworks in the exhibit, said the show is “amazing.”
Students are showing their artwork in an AACC exhibit that will run through May 22.
Kumasi J. Barnett, a studio arts professor from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, selected the pieces for the exhibit, which are displayed in the Cade Gallery.
Barnett met with the student artists at a reception in the gallery on April 19.
Teddy Johnson said the juror “was looking for things that he thought [were] visually strong, conceptually strong. But then when you have hundreds of works, even ones you like don’t always go in the galleries.”
The gallery has run exhibits in person for about 30 years and hosted virtual shows during the pandemic.
First-year art student Dana Jennings, who has three
“Oh my gosh, I couldn’t believe [that I got in],” Jennings said. “This is my first real gallery exhibit.”
Second-year creative writing student Holly Mitchell, whose watercolor piece is displayed in the exhibit, said getting accepted into the gallery is “very validating.”
Every year, the college purchases several artworks from the exhibit to display around campus.
Having a .300 batting average in baseball isn’t easy to do. Yet three Riverhawks players as of April 20 are hitting over that number.
Utility infielder Ethan Grieb, a second-year transfer studies student, is hitting .326 as of April 20. Grieb, a right-handed batter, noted hitting the ball to every part of the field is the reason why he’s having so much success at the plate.
“I mean, good hitters can hit the ball where it’s pitched and that’s what I’m doing right now,” Grieb, also a pitcher, said. “My approach
has just changed this year [which has] helped me out. And that’s why I’m having these results.”
Second baseman John Greenawalt is hitting .358 on the season, which leads the Riverhawks, and shortstop Dyllon Barrett has a .310 batting average. The Riverhawks are hitting .259 as a team as of April 20, which is up 26 points from last season.
“Sometimes success can be contagious,” baseball head coach Nick Hoffner said. “So hopefully some other guys can feed off of that so we can get some more guys going and make our offense more dynamic.”
At the plate, Barrett, a first-year cybersecurity stu-
dent, said he’s having more success off of right-handed pitchers rather than lefthanders.
“We face primarily right-handed pitchers and that’s what I’m used to seeing a lot,” Barrett said. “Honestly, I’ve seen a lot less lefthanders.”
Grieb, Barrett and Greenawalt also lead the squad in stolen bases. Barrett leads the National Junior College Athletic Association with 40 stolen bases this season.
“I think [those three players stealing bases is] big just because it puts pressure on the other team,” Hoffner said. “They’re aware of what these guys can do when they get on the base.”
Greenawalt, a first-year
transfer studies student, noted it’s important “to keep putting in the work every day. We’re out here five,
six days a week.”
Reporters Aidan Gunn and Micah Smith contributed to this story.
First-year athletes said they enjoyed their rookie season as Riverhawks.
Middle blocker Sydni Smith said playing college volleyball was a better experience than high school.
“High school was just a lot more negative and just not really much fun,” Smith, a first-year business student, said. “But when I got to AACC and played for them, it was way more fun. … It was really refreshing and just a good environment to be around.”
Guard Leila Townsend, who plays on the Riverhawks basketball team, said the adjustment from high school to
Dan Elson Sports Editor
The Riverhawks women’s lacrosse team finished the 2023 regular season undefeated for the first time in 16 years.
With the Riverhawks winning all seven games,
head coach Jim Griffiths said the team has “set the bar higher” for the playoffs.
“It’s hard to not get complacent when all of your wins have been pretty lopsided,” Griffiths noted. “I think I’m afraid we’re getting a little bit complacent. But overall, I was happy with it. There
were moments [where] it was really good. And there were moments we just [needed] to clean up.”
In the 2007 campaign, the Riverhawks finished 190, which includes regular season and playoff victories. The team won the National Junior College Athletic Asso-
college sports went smoothly.
“I mean, basketball is basketball,” Townsend, a first-year transfer studies student, said. “It is different. [There are] more games, and it’s more aggressive.”
Townsend noted she was surprised by how many Riverhawks fans showed up for home games.
“It was actually better than I thought,” Townsend, who has played basketball for eight years, noted. “Some games were really good. Others were OK, but there wasn’t ever a terrible turnout.”
Smith said college volleyball is better than she expected.
“It definitely wasn’t as I thought it would be,” Smith said. “I thought it would be
much more strict, but it was a lot more lenient and relaxed and just more fun.”
Second baseman John Greenawalt said he’s having a “great” time playing Riverhawks baseball.
“We’ve been playing pretty well,” Greenawalt, a first-year transfer studies student, noted. “Overall, there’s definitely things we could still improve upon. … But I think this season, we’re very productive.”
More than 90 first-year students played their rookie season for the Riverhawks. Some second-year students played their first season with the college this year because of COVID-19 or injury.
Reporter Micah Smith contributed to this story.
Directed by Douglas Brandt Byerly Conducted by Anna Binneweg, D.M.
AACC Concert Choir and Chamber Singers In conjunction with Opera AACC present 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, May 19-20 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 21
The Robert E. Kauffman Theater in the Pascal Center for Performing Arts Box office opens March 1 for tickets. Call 410-777-2457 or email boxoffice@aacc.edu
FEATURING
Christopher Rhodovi ... The Pirate King
Will Kuethe ... Frederic
Catherine J. Campbell ... Mabel
John C. Jones ... Sergeant of Police
Vanessa Fernandez ... Ruth
Douglas Brandt Byerly ... Major General Stanley
Scan QR code to purchase tickets.
Anne Arundel Community College prohibits all types of discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, and retaliation on the basis of race, color, religion or creed, ancestry or national origin, sex, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, citizenship, and genetic information. To file a complaint of discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct or retaliation, contact the chief compliance and fair practices officer/Title IX coordinator at 410-777-1239 or complianceofficer@aacc.edu, or Maryland Relay 711. 1/23
