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October 2017
College promotes discussion James Haggerty Associate Editor for Print
Student brings giant notecard to test Professor allows it. Details online at TheCampusCurrent.com
AACC is promoting free speech and understanding on campus. The administration is encouraging civil discourse— allowing students to respectfully express their opinions and differences. According to AACC President Dawn Lindsay, the goal is to create an
environment where it’s safe to have differences of opinion. “Civil discourse talks about valuing and respecting these differences,” Lindsay said in an interview with Campus Current. The violence in Charlottesville and elsewhere over the summer has led students to want to speak out on politically sensitive issues, like racism. Campus Current, for ex-
ample, received four opinion pieces this month from students on this topic, twice as many opinions as last month. Lindsay said she hopes students feel they can express themselves, without the need to resort to hate speech. “I have the right to my opinion; you have the right to your opinion,” Lindsay said. “We are never all going to agree on the same issue,
but it ... doesn’t mean that I have the right to abuse you, be hostile toward you or be disrespectful to you. ... True civil discourse and true freedom of speech require people to be respectful.” Diversity on campus is a main focus of the college’s, she said. In fact, AACC was the first community college
Continued on page 5
The haunting of Arnold
Police chief ain’t afraid of no ghost on campus Roxanne Ready Editor-in-Chief Imagine you are arriving at school for an evening science class in the Dragun building. You’re early, so you take your seat alone to wait for your classmates to arrive. After a few minutes, the lights in the hallway click off, awaiting some other move-
Dr. Deidra Dennie will lead AACC’s diversity efforts. Photo by Tre Mooring
In case you
missed it
ment to trigger them on again. As you wait, browsing your phone, you hear footsteps in the hall. You look up, expecting to see your classmates arriving, but the hallway is still dark. Puzzled, you walk to the classroom door and look out. Sensing your movement, the lights near the classroom
flicker back to life. At the end of the hallway, out of range of the sensor you triggered, you can just make out a custodian sweeping the halls in the darkness. He looks at you, gives a friendly smile and then turns and walks right through a closed classroom door.
Continued on page 4
Are you ready for a ghost story? Police Chief Sean Kapfhammer’s new book about haunted areas at AACC aims to show paranormal instances on campus. Photo by Brandon Hamilton, edits by Morgan Gordon
Elizabeth Spearman Associate Editor for Web
former director of equity, diversity and inclusion at Armstrong State University in Savannah, Georgia, started her job at AACC on Sept. 25. Dennie will take a leadership role in meeting the needs of the diverse student body while continuing to build an inclusive campus,
she told Campus Current. Dennie, whose doctorate is in public administration, praised the college for its existing focus on diversity. “The school is already rich in diversity, and I want to build on that,” Dennie said. AACC won the High-
er Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine in 2015 and 2016. Dennie said she plans to work closely with the administration and also with student leaders.
Photo spread: Solar eclipse big hit at AACC
U.S. Rep. Anthony Brown holds town hall
Cross country team steps up training
AACC adds diversity oversight AACC’s new chief diversity officer said she wants to work as much with students as with administrators to make the campus more inclusive. Dr. Deidra Dennie, the
See last month's web headlines at TheCampusCurrent.com
Continued on page 4
2 | Campus Current | 2017 | October
Editorial
Letter from the editor Meet the Staff Editor-in-Chief
Roxanne Ready Associate Editor for print
James Haggerty
Associate Editor for Web
Elizabeth Spearman Graphic Designer
Morgan Gordon Photography Editor
Brandon Hamilton Campus Life Editor
Sarah Sutherland Club Editor
Sarah Noble Sports Editor
Seamus McCarthy Reporters
Ben Kanaras Daniel Salomon Hailey Williams Jennifer Perry Jonas Pallaro-Somneborn Michael Garvey Mike Wilhelm Ryan Sullivan Shelby Vetter Photographers
Cameron Terrelonge Jessica Osband MaryJane Arausa Raquel Hamner Sarah Alonso Newsroom Manager
Tre Mooring
Faculty Adviser
Sharon O’Malley
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No more echo chambers; let’s have the tough conversations Roxanne Ready Editor-in-Chief These days, it seems like every online conversation devolves quickly into a virtual shouting match about political views. Meanwhile, in person we tiptoe around, hoping we don’t step on a conversational landmine. Social media allows us to do some great things. We can talk with people from all over the world; we can scroll through news and information of specific interest to us; we can share our lives with dozens, hundreds or thousands of people with almost no effort. But it is also a trap. We can turn off perspectives we don’t agree with, hiding them behind virtual hedges surrounding our own private worlds. We know there are people out there who don’t agree with us, but as our self-made echo chambers magnify our own ideas back at us, we may start to think those other people must be pretty dumb. Meanwhile, our society has conditioned us to believe
the internet isn’t the “real world,” so we can do or say things there we would never do in person. We may get into virtual screaming matches and call people horrible names, knowing but somehow not quite believing the people on the other side of the screen are, in fact, people like us. And when a conversation gets too ideologically threatening or annoying or boring, we can just stop responding and fade away, confident we were right all along, and go back to sharing our ideas among other people we agree with. When our only concern is winning an argument, we lose sight of the chance to listen and grow. When our only intake of ideas is the echo chamber of social media, we close our minds and harden our hearts. None of this is doing us any good. We aren’t learning anything new or unifying across our differences. Instead, we’re using social media to segment ourselves while becoming more and more disdainful of peo-
ple who don’t think like we But we should be careful do. not to snap-judge each other Not only that, but we or to shut each other down also paradoxically bewith labels that halt come more desperconversation beate to be heard fore any progas we notice ress can be people on the made. “other side” We are closing off all works in the same in progways we are. ress, and And that’s labeling why we should each other break down our for not being walls and start perfect and having real Solving problems starts having all conversations. with talking to each other, the right Some of us says Roxanne Ready, a n s w e r s are afraid of Editor-in-Chief. does none offending our Photo by Brandon Hamilton of us any friends. Others good. are worried we’ll be labeled We need to talk to one anunfairly as belonging to one other, in person, respectfully, camp or another. And most about the hard stuff. of us don’t want to stir up We need to speak up trouble. about our beliefs, but we But we’ll never be able to also need to give each othsolve important issues of our er permission to be different communities or our country and even wrong—or at least if we don’t start listening to wrong from our perspective. each other again. We are all people, and we There are certain ideas all have reasons for believing that should never be accept- the things we do. able: anti-Semitism, racism, It’s time to speak up hatred, homophobia and so about those things, but it’s on. also time to start listening.
maybe it’s the simple fact that we don’t know how to deal with it. We can’t assume our friends or family members are always OK. Frequently checking in on people you care about or even casually asking how
one in five of us has dealt with some kind of mood disorder as an adult and one in three has experienced anxiety. These statistics illustrate an important fact: We all know someone struggling with mental health, even if it’s ourselves. If you are feeling alone or need someone to talk to, AACC has resources to help. Counseling Services offers free sessions for registered students. Students are able to call Counseling Services at 410777-7111 until 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 4 p.m. on Fridays. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24/7 across the U.S., according to its website. If you need someone to talk to, call the Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
No one should be alone Editorial Board When someone commits suicide, people talk about how depressing it is and say we should do more for the ones fighting mental illness. That conversation usually lasts for a week or two and then we all move on with our lives. But what about the other weeks? According to the American Foundation for Suicide, someone dies from suicide every 12.8 minutes in the United States. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in 1524 year olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 50 percent of people who commit suicide suffer from depression, according to the AFS. We tend to shy away from people who seem depressed, maybe because we don’t want to deal with it or
One in three adults has experienced anxiety. Photo by Brandon Hamilton they’re doing and learning what they need can be effective ways to get them to open up to you. You might find out that what they need most is help. According to the National Institute of Mental Health,
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October | 2017 | Campus Current | 3
Opinion
Don’t leave out the other side Rebecca Lewis Guest Columnist In many of my classes last year during the election, there were opportunities to discuss our opinions. In fact, most of my classes are filled with debates. But most were also led by professors completely against what I believe. In one class, a professor asked me to voice my opinion on both candidates. After I did so, my professor replied, “Okay. But you’re wrong.” Realizing that I was the only student in that entire classroom who felt the way I did, I resolved to shut my mouth and not speak about my political opinions again. These days “free speech” has come with a free pass for
criticism and an opportunity to tear down others. We want others to listen to understand us, but we don’t want them to respond to us. Many people say they encourage free speech, but what they truly mean is, “You may only speak freely about our side.” And that is where I think our problem on campus lies. That is why I do not feel comfortable stating my opinions on campus. Why should I share my thoughts if no one will listen? I think AACC is trying hard to promote free speech and encourage students to participate. But I think some students have lost sight of what free speech is: It is the right
Differing opinions educate Trystan Hay Guest Columnist
to express any opinions. Judgment should not be involved. Until people’s understanding of free speech is established, we will never be able to get past the judgment, the bias and the downright stubbornness our campus holds. Free speech is not just one like-minded group coming together, which is what I feel has been the
result of “free speech” events and exercises on campus. In those situations, one side will always be left out. We should have understanding minds and accept that others will not always agree. And that is perfectly all right. Rebecca Lewis is a 19-year-old interior design sophomore at AACC. She is registered to vote as an Independent.
philosophies don’t stop be- sorship created Charlotteslieving in their ideals or lose ville. any influence because they Ideas of any sort should are no longer allowed to be allowed in open debate, speak their minds. both in a free society in genInstead, eral and they are forced Ideas of any sort should in places into criminal of higher be allowed in open channels and learning in debate, both in a free particular. feel justified society in general and in political viEven if olence. the ideas in places of higher Especially themselves learning in particular. with the decan provide velopment of nothing of —Samuel H. Bergenholtz the internet, worth, oprelegating something to ob- position is essential in order scurity no longer guarantees to develop and refine your it will disappear. ideas. Censorship won’t preAnd so we can learn vent a Charlottesville. Cen- about how our enemy thinks.
As Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu said, “If you know the enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.” Unless we learn to understand our enemies and use that knowledge to better understand ourselves, we will certainly lose the war of ideas. Samuel H. Bergenholtz is a sophomore transfer studies major. To read the complete version of this piece, visit TheCampusCurrent.com.
On the first day of my Introduction to Philosophy class last Spring, we were about 10 minutes into discussing the curriculum when the teacher asked for a show of hands. “Who in the class voted for and supports Trump?” The atmosphere felt timid and quiet, and only one student raised a hand. The teacher asked the student to explain why. The student said something defensively about agreeing with Trump’s economic plans and not really with anything else. But throughout the rest of the semester that student and the teacher easily had the best discussions in the class; their different perspectives always led to interesting directions to take the curriculum. That same professor also granted extra credit to students just for voicing different opinions and trying to dispute the curriculum. College is and should be an institution of progressive mentality, but every humanities professor I’ve had has discussed the importance of understanding and empathy in the classroom. We should all speak up as much as possible so we can make the most of our time here. It’s a learning experience to be shot down or taught better or challenged. Life is fleeting and the pursuit of knowledge is a privilege not many have. We should make the best of it. Trystan Hay is a 20-year-old environmental engineering major at AACC.
criticisms by their fellow citizens, and that the citizens don’t have to listen to whomever may be speaking. I wouldn’t object if the AACC administration invited a far-right or far-left speaker to come to campus. It has every right—so long as the college does not show any preferred political leanings as a public institution. And those speakers have every right to accept an invitation from the administra-
tion if they choose to. They can speak their minds and voice their thoughts as vigorously as they please. But they do not have the right to an audience. Whether you are speaking at a convention or talking to friends, an audience is a privilege, not a promise. Daniel Salomon is a transfer studies freshman at AACC. He hopes to study linguistics after he transfers.
“Free speech” means different things to different people, but monuments like this one in Philadelphia remind us that it is everyone’s right. Photo by Dawn Pennington
Ideas don’t go away if ignored; colleges should give all a voice Samuel H. Bergenholtz Guest Columnist
Instead of attempting to suppress alleged extremism, colleges should actively try to teach all hostile and combative philosophies from both sides of the fence so we may learn from them and learn how to refute them. It is clear that in Europe and America, colleges have not shied away from censorship and the practice of dis-inviting controversial speakers to silence opinions deemed unacceptable. The problem is, these ideas don’t just go away. The advocates of such
If you would like to respond to these opinions or contribute one of your own, please visit our website for submission guidelines or to leave a comment on an article. TheCampusCurrent.com
Speech, not audience, is a right Daniel Salomon Guest Columnist I will forever support the natural right of the people to speak as they please. But if you speak in a way that your fellow citizens believe is unjust, there may be consequences, like being ostracized from your community. As a culture, we have made the phrases “freedom of speech” and “I can say whatever I want without re-
percussions” synonymous, but that is simply not the case. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble.” Let’s not forget that those liberties also mean people are still subject to
4 | Campus Current | 2017 | October
News
Chief tells spooky tales Continued from page 1 You have just experienced what some would call a haunting. Police Chief Sean Kapfhammer has spent the last year collecting stories about unexplained phenomena at AACC for his second self-published book, “The Ghosts of Anne Arundel Community College and the Surrounding Area,” which will be available at the campus bookstore later this month. To his knowledge, no one has ever died at AACC’s haunted locations. Hauntings can happen anywhere someone spent a lot of time, he says, or in a location where strong emotions were felt. He has never seen or heard any ghosts on campus himself, he says, but people started telling him about their experiences at AACC when they realized he has an interest in the paranormal. “I’ve always been a believer,” he says. “Too many people have seen things; it
can’t all be coincidence.” alone, it’s like, I hear peoHis sources for the book ple in the halls, just walking were mainly public safe- around … or I hear students ty officers on campus, who kind of, you know, rifling often work late shifts after around in their bags,” Hamstudents and staff have gone ilton says. “But there’s nohome and the college is—or body here. … The lights are should be—silent. triggered by a sensor; if anySgt. Stephen Shepet, a body walks through there the night-shift officer who has lights are going to turn on worked at AACC since 1997, automatically.” says he has had three enBefore the pool building counters during his time was closed in August, people here—all of which are in Kap- also reported unexplained fhammer’s book—and that sounds and visions of ghostly others have also told him children playing there. stories that he passed on to The pool building is on Kapfhammer. schedule for demolition to Nine areas at AACC seem make way for a new Health to be haunted, says Kapfham- Sciences building, and it’s mer, includanyone’s “Too many people ing the Draguess whethgun building, have seen things; it can’t er the area the Careers will still be all be coincidence.” building and haunted —Police Chief the Truxal Lionce the pool Sean Kapfhammer brary. is gone. Campus HowevCurrent photography edi- er, Kapfhammer says it’s postor Brandon Hamilton says sible, based on other reported he often hears unexplained hauntings that have persisted noises in the Humanities long after the original strucbuilding when he works late. tures have turned to dust. “When I’m just here So don’t be surprised if
You’re in college
Learn to Transform Join AACC Bonsai Club
Join us for our Club Kickoff! on Wednesday, Oct. 4th from 2:30 - 3:30 P.M.
In HUM 014
Because Any Artist Can Create Bonsai. For more information email us at aaccbonsai@gmail.com or find us on The Nest and on Facebook.
SGA elects officers Elizabeth Spearman Associate Editor for Web
Police Chief Sean Kapfhammer enjoys writing about the paranormal. Photo by Brandon Hamilton you’re walking to your car from the gym one night and notice the ghostly sounds of children laughing, forever playing happily in a pool that no longer exists. Kapfhammer says he plans to donate all proceeds from sales of the book to charity.
The Student Government Association’s Advisory Council re-elected last year’s vice president on Sept. 25. The council, a group of student club leaders, elected Francheska Salazar, second-year law and jurisprudence major who ran against three other people. The council elected three other cabinet members: Secretary Caleb Schaeffer, fifthyear biology major; Treasurer Matt Vosburg, a second year student; and Nontraditional Student Liaison Drew Chrostowksi, a sophmore transfer studies major. “I love the energy [at AACC], and I want students to enjoy the environment here as well,” Salazar said. The Council also elected eight of its 15 senators. Seven more slots are open; volunteers may nominate themselves at the next Advisory Council meeting on Nov. 6.
Bridging diversity gaps Continued from page 1 “I want to build bridges, make connections with everyone on campus,” she said. During her first 45 days, Dennie said she plans to go to student club meetings to introduce herself and get to know the community. She said she wants to know where she is needed from a student perspective and how she can help students be successful and feel more included on campus. A search committee made up of professors and administrative staff selected Dennie as the new chief diversity officer in August. The goal of the position is to make sure the school is “diverse and welcoming,” said Dr. Kellie McCants-Price, psychology professor and chair of the search committee. McCants-Price explained that “diversity” means more than gender and race. It also encompasses sexual orientation, age and disability. “We want everyone to feel welcomed to our campus and to know that AACC caters to everyone,” McCants-Price said. Vice President of Learning Dr. Michael Gavin, also
on the search committee, said Dennie has a very “nuanced approach.” Dan Baum, AACC’s director of public relations and marketing, said the position of chief diversity officer is “relatively new” for community colleges. “[It] is essential on campus. In our current political climate … we want everyone on our campus to feel like they belong,” Baum said. Many students responded positively to the news of Dennie’s hiring. “I didn’t even know that was an actual position,” Liz-
zy Donovan, a Jump Start student, said. “It’s great the school wants to make diversity one of its main focuses; it’s important to make everyone feel included.” Freshman Sylvia Johnson said the position is important, especially “in this day and age.” Dennie replaced AACC’s first chief diversity officer, James Felton III, who held the position for three years. AACC was the first community college in Maryland to hire a chief diversity officer. Club editor Sarah Noble contributed to this report.
AACC’s new chief diversity officer says she will try to make AACC’s campus even more inclusive. Photo by Tre Mooring
October | 2017 | Campus Current | 5
Events encourage civil discourse on campus Continued from page 1 in Maryland to hire a chief diversity officer three years ago. The school’s second chief diversity officer, Dr. Deidra Dennie, started her new job on Sept. 25. In response to the events in Charlottesville, the Division of Learning held a “Rise Above Hate” vigil on Sept. 7, featuring a diverse group of speakers who encouraged an audience of about 50 to engage in civil, rather than hostile, conversations about controversy. The Pascal Gallery outside the Kauffman Theater was full of posters during half of September, allowing students to use their words to express their thoughts on political and civil problems. The exhibit started after a faculty member hung a similar poster near the Martin Luther King statue on West Campus without permission
and officials removed it. The vigil and the exhibit, Lindsay said, were meant to help students respect others’ viewpoints without disrespecting the person. People must become “familiar with the unfamiliar,” Lindsay said. Lindsay also said the college is “looking at our hir-
Muhammad Jameel, president of the Islamic Society of Baltimore, speaks about being tolerant of differences. Photo by Brandon Hamilton
ing practices” and “making sure that we’re moving in the direction that our workforce reflects [our] student [body].” In interviews with Campus Current, most students said freedom of speech is important to them. “Everyone has a right to voice their own opinion,” said Trent Randol, a sophomore English major. Sophomore animation major Nick Potts agreed. “We shouldn’t be avoiding [the free speech issue],” he said. Randol said he feels free to express himself on campus. Lindsay said she wants AACC to be a “model” campus when it comes to allowing students their right to free speech. “I want people to say, ‘Look at AACC because they’re doing it and they’re tackling it,’” she said. “I’m very, very excited.”
News
Posters fill Pascal with civic conversation
Brandon Hamilton Photo Editor Students wrote their political opinions on posters for a Pascal Gallery exhibit that ran until Sept. 14. A sign at the exhibit encouraged students to use provided markers and poster boards to write their thoughts on political and civil prob-
lems and pin them to the walls. Posters included a diverse range of opinions on varied topics, covering everything from organizations such as the anti-fascist movement, Antifa, and political opinions for and against President Donald Trump.
Read more at:
TheCampusCurrent.com
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6 | Campus Current | 2017 | October
Entertainment
Oct. lineup showcases recitals, dance, opera Elizabeth Spearman Associate Editor-Web
Fun and Games
AACC’s Opera Company will celebrate its 15th anniversary on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 with a gala show featuring former students and faculty who have performed at AACC over the years. Here is a roundup of performing arts events coming up in October. Opera AACC More than 135 performers will join the production, including members of AACC’s symphony orchestra. Guest artists include singers from Overlea High School in Baltimore. James Harp, an organist at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, will direct the show. The show is in French, Italian and English, and will take place in the Kauffman Theater. Professor Douglas Byerly
is in charge of the production. “It’s a great and wonderful time for everyone involved,” Byerly said. “I think it’s our best opera and if people have never seen an opera, this show is a great start.” Jazz Clinic AACC’s World Class Jazz will hold a clinic and a concert on Oct. 7. The clinic will take place in CADE 224 and the concert will take place in HUM 112. Amy Shook, a bassist for the band Shook/Russo 5tet will lead the clinic and concert. The clinic is an opportunity for anyone to ask questions of band members and learn about writing music. The concert will consist of original music from different members of the band. They have not picked a set playlist and plan to “go with the flow,” said Shook. Shook explained that the
show is a “great opportunity to give back to the community.” Ian Wardenski, director of the performing arts department, said he is a “great supporter of jazz and live music.” “I’m a fan of the band and thought having them at the college will be fun,” Wardenski said. Students said they are excited to attend the jazz concert. “I’ve heard of the band before so I am excited to see them and I think jazz is fun to listen to,” Kelly Jahnigen, a second-year Spanish major, said. Maasai Dancers On Oct. 10, Maasai Dancers from Kenya will appear at the Pascal Center for Performing Arts on campus. The dancers will present traditional Kenyan Maasai music, dance, crafts and storytelling.
Student actors Grant Scherin (left), Jonas PallaroSomneborn and Alec Moyes are rehearsing for the upcoming play “Neverwhere” opening on Nov. 3. Photo by Roxanne Ready The event is a partnership with World Artists Experiences, a non-profit organization that bridges international understanding through citizen and cultural diplomacy, according to the group’s website. The performance will double as a fundraiser to help install working wells in Kenya. “I think it’s good the school is bringing in performances from different countries,” Jasmine Hall, a second-year computer science
major, said. “I think that it will be interesting to see.” Other Events • The Theatre club will host a haunted house on Oct. 13 that will double as a fundraiser to help raise money for the club. • AACC’s part-time and full-time music staff will hold its annual Fall faculty recital on Oct. 20. • In addition to the October events, the Performing Arts Department will hold its fall show “Neverwhere” on Nov. 3, 4, 10, 11 and 12.
Did you know?
AACC’s EMT Department owns an ambulance for pratice use AACC’s Emergency Medical Technician Department has an operating ambulance parked on campus. Students studying to become paramedics, emergency medical technicians and emergency medical responders use the ambulance for practice and testing. The ambulance, which AACC bought used for $3,000, was once part of the Annapolis Fire Department fleet.
?
Looking for answers? Check TheCampusCurrent.com on Oct. 6.
?
Reporting by Tre Mooring Photo by Brandon Hamltion
October | 2017 | Campus Current | 7
Entertainment
Alumnus writer presents book Shelby Vetter Reporter An AACC alumnus returned for the third time on Sept. 21 to read an excerpt from his latest novel. Horror writer Ronald Malfi, a 1997 graduate of AACC, came to read a portion of his newest novel “Bone White.” In Malfi’s latest book, which came out in July, the main character Paul sets out to find his twin brother Danny, who he believes is missing in Alaska. On his website, Malfi calls “Bone White” his “creepiest book to date.” Malfi explained that horror fiction was the first thing he “gravitated towards.” “As a kid, I was terrified of everything,” Malfi told the audience. “But I think a lot of people who are afraid of things kind of like to be scared.”
Malfi credits Stephen King as a “very big influence.” After the reading, Malfi held a question-and-answer session and offered copies of his new book for sale to participants. The questions ranged from how he got into the genre to advice and writing tips for aspiring authors in the crowd. Abigail Dismore, firstyear baking and pastry major, said she “gained a lot” from the reading. “I’ve always been interested in writing, and the fact that it was a horror writer reading really interested me,” Dismore said. Amaranth, AACC’s student literary magazine, published Malfi’s story, “Blue,” in 1997. Malfi has won a number of literary awards, including the American Library Association’s Year’s Best in Genre Fiction 2016.
White Stripes artist advises Brandon Hamilton Photo Editor
Author Ronald Malfi shares an excerpt from his latest novel. Photo by Sarah Alonso
Michael Byzewski shows his screen printing process before his talk. Photo by Brandon Hamilton
On Tuesday, October 10th In Room 340 of Careers Guest Speaker:
Dave Helmly from Adobe Systems, Inc. will be talking about
Social Media and
Adobe Applications
for Business
An artist who designed posters for the rock duo The White Stripes told AACC students Sept. 20 it’s hard to get work in the screen printing industry. “The music industry is so saturated with people … that it’s harder to get work doing it and getting paid for it,” said Michael Byzewski, founder of Aesthetic Apparatus, a screen printing business in Minneapolis. “[Byzewski] allowed us to really ask him a lot of questions [about] a very difficult job to get into as a beginner artist,” said sophomore Edgar Salomon, a visual arts student. “As art students, [it’s] our dream job.” Typically, Byzewski designs posters for four or five bands throughout the year. In an interview with Campus Current before his
presentation, Byzewski said he builds his posters around the “vibe” and emotion coming from the music his clients produce. “[The design] might not be a literal idea, but just an abstract response to what I hear,” Byzewski said. Byzewski said a lot of his inspiration comes from collecting work from other artists or found objects and using those various styles and designs to create something new. “[I use] a lot of things found out on the streets: old advertising, old ad work, old medical illustrations on anatomy,” he said. Byzewski has made posters for a number of bands throughout the years, including Cake, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Heart. “He was super approachable and the art is absolutely beautiful,” said Kat Pheiffer, a returning visual arts student.
MATTHEW DIFFEE On Tuesday, October 17th, at the Kauffman Theater, New Yorker cartoonist, Author, and TED Talk speaker Ma�hew Diffee will be presen�ng "How to Be An Idea Factory," a laugh filled mul�media journey into the crea�ve process.
Topics:
IMDb credits:
Adobe Premier Pro Editorial Support for Deadpool and Hail, Caesar!
• How to generate great ideas (and not so great ideas) • 1,000 ideas can lead to one great idea • Accidents happen • Where will your next BIG idea come from?
Also, check out Dave’s Tech Table on Youtube
RSVP at: h�ps://nest.aacc.edu/event/1360292
Events start at 3:30 P.M.
For more info email esi@aacc.edu
8 | Campus Current | 2017 | October
Campus Life
Over-50 students face atypical experiences Catherine O’Reilly Reporter As Dr. Terry Portis sits in his typically quiet office in the Johnson building, he looks out of his high-set windows and can see the red and yellow decaying leaves of the birch tree that hangs over it. Today is a different sort of day for Portis. Normally his students would sit across from him, laying out their plans and aspirations for school. But today the two guys in his office glare at each other sideways. Both men had ended up in the hospital because of an on-campus bathroom scuffle that broke out over a woman. It’s not the first time Portis has had to suspend students, but it was the first time they were 75-year-old men. These students were banged-up and beaten, but not from each other. One
threw out his back during the classroom by providing the scuffle, and the other had flat-rate options and, in some swollen hands from both ar- cases, waiving tuition. “In recent years peothritis and from a missed punch that landed on the ple in their 50s and 60s, or even older, are starting new towel dispenser. Portis, the director of careers, new endeavors and AACC’s Center on Aging, said looking to make a difference their experience was not typ- like never before,” said Porical. But then again, the ex- tis. periences of older, returning “To live and to thrive, students usually aren’t. not just survive these days The National Center for you have got to get an assoEducation Statistics reports ciate’s degree,” said Faith 3.8 percent of Round-Tiggett, college students “To live and to thrive 57, an employwere older than ... these days you ee at the Trux50 in 2013. have got to get an al Library and According student. “[Going to Portis, more associate’s degree.” than 3,800 Faith Round-Tiggett,57 back to school] students oldcan be done, er than 50 are enrolled at but it’s a matter of what valAACC. These students take ue you put on it,” said Jane classes for a range of reasons, West, a 62-year-old secincluding personal enrich- ond-semester student. She ment, certifications and to said life has a tendency to get further career opportunities. in the way. “I volunteer, have Maryland encourages a house, a child and elderly older students to return to parents to take care of, but
Mark Lindley, a first-year student and former entrepreneurial professor, is taking classes at AACC. Photo by Morgan Gordon I am fortunate to have a balanced life.” Many older students bring years of professional experience to the classroom. “After successfully completing two careers, I wanted to start my own business,” said Jeannette Twigg, a second-year student and 23year Army Reserve veteran. “Starting over is intimidating, but you have to step out of your comfort zone.” The 63-year-old is in two entrepreneurial studies courses, which are helping her develop her idea for a discounted wedding service.
For some non-traditional students, taking classes is more about lifelong learning than changing careers. “If you stop doing and thinking and working with people you might as well lay down in the grass,” said Mary McKiel, a 70-year-old creative writing student with nearly 40 years of federal service. “Being at school has become a priority for me.” Twigg summed up her college experience: “Whether you’re 19 or 89, be open-minded and don’t judge on appearance. Everyone has something to offer.”
Service learning offers real-world life lessons Jennifer Perry Reporter
About 1,000 AACC students participate in learning projects outside of their classrooms each year. The college offers more than 1,000 courses that follow a traditional classroom format. But Cathy Doyle, director of the Sarbanes Center on campus, encourages students to consider experiential learning. The Sarbanes Center allows students to intern, research local issues, study abroad and volunteer, using lessons from class to gain experience in the real world. Doyle said she has a vision for every student at AACC to have one experiential learning experience before leaving college. “Opportunities to get out of the classroom offer students so much capability for career exploration” besides earning college credit, she said. Creative writing student Yanii Velez said she had not heard of experiential or service learning, but “would take advantage” of an op-
portunity to get her writing published if she knew about it. According to Doyle, this type of experience is “critical” to students whether they are on their way to a four-year school, entering the workforce for the first time or furthering their education to switch careers. AACC transfer student Jake Wilkerson said he was not familiar with all of the programs, but would be interested in studying abroad. “I would go somewhere if it was a Spanish-speaking country because I’m learning to speak Spanish,” he said. “Immersion is one of the quickest ways to pick up a language.” Doyle said lack of awareness about experiential learning is a challenge. Most of the college’s programs do not require internships, and students interested in volunteering for credit must sign up for courses with a designated service learning component. But Doyle said she is not focused on recruiting students as much as she is looking to get more faculty
on board to integrate experiential learning into their syllabi. Some professors already offer internships and experiences outside of the classroom. One example is Dr. Dan Nataf, the director of the Center for the Study of Local Issues, a department within the Sarbanes Center. Nataf said the center serves a dual function of collecting information and helping students learn about surveys and data collection. “AACC is the ideal place because the reach is primarily [Anne Arundel] County,” he said. Students administer surveys to county residents, serve as interns to support data analysis and sometimes participate in other research projects funded by clients from outside the school. Wilkerson also said he planned to participate in one of the CSLI surveys to “experience it and learn something new.” “It seems like an interesting approach to learning outside of a classroom setting,” he said.
October | 2017 | Campus Current | 9
Culinary students visit Italy for summer study Elizabeth Spearman Associate Editor for Web Some students use the summer to relax, but a few of AACC’s culinary students spent their time working alongside some of the best cooks in Italy. For the past 13 years, AACC’s Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute, or HCAT, has given its students the opportunity to do their required internships along the Amalfi Coast in Italy. “Students work 60 hours a week or more and learn what it is really like to be in some of the best restaurants in the world,” said Chef David Ludwig, an instructional specialist at AACC. The Amalfi Coast is a stretch of coastline in southern Italy and is known for some of the best resorts, restaurants and hotels in the world. “It’s the most intense
work-life environment ever,” Eric Johns, a former AACC culinary student, said. “I loved the challenge.” Between two and 10 students go every year. The Italy internship costs $4,500 plus tuition. A separate, 16-week study abroad program at City of Glasgow College in Scotland costs $6,800. Once students apply and get accepted into the programs, they can apply for financial aid and scholarships through AACC. “They come back superstars; it is like a year’s worth of learning in those 10 weeks,” Ludwig said. AACC’s relationship with City of Glasgow College began when officials there launched a new building and reached out to a number of colleges around the world, including AACC. “They are very aggressive about including internation-
al partners,” Ludwig said. “[We thought], they have a culinary program; we have a culinary program. Wouldn’t it be great to get our two culinary programs [together] and see how things go?” City of Glasgow is the largest college in Europe. It is known as a “super college” because it is made up of 11 different colleges. In addition to a study abroad program, City of Glasgow College sponsors a cooking competition that AACC participates in. Four students and two AACC faculty members went to City of Glasgow College in October 2016 to participate in the competition, called the Atlantic Cup. The Atlantic Cup is similar to the Food Network show “Chopped,” in which contestants have a limited amount of time to create a meal from an allotment of ingredients.
Campus Life
AACC’s student culinary team competes against City of Glasgow College’s cooking students during an October visit last year. Photo courtesy of the AACC HCAT Institute The Glasgow team won the competition in 2016 and then came to AACC to compete again in July 2017. This time around, team Glasgow reclaimed its title as the champion. Carrie Svoboda, an AACC former student and an adjunct faculty member, described the trip as a “once-ina-lifetime experience.” Even though no students
enrolled to study abroad in Glasgow this semester, the relationship between the two schools is continuing to grow. Ludwig said he would like to see at least five students a year go to both the Italy and Glasgow studyabroad programs. He said he would also like students from City of Glasgow to study at AACC.
Redefine Yourself
Do you want to start or grow your own business? AACC’s Entrepreneurial Studies Ins�tute can help you achieve your goals. Whether your interest is culinary, engineering, construc�on, or floral design, if you’re looking to start or expand a small business, Anne Arundel Community College’s Entrepreneurship program can provide the tools you need to be successful.
What we offer:
• Entrepreneurship courses to accommodate even the busiest of schedules, cer�ficates and an associates degree designed to prepare aspiring entrepreneurs for success in business. • Scholarships (up to $10,000) to pay for tui�on, fees, books and business start-up costs. • Access to experienced entrepreneurs for advising and mentoring. • Business Pitch and Big Idea compe��ons. • Events including workshops and guest speakers. • A small business resource center and student business incubator.
The Ratcliffe Scholarship deadline is Noon October 31st! For more informa�on, Call 410-777-2066 or email esi@aacc.edu.
To learn more, visit www.aacc.edu/esi or www.nest.aacc.edu/organiza�on/esi
10 | Campus Current | 2017 | October
Campus Life
Pres. reflects on 1st 5 years Jennifer Perry Reporter Five years into her tenure as AACC’s president, Dr. Dawn Lindsay said she is “very passionate” about her headway on student engagement and diversity. “I’m really excited about … [AACC’s] strategic plan,” Lindsay told Campus Current. “I’m very glad that we’re focusing on completion because ultimately that’s [why] our students come. They come to get their educational goal [and] become employed in their area.” The strategic plan focuses on three areas: recruiting students to AACC; engaging them while they are here; and helping them graduate with an associate’s degree or certificate. The plan includes a focus on improving connections between students and the college’s faculty and services.
Sophomore Steve Stevenson said the sense of community at the college and interactions with other students “definitely makes you want to be here.” And according to Lindsay, research shows a proportional relationship between how well students are connected to their campus and whether they achieve their educational goals. Second-year student Gia Quintana said she agreed. “Let’s say there’s a kid in your class who you’re also friends with,” she said. “That means you’re going to spend time with them working on assignments; you’re going to learn more from them. They help you, and then you help them, and then you pass the class together.” Lindsay said she also is proud of the college’s work on diversity and inclusion. Diversity, Lindsay said, applies to more than race and
Dr. Dawn Lindsay, who celebrates her fifth year as AACC president this year, says she is most proud of her work on student engagement and diversity. Photo by Judi Handel ethnicity, encompassing age, gender, disability, economics and sexual orientation. She said the college is “working to make sure that students of all backgrounds and all life experiences feel comfortable on this campus. ... If people feel comfortable, they’re more likely to stay.” But Stevenson said diversity and inclusion happens naturally within groups of students. “It’s more like whoever’s around that we like, we just hang out with them,” he said.
“We’re not actively seeking a more diverse situation.” Quintana agreed that diversity comes naturally. She said the college exposes her to diversity “in the sense that I learned different skill sets I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise … and we all have different thoughts and opinions.” Speaking about the future, Lindsay said she sees the college “really benefiting Anne Arundel County as a whole, obviously influencing the state and continuing to influence people on a na-
tional level, because we are a national leader and we take a lot of pride in that.” The president said she came to AACC five years ago because it was “a great college. … I didn’t create a great college. I came here because this college is amazing. Very committed, very student-focused. I came because I perceived it to be a winning team.” As for moving on to another school in the future, Lindsay said: “This is my last stop. That’s my plan. I want to retire from Anne Arundel.”
A ride to remember
Activity light on patrol Brad Dress Reporter
Working as the crime reporter for Campus Current is an exercise in patience. Few crimes occur on the Arnold campus, and most of them are petty thefts. So I spent most of my year on the police beat waiting to cover crimes that never occurred. When I joined a ridealong with police officer Donald Medtart, then, I was primed for an exciting couple of hours. I got a taste when Medtart, driving slowly up West Campus near the CADE building, suddenly bucked his car forward, and just like that, he was in action, his muscles rigid as he slammed on the accelerator and sped up. His finger snaked down to a button that turned on the police car’s lights. I was in for a ride. Medtart slanted his neck down and spoke into his radio, telling a fellow officer that he found “the yellow Jeep.” Then Medtart lurched forward and gained speed, and we were behind the Jeep. I watched as the driver slowly pulled to the side.
Another officer pulled behind Medtart, and they both went over to investigate. I was craning my neck almost out of the window to see if I had a nice, breaking news story on my hands. But I didn’t see anything. When Medtart climbed back into the cruiser, he explained that the other officer, Jeffrey Pevo, had been looking for a yellow Jeep that drove onto campus. The driver blew by a senior citizen near the Y and flung a McDonald’s cup at him. That behavior is not tolerated, Medtart said. I saw enough action after that to satisfy me. Medtart pulled over a driver for failing to stop at three stop signs, and I was able to interview the guy for a Campus Current story about the increasing number of pullovers on campus. Then, the officer pulled into a spot where he could watch a heavy speeding zone and see who was winging it out of campus. He casually pulled a radar gun from his backseat. Medtart pointed the gun at incoming traffic and explained that it picks up its high-pitch noise the faster
the speed of the car. After a few minutes, the gun screamed like a whirring alarm, and Medtart was off. The driver was doing 30 in a 15 mph zone. The speeder got a warning, but I couldn’t interview him because he was—obviously—in a rush. Medtart said most campus drivers who speed either don’t know that 99 percent of campus has a 15 mph speed limit, or they are simply rushing to class. As we drove around campus, Medtart pointed out the locations where drivers are most likely to pose a serious risk. Many accidents occur outside of the Student Union building because so many drivers run the stop sign there. Medtart said they roll right through it, and sometimes hit cars that are backing out of the parking spots, where a driver may be picking other students up. But the parking lots are where most accidents occur, Medtart said. “Students think they can speed in the parking lots,” he said, noting that there are no speeding signs in the lots, but drivers should know not to speed in them.
Come Join the Laughter Tuesday, October 10th at 4 p.m. Kauffman Theater
Students Out to Destroy Assumptions, Student Engagement and Disability Support Services have combined their superpowers to host comedian extraordinaire, Josh Sundquist. The Event is free and refreshments will be provided. Meet and Greet with Josh after the show.
October | 2017 | Campus Current | 11
Campus Life
Report shows minority grad rates increasing Roxanne Ready Editor-in-Chief
Black students who enrolled at AACC as freshmen in 2012 were more likely to graduate or transfer to another college than those who started in 2011, according to an Oct. 1 report. The graduation rate had fallen to 40.2 percent—an all-time low—among black students who first enrolled in Fall 2011, according to a report the college submitted to the Maryland Higher Education Commission. The report explained that in 2011, enrollment was at its peak because of high unemployment associated with the recession. But as the economy recovered and students found jobs, the report said, they left AACC. The graduation-transfer rate rebounded to 46.3 percent for students who started in Fall 2012, the report said.
Retention—when a student stays in school from one Fall to the next—was up 5.9 percent among black students in the 2012 cohort, and 2 percent for Asian students. Still, said Dr. Mike Gavin, AACC’s vice president of learning, “There’s an inequity in our outcomes for students.” At an August meeting for all faculty and staff, he added, “We need to change our systems in order to offer resources to students who need them in a different way.” For Latino students, however, retention dropped by 5.8 percent. Community colleges in Maryland are required to track their progress in six broad goals set by MHEC, including one of increasing diversity. More than one-third of AACC students enrolled in credit classes are minorities. In April of 2016, AACC
adopted a strategic plan with a goal to “establish a collegewide framework that intentionally addresses issues of diversity, equity and inclusion.” Psychology professor Dr. Kelly McCants-Price told Campus Current the college can accomplish this by ensuring that students see people like themselves in the curriculum. “Otherwise some of them may feel like … this curriculum or this subject matter is not something that’s meant for me; I’m not meant to be successful,” McCants-Price said. “Professors need to go the extra mile to show you that it’s possible.” “Right now, I mean … I don’t really see ‘me’ being in [the curriculum],” junior Lanija Wallace said about her sociology course. “More like, old guys, none of them African American.” The college has set up an
More than 46 percent of non-white students who started at AACC in 2012 graduated or transferred by 2016. Photo by Brandon Hamilton “equity response team” to help determine how courses can better represent and accommodate students. The team is first focusing on making equity improvements to nine high-enrollment, low-success courses, like Psychology 111. Possible changes include creating common syllabi and ensuring all videos used in classes are closed-captioned. Some classes already make efforts to promote diversity and communication. “There are a lot of ethnic groups [in my classes],” business sophomore London Sutton said. “Especially in my communication class … we just did an intro of our-
selves and we actually just explained some of what our culture is, some of what we believe in as people. That was cool.” But McCants-Price said the college still has more work to do. “There’s some folks who look at their courses and they say … this whole conversation about race, diversity, all this other stuff, this is not relevant to my curriculum or I don’t have time to cover it,” McCants-Price said. She said classes in any subject can benefit from using examples of people of color, different genders, socio-economic class or sexual orientation.
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12 | Campus Current | 2017 | October
Campus Life
Events honor Hispanic heritage: arts, food, fun Sarah Sutherland Campus Life Editor
in the SUN building Sept. 21, challenging students to test their knowledge of Hispanic countries and pop culture to win cash prizes. An exhibit by Ramon Menocal called “Perspectivas Latinas” is in the Pascal Art Gallery until Oct. 15. It is based on the African and Spanish influences on Cuban culture. The Truxal Library also has Hispanic books and artifacts on display and held a veterans’ event on Sept. 28. Finally, AACC’s Child Development Center will host an arts-and-crafts event in Humanities 015 on Oct. 4 at 10 a.m. “Participate in all the cultural experiences that we offer here at AACC,” said Cordero-Puchales. “[Learn-
Scott Kettner and his band Nation Beat perform in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Photo by Brandon Hamilton ing about other cultures] creates awareness and might eliminate potential stereotypes that we might have.” Students agreed that holding events for different cultures is important to pro-
mote diversity on campus. “I think it can raise people’s awareness, give them a chance to try something new and experience new cultures,” said continuing education student Mary Smith.
Photo by Brandon Hamilton
AACC observed Hispanic Heritage Month in September with music, food and art. The month kicked off on Sept. 15 with the Latino Club handing out “tres leches” cake, a sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk. “Most people don’t know about the Hispanic culture,” said Latino Club President Diana Perez. “They don’t know about the traditions … so it is really nice to make them aware of those.” For Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, AACC focused on Arabic influences within Hispanic culture, designing events to show the roots of Hispanic history and
to celebrate similarities between the two cultures. “Awareness is key,” said Samuel Cordero-Puchales, AACC Hispanic Heritage Month coordinator. On Sept. 16, Scott Kettner and his Brazilian-Southern U.S. fusion band Nation Beat held a Brazilian Maracatu drumming workshop and a concert. Transfer studies student Ava Eder, who attended the workshop, said it’s important for AACC to hold events like this because they “show how unique and interesting other cultures are.” On Sept. 20, a family event that included music, guest speakers and food attracted many people from the AACC community. A game show took place
Photo by MaryJane Arausa
Photo by Sarah Sutherland
Photo by Brandon Hamilton
Photo by Brandon Hamilton
Celebration of Heritage People come together at a variety of events to learn about and celebrate Hispanic cultures during Hispanic Heritage Month.
October | 2017 | Campus Current | 13
Campus police officer recalls life in Vietnam By Brad Dress Reporter When he heard the news that the war was ending in Vietnam on April 6, 1975, Dung Do didn’t celebrate, cry tears of joy or rejoice that the soldiers were finally returning home. The first thing he did was remember a solemn promise he had made to his fiancee, who was rooted in South Vietnam with nine siblings as the North prepared to take control of the South. He had promised Dzung Le, his fiancee, that when the war ended, he would find a way to bring her to Maryland, where he lives, and marry her. But Vietnam was falling to the North, so he had to act quickly. He flew to Saigon soon after, swearing to uphold the promise he had made to Le. “[If I] tell you [I’ll] do
something, I will do it,” Do said. “I may not be the fastest … but I will keep my word.” Do, now a police officer at AACC, was born in Hanoi, North Vietnam, in 1950. But in 1954, he and his family fled to South Vietnam as the first seeds of communism began to spread in the North. Do said his family moved into Saigon, the former capital of the South, and he continued his education until 1967, when he decided not to finish high school. Instead he joined the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, the South’s army. Do said he had chosen “the reverse” among his age group, because many other young South Vietnamese chose education over a conflicting war between communism and the republic. Do said he ran away from his family at age 16, bought a fake birth certificate and enlisted. His family moved
to the United States shortly after, leaving Do without any familial connections in the warring country. “At the time, people tried to avoid the draft,” Do said. “[But] I decided that I wanted to serve my country first.” Do said he fought in the infantry for four years, largely in Central Vietnam and the North at first. He added that he fought alongside the airborne and American Special Forces against the threat of communism. Do was wounded twice. After he took a shot to his leg, he was medically discharged from the war. His family was able to pull him out of the country in 1974 by getting a doctor in Baltimore to write a letter recommending he treat Do here. But when the country fell a year later, Do took a plane back to Vietnam to keep his promise to his fiancee.
Campus Life
AACC Police Officer Dung Do pauses during a routine patrol of the campus. Do relocated from Vietnam to Maryland after serving in the Vietnam war. Photo by Brandon Hamilton “They were very surprised to see me,” Do said. “No one expected me to come back.” Using his green card, Do was able to escort Le and her nine siblings out on the last flight to leave the country before the airport closed. Chi Scholl, Do’s sister-inlaw, said she and everyone in the family is still “very thankful” for what he did.
“I couldn’t imagine a 25-year-old doing that now,” Scholl said. “That was a lot of responsibility. All of my siblings … see him as the figurehead of the family.” Do and Le still live in Maryland. Since 2008, he has worked as a police officer at AACC. Scholl said Do has “finally found a job he loves” at AACC.
Date: Saturday October 14, 2017 [2:00pm] Location: Subway in Careers Cost: $5.00 for Members $10.00 for Non-Members Ocean City is filled with ghosts! Join The History Club in Ocean City, and we will tell you all about them. On this two-hour tour, we will tell you who they are, where they hang out, and the ends these troubled souls will go to haunt and torment you! We hope you don’t get too scared. For more information, please visit nest.aacc.edu/organization/history NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION AACC is an equal opportunity, affirmative action, Title IX, ADA Title 504 compliant institution. For information on AACC’s compliance and complaints concerning discrimination or harassment, contact the federal compliance officer at 410-777-2607 or Maryland Relay 711.
14 | Campus Current | 2017 | October
Sports
Women’s soccer team looks to championship Seamus McCarthy Sports Editor Riverhawks Women’s Soccer set four main goals for their 2017 season: get better as a team, beat Community College of Baltimore County Catonsville and Montgomery College, and win regionals en route to a national championship. Since the first day of training, according to the players and coaches, the team has transformed from mediocre to a contender for a national championship. Head coach Karin Victorio, in her second season with the team, said one of the biggest challenges of coaching at a community college is “the nature of the environment here.” She said because the athletes don’t stay at community college
for four years like university players, and because the season is just three months long, “we spend the first month getting people fit again.” Losing that month took “a toll” on the team’s preparation for the upcoming season. In fact, the team lost its first two games against Onondaga Community College in New York and Harford Community College. However, by mid-September the team was on a two-game winning streak and had brought its record up to 3-2-1. Defensive player Jaclyn Mullan, a third-year business major, said the team’s biggest problem during the early games of the season was “communication, placement and first touch.” Third-year psychology
major Lexie McArdle, a midfielder, agreed with Mullan. She stressed the team has keyed on those three problems in recent weeks of practice. The Riverhawks are “finally becoming the team we want to be,” Deanna Valerian, a second-year paramedic/EMT student, said. The players said their next big challenge is a matchup on Oct. 6 against Catonsville, a pride game against assistant coach Kate Laukhart’s alma mater. “We want to prove to her that we are better, and she wants us to prove her right,” McArdle said. The real test, however, comes on Oct. 13 against Montgomery College, the players and coaches said. According to Victorio, in the history of women’s soccer at
AACC, Montgomery College has always been a great rival. She said she is excited to see the team step up and win this game so they can finally focus on the main goal: regionals. Kallee O’Connor, a second-year pre-nursing student, said she doesn’t want to “barely make it to region-
als like last year.” She said she and her teammates want to be on a winning streak going into the playoffs in late October. Victorio said she has “hope for a good season” and for a good fan turnout at future games. “Having people cheer for you gives us that little extra nudge,” she said.
AACC Women’s Volleyball lost their fourth match, 3-0, against the Chesapeake Skipjacks on Sept. 12. With this loss, the Riverhawks are 0-4 to start the season, but head coach Gregory McDivitt said he still has high hopes for his team to progress. “We have a lot of young players this year,” McDivitt said. “We have a new setter
so it just takes time to get used to [her] because of the communication factor.” This is McDivitt’s second year coaching as the head coach for the team. “I think we’re doing well; we just need to communicate a little bit more,” said second-year player and new captain Ciara Lindemann. McDivitt said he handpicked Lindemann to be the captain because of her academic achievements and volleyball proficiency.
“She is all-around a great person,” McDivitt said. “She’s a vocal leader on and off the court and she does very well in school.” First-year player Victoria Smith said the team needs to work on communication skills but she has had a lot of fun already this year. “They all are amazing players,” Smith said. McDivitt said he is optimistic that the season will end with more success than it started with.
“We’re off to a rough start,” said second-year leftback Keitlyn Pruett. “[But] we’re still developing as a team with the short amount of time that we’ve had.” “We need to improve how we play offensively and defensively,” said midfielder Edgar Obendo, a second-year player. Men’s Soccer has five regular-season games left to play before the playoffs start on Oct. 26.
Keityn Pruett (center) scores a goal during a Men’s Soccer game against NOVA Community College. Photo by Sarah Alonso
Volleyball sets up for upcoming challenges Vincent Moreland Reporter
Carly Bohlen (left), Cailin Jones and Brighde Williamson play against the Chesapeake Shipjacks on Sept. 12. Photo by Brandon Hamilton
Players aim higher as season moves forward Vincent Moreland Reporter Despite an early season filled with ups and downs, the Men’s Soccer coach and players have said they have high hopes for the rest of the season. “The guys are working hard,” head coach Nick Cosentino said. “I think by playoff time we’ll be in good shape. … We have a good core of players.”
The team needs to focus on improving its defense, Cosentino said. Cosentino has been head coach for Men’s Soccer for 11 years. He said he enjoys coaching new players every season. “Some coaches may not like it, but to me it’s a challenge,” said Cosentino. “You’ve got a whole new group to work with and find out how to work the pieces to the puzzle.”
Goalkeeper Deanna Valerien passes to Defender Jaclyn Mullan during a Women’s Soccer practice. Photo by Brandon Hamilton
October | 2017 | Campus Current | 15
Sports
Lacrosse players work toward better season Seamus McCarthy Sports Editor Watching a championship team is like watching a duck gliding smoothly across the water. No one sees that beneath the surface is a ferocious churning of feet and an exhausting amount of hard work and determination. For Men’s Lacrosse, feet have already started churning, months before the spring season will begin, as they participate in “fall ball” practices filled with drills and conditioning. The Riverhawks are not alone. Lacrosse programs across the country already are running practices, trying
to gain a leg up on the competition for the spring season. Last season, Men’s Lacrosse finished fifth in the country, but second-year head coach Joe Stanilaus said he expects to do better this year because the team is larger. “This year is different,” Stanilaus said. “Instead of the 13 or 14 kids in practice, we are closer to 50.” Second-year player Charlie Ellis said the extra players could give the team a better chance of staying in games longer. Ellis and his coach agreed fall ball practices are crucial to the success of the
upcoming spring season. Ellis said athletes who attend fall practices are more “dedicated to being better, and willing to give their time up to knock some of the rust off of their sticks” than athletes who only play in the spring. “Fall ball is important because it gives us a chance to come together, learn all the other players’ skills and how we play together,” team captain and second-year attacker Dylan Morton said. “[It] builds up our chemistry for the upcoming spring season.” Stanilaus said athletes who missed this fall season and would like to play in spring should get in touch
with him “immediately.” “If you’re not enrolled yet, that’s one thing, but if you’re just missing practice and skipping the fall, then you’re going to be behind the curve and at the end of the list for the spring season,” Stanilaus said. Men’s Lacrosse practices every Monday, Wednesday
and Friday from 3:30 to 5 p.m. behind the baseball field. The team will scrimmage against George Washington College on Oct. 14, and will participate in a round-robin tournament with Catholic University, Fairleigh Dickenson University and Southern Virginia University on Oct. 21.
to become a community program, not just soccer teams,” Karin Victorio, head coach of Women’s Soccer, said. “We’re building kind of a fan base and future-player base.” AACC athletes agreed the clinic was a good idea. “I love working with little kids,” first-year student Angelina Horan, a midfielder, said, adding it was “nice to see” the kids coming in after the program started. “I just love seeing the kids having fun,” Victorio said. “That’s the best part … whether they’re dancing to the music that’s playing, or they’re happy to see Swoop, or they’re happy to be play-
ing whatever soccer game they’re playing.” Victorio said she liked seeing the older kids interacting with the young players. The outreach included a fundraiser for the AACC food pantry, the Student Achievement and Success Programs, and Suicide Prevention Education. People could also donate to the U.S. Soccer Federation’s Passback Program, which collects used soccer equipment and distributes it to children in underserved communities. This was the first year players held the clinic. Players on both teams said they hope to hold another.
Student athletes reach out to community kids Mike Wilhelm Reporter
Soccer player Jaclyn Mullan (top left) and AACC mascott Swoop (bottom) pose with children at an event. Photos by James Haggerty
Men’s Lacrosse players pose after a fall ball practice session, months before their regular season. Photo by Roxanne Ready
AACC Men’s and Women’s Soccer invited Anne Arundel County kids to Siegert Field on Sept. 16 to share skills and encourage them to consider playing here in the future. The kids are all part of soccer teams in the county and range from 8 to 12 years old. The teams’ outreach offered the players and coaches the opportunity to interact with the community outside of their regular games. “I love that it gives both of our programs—Men’s and Women’s Soccer—a chance
October Schedule Women’s Soccer Wed. 4 Fri. 6
Men’s Soccer
Women’s Volleyball
Women’s Cross Country
AACC Alumni
6:00 PM Tue. 3
Frederick Community College
5:00 PM Wed. 4
Howard Community College
7:00 PM Sat. 14
at Gettysburg College, PA
11:30 AM
CCBC Catonsville
6:00 PM Fri. 6
CCBC Catonsville
4:00 PM Thu. 5
at Montgomery College (MD)
6:00 PM Sat. 21
at Hagerstown Community College
TBA
Tue. 10
College of Southern Maryland
5:00 PM Tue. 10
College of Southern Maryland
7:00 PM Tue. 10
Northern Virginia Community College
7:00 PM
Fri. 13
at Montgomery College (MD)
2:00 PM Fri. 13
at Montgomery College (MD)
4:00 PM Thu. 12
at Harford Community College
6:00 PM
Tue. 17
at Stevenson University JV 4:00 PM Thu. 19 Potomac State College of WVU 7:00 PM Tue. 17 at Frederick Community College 6:00 PM
Thu. 19
Potomac State College of WVU
5:00 PM Thu. 26
Thu. 26
TBA
TBA
Sat. 28
Sat. 28
TBA
TBA
Sun. 29
Sun. 29
TBA
TBA
First Round of NJCAA DIII Region 20 Tournament
TBA
Fri. 20
at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College
Second Round of NJCAA DIII Region 20 Tournament
TBA
Sat. 28
at HOST - Butler County Community College - PA
TBA
TBA
Sun. 29
at HOST - Butler County Community College - PA
TBA
Championship Round of NJCAA DIII Region 20 Tournament
7:00 PM
For scores and more information go to aaccathletics.com
16 | Campus Current | 2017 | October
To be named
8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays | 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays
Nov. 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12
Robert E. Kauffman Theater In the Pascal Center for Performing Arts Recommended for ages 13 and above TICKETS $20 general admission $15 for groups of 10 or more, AACC faculty and staff, students, seniors and veterans $5 for advance sales to AACC students ($15 starting Nov. 2) For ticket reservations and information contact the Box Office at 410-777-2457 or boxoffice@aacc.edu 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 410777-1239, complianceofficer@aacc.edu or Maryland Relay 711. 9/17