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Cynthia Vasquez

There's no one else out there that's going to push you if you're not going to push yourself.

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Wayne Johnson II

It's been a while since I've had to write and do math.

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In the weeds

Effie unearthed a passion for landscape design and nature at AACC.

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Pre-apprenticeship pays off

Deon’s journey is an example how a pre-apprenticeship program can open doors to fulling careers and make an impact in the workforce.

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Mother and Daughter Make Most of Ratcliffe Scholarship Program

When Theresa Bustanoby saw the impact the Radcliffe Scholarship Program had on her daughter Tia, she was inspired to begin her own entrepreneurial journey.

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Bridging Worlds: The Art of Belonging

Arts integration is the practice of combining arts education with other academic subjects to encourage students to explore and understand complex concepts that might be challenging through more traditional teaching methods alone. With their shared love of the arts, professors of anthropology and English came together to create an arts integration for their students.

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Change leads to unexpected opportunities

Emily Archer returned to AACC to pursue a new path and found unexpected passion along the way.

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Gaining Perspective Through Her Internship

Alyssa Rakowski graduated from AACC in May 2023, but returned to participate in the Criminal Justice Internship course.

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Art transcends language

The English Language Learners in College program partnered with the Visual Arts department to give students more opportunities to express themselves.

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When Average Isn’t a Bad Word

Chris Garvey believes his academic journey had a slow start. Then a friend talked the Pasadena resident into trying AACC.

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Unleashing Creativity on Our Community

Wingspan – Fall 2023 – AACC's Visual Arts programs are consistently finding opportunities to unleash creativity and give faculty, students and the community the chance to showcase their skills and envelop the community into the amazing world of the visual arts.

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The Community's College

Wingspan – Fall 2023 – Did you know that one out of every 33 jobs in Maryland is supported by the activities of Maryland’s community colleges and their students, according to the Maryland Association of Community Colleges? Through its programs, support services and partnerships, AACC works closely with the community every day.

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Following a Passion in Music with Flexibility to Explore

As a music student, James Burcky has been able to learn at his own pace and practice his craft at AACC.

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Picturing a bright future

Lain Frey looks forward to a future as an MRI technologist.

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Embarking on the Transfer Journey (Without Losing Your Sanity)

Wingspan — Fall 2023 —Transferring from a community college to a four-year institution can be a confusing process at times. Luckily, at AACC we set our students up for success where you can effectively transfer credits and continue your educational ambitions after leaving our classrooms.

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Cultivating Environmental Partnerships

Wingspan — Fall 2023 — Students in the Environmental Center at AACC provide valuable data about the health of our forests, local rivers, streams and the Chesapeake Bay to the community through activities such as water quality monitoring, annual species diversity studies and horseshoe crab surveys.

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In Action in Our Community

Wingspan — Fall 2023 — Louben Repke believes he was born to help people. A personal trainer in our community since 2009, Repke owns Repke Fitness where he is on a mission to help clients adopt healthier lifestyles with an emphasis on preventative health.

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Learning Never Stops

As a high school junior, Harry Smith assumed he had dodged his academic weakness with words by excelling in chemistry.

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A new adventure starts at AACC

Ben Surosky made the most of his AACC experience by joining the Adventure Club and participating in an internship. He built his leadership skills and looks forward to transferring to a four-year university.

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A Cabinet of Curiosities Workshop in an Archaeology Class

When we collect things, we tell a story. What story do our collections tell and how do they apply to the wider community? Students in Introduction to Anthropology got to answer that question during a cabinet of curiosities workshop.

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From Air Force to Art And Everything Between

Pauline Smith worked in human resources and protocol in the Air Force for years. After leaving the military, she stayed in the administrative world. But deep down? “I always wanted to study art,” she said. Her post-9/11 GI Bill gave her just that chance.

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Making Up a Different Future

A realization of wanting to do more, paired with the COVID-19 pandemic, spurred a career change into nursing for 2023 Commencement valedictorian Samantha Navarro.

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Pursuing Her Interests, From Horseshoe Crabs to Mushrooms

As a Transfer Studies student, Maggie Nester was able to build a degree that suits her interests and needs.

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Building a Portfolio for Success

Sometimes a career path can have roots as humble as a coloring book.

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Solutions For Our Future

Wingspan — Spring 2023 — We’ve all seen the signs in storefronts or experienced a delay in services due to staffing challenges. There is no denying it – our community and nation are facing critical labor shortages. Nowhere is this more pronounced than in skilled trades and health care professions. AACC is meeting the needs of our community to advance the future careers of students in these essential fields.

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Is College Still Worth It?

Wingspan — Spring 2023 — Maybe you’ve seen headlines about the burden of student loans. Perhaps you’ve been wondering what a college professor can teach you that online videos can’t? Education beyond high school remains one of the best methods for economic mobility and increased lifetime earnings. But not all colleges are created equal.

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Using an internship to get a foot in the door

Zack Newman used an internship he gained through AACC to land a full-time job.

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When the Choice is Clear and It Definitely Involves Cruffins

Two years ago, Hannah Granito was balancing classes toward a bachelor's degree in public health at the University of Maryland College Park and the baking and pastry arts associate degree at Anne Arundel Community College.

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"A Huge Financial Relief"

A former student shares how the Maryland Promise Scholarship helped her get to her nursing degree.

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Culinary Students Learn from the Best

A guest demonstrates how to make a gum paste rose.

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From rock bottom to bright future.

Nicole Adams is living proof that there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel of drug addiction.

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From ELL student to bilingual employee.

Originally from Bangladesh, Mohammed Reza moved to the United States in 2008 with the belief that America would open the door to great opportunities and a wonderful educational experience.

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From Legos to Aeronautical Engineering.

Going away to college to "find yourself" is a bit of a cliché that also happens to be true for many students. Not for Nick Nadeau. His sights were always on identifying a career that would allow him to utilize his scientific mind and creativity.

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Sometimes Redefining is Recognizing What You Want.

Kurt Peter played lacrosse and earned a sports management degree at Lynchburg College. After graduating, he landed a position in his chosen field… and was miserable.

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From student to entrepreneur.

The path to success rarely follows a straight line. That's certainly proven true for Nyia Curtis.

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Mom goes from scared to return to school - to valedictorian!

Heather Most was terrified about coming back to school. But without a degree, the single mother of four young children knew she had probably gone as far as she could in her career.

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Flying into a New Career

Tina Newton was working as a flight attendant with a regional airline when she realized she wanted something different. The solution became clear—go back to school.

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From shy freshman - to SGA President who found his future!

When Christopher Pineda arrived at AACC, he was quiet, shy and worried about how to pay for classes. The first in his family to attend college, he also had no idea how to navigate higher education or what to expect.

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From high school athlete to Riverhawk and student leader.

Giant hamster balls, Riverhawks and board meetings - It’s not exactly what comes to mind when you think of a community college, but this is the range of experiences Michelle Moore has managed to have as a student athlete at Anne Arundel Community College.

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From classroom to stage.

For Rashad Ferguson, dance is a powerful way to express himself with no need for words.

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From veteran to military advocate.

Francheska Salazar loved the sense of community and purpose she had in the Navy. But when she left after 13 years of service, she felt alone and unsure of her next steps.

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Gaining a Deeper Understanding

A former student discusses the benefits of AACC's Learning Communities

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From Pirouette to Pop and Lock and Everything in Between

As artistic director of a modern and contemporary dance company and co-founder of a Ghanian dance company, Adjetey Klufio understands the need for range.

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Learning to View the World’s Truths

In AACC's Homeland Security Management program, Silas Baker learned the critical skills needed to view the world for its truths.

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Building a Community

As an Aspiring Leadership Academy (ALA) alumna, Francheska Salazar continues to utilize the methodology and skills she learned while participating in the program.

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Affording Your Academic Adventure By Using Tuition Assistance

Wingspan — Fall 2022 — Are you wondering how you can afford to pursue an associate degree or workforce development certificate at AACC? AACC's private scholarship program, funded through charitable contributions to the AACC Foundation, is one great way to make your academic dreams a reality. About 700 AACC students receive approximately $1 million in private scholarships every year!

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Riverhawks Who Chose Their Own Adventure

Wingspan — Fall 2022 — AACC programs meet students where they are and get them where they want to go. Check out six stories of Riverhawks who chose their own adventure.

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He Didn’t Expect to Do Well. Then He Became Valedictorian.

He had a degree in aerospace engineering, but when Mario Gozum moved to the United States from his native Philippines, he couldn’t find a job in his field and bounced around different positions to pay the bills. Years later, going through some struggles, he felt too far removed to return to aviation, and decided to make a change.

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A Career Pivot That Kept Her On Track

When she didn’t make it into a local dental hygiene program this past spring, Courtney Paris was discouraged. But discouraged doesn’t mean deterred, and a determined Paris started looking into AACC’s Dental Assisting Program.

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Finding Community by Following a Calling

Eric Collyer opened a personal training studio in 1999 and was happily working when 9/11 rocked the country. Soon after, he closed his business and joined the Marines. Now, after a long journey as a sniper and later a teacher in the military, a contractor traveling the world, and private security, he’s back home.

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Three College Business Programs to Start Next Month in Glen Burnie

It is an employees’ market, which means you don’t need the experience you once did to be hired for in-demand business careers with big prospects for growth. And with AACC, there are numerous degrees and certificates offering a fast, clear path to a new career that uses your natural talent with newly gained skills.

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Five Health Careers to Get You in Scrubs ASAP

Demand for health care jobs is skyrocketing. Come to AACC, complete a brief program supported by a network of faculty and staff dedicated to your success, graduate and start earning immediately!

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Three Tech Career Certificates in High Demand

If you want to be working in tech by this time next year, it’s possible. If you want to start a career, switch a career or build your career, well, that's possible too, with Anne Arundel Community College.

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Baking a Change

Wingspan — Spring 2022 — Like swapping applesauce for eggs, sometimes life calls for a substitution. Nicole Luecke never planned on having a career in baking and pastry, but when her family needed a stay-at-home parent, she gave up her 30-year career as an obstetrician and gynecologist. She joined AACC’s culinary program to try something different and was surprised by how much she had to learn.

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What is a favorite AACC memory?

Wingspan — Spring 2022 — AACC is celebrating 60 years! Sure, we’re recognizing big milestones from when we were chartered in 1961 to now: buildings, presidents, championships, alumni in the news and national accomplishments. But we also wanted to share some of the quieter, impressive moments that make us who we are today.

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The Evolution of AACC Sports

Wingspan — Spring 2022 — When AACC’s Fighting Pioneers started hitting the court in the 1960s, the only athletics team for the school was men’s basketball and the court was the Severna Park High School gym. Much has changed since then.

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Mateo Escobosa

As a high school student, Mateo Escobosa applied to four-year schools like most of his classmates. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to study though and didn’t want to spend a ton of money to figure it out.

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Courtney Gregory

After her experience as a caregiver for her father, Courtney Gregory decided to return to school to pursue a degree in nursing.

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COVID Upheaval, the Maryland Promise and New Beginnings

In March 2020, Jasmine Pratt was enjoying her job as a project manager for a Maryland translation company, working with linguists from around the world. When COVID hit, she was laid off.

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Carlos Angelo Guino

Carlos Angelo Guino enrolled in the Early College Access Program (ECAP) so he could take college classes at a lower price while still in high school.

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Johnny sitting and smiling at the camera.

Johnny Garcia-Ventura

Johnny Garcia-Ventura took advantage of the opportunities at AACC.

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Devin Valko

By the time Devin Valko graduated from high school, he was halfway through completing an associate degree in Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics at AACC.

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Teddy Strong

Our Stories — Teddy Strong credits AACC's HVAC apprenticeship program with increasing his confidence.

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Vinnie Hager

Our Stories — Vinnie Hager got his start at AACC and now his art is being featured across the country.

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Ric Conn

Our Stories — AACC grad, Ric Conn uses his art to advocate for gender equality.

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Jesse Tubb

Our Stories — Jesse Tubb uses the skills he learned in the Engagement Coaching program in both his professional and personal lives.

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Riverhawks Go on to Soar

Our Stories — Three students share their stories about how AACC gave them a start, helped them save money and prepared them to transfer to a four-year university to continue their education.

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Fatma Ebaid holding a certificate in front of the fountain at Glen Burnie Town Center.

My success in the ELL program

Our Stories — Learning to speak a new language in a new country can be daunting, but Fatma Ebaid stuck with it and is proud of her success.

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Where the Manikins* Talk Back

Our Stories — The three-story, 175,000-square-foot Health and Life Sciences Building at AACC can evoke a lot of feelings: excitement, awe, and for some, a little bit of dread.

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Rajan Thummar on campus with his hands in his pockets.

Rajan Thummar

Before I came to AACC, I was a shy kid with average grades. Now I am more confident and accomplished. I've had pretty much all A's.

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Raffaella Picariello

When I arrived here, I had no idea where to start. I found amazing people at AACC, and I got help everywhere.

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Lakeyia Parker

This is a second career for me. I needed a boost. It was probably the best decision I've made in my life.

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Abby Maloney

I learned I'm capable of so much more than I thought; I can really do anything as long as I put my mind to it.

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Ryan Kim

I met a welcoming and supportive community. I learned my purpose. Now, I'm more confident and more engaged.

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AACC Ambassadors Continue to Represent

Our Stories — The Ambassador Campus Team is a group of outstanding student leaders who represent AACC at various events and share their experiences with incoming students. While AACC has been operating remotely, they have stayed active, volunteering in virtual reading nights and craft events with local organizations, collecting donations for Baltimore Washington Medical Center Foundation, and helping other students navigate AACC’s website and the online student portal.

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Students. Community. Together.

Wingspan – Fall 2020 – Students come to AACC with a drive to succeed. For many, that means balancing school work with one or more jobs while juggling family responsibilities. Even in the best of times this can be difficult, but COVID-19 added its own challenges.

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Mental Health at AACC: Meeting Students Where They Are

Wingspan – Fall 2020 – Despite the impact of coronavirus on in-person student services, AACC counseling didn’t skip a beat. They made a quick transition to provide online support.

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Author Robin DiAngelo to Speak at AACC

Wingspan — Fall 2020 — In the wake of nationwide protests around racial inequality, AACC recommitted to combat systemic racism through its strategic plan that places equity at the center. Throughout the summer, faculty and staff came together to listen, learn and educate one another. This will all culminate on Aug. 17 with a virtual presentation by "White Fragility" author, Robin DiAngelo.

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Internships in the Time of COVID

Wingspan – Fall 2020 – When web design major Tom Ostrye started his internship with Annapolis Home Brew in January, he thought he found the perfect way to hone his skills and gain academic credit at the same time. What he didn’t know was that he would help the small business during a global pandemic.

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AACC Donates Medical Supplies to Local Hospitals

Wingspan – Fall 2020 – Each March, Laboratory Manager Donna Earley and Clinical Lab Coordinator Melissa Vogel usually prepare AACC’s health sciences labs for a new term. This year, they entered the empty building to retrieve PPE intended to help current health workers instead of future ones.

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Printing a Solution for Health Care Heroes

Wingspan — Fall 2020 — When engineering transfer student Pat Geballa first used a 3D printer in Associate Professor Tim Callinan’s class, he had no idea his newfound interest would quickly become a much-needed skill.

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Without Campus, Can Students Still Feel Supported? Yes!

Wingspan – Fall 2020 – When we pivoted to 100% online in the face of COVID-19, AACC converted more than 1,250 classes from face-to-face to online. Student services transitioned as well. Those resources once found on campus remained available to protect students’ academic, financial, social, physical and mental well-being. From the library to student engagement to financial aid to advising, staff found ways to connect students to the same resources they have always had.

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Online? We Were Already There.

Wingspan – Fall 2020 – In January, AACC offered 524 online courses. In April, that number skyrocketed, as 1,250 additional face-to-face credit and noncredit courses were converted to remote in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, the college already had a few decades of remote learning knowledge to lean on.

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The Maryland Promise Scholarship's Student Impact

Our Stories — It’s a thought on many high school students’ minds. They’ve watched older siblings, friends and cousins go to college only to graduate with a degree and thousands of dollars of debt. And for those in families falling in the awkward financial position of have too much income for many need-based grants, like the Pell Grant, but not enough to outright pay for college, they’re left looking to take loans. The Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship was created to fill that gap.

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Sticking it Out

Our Stories — Standing in front of a classroom and giving an eight-minute speech while being critiqued is a nerve-wracking experience for anyone with a fear of public speaking. But looking back, Wendy Kush counts "Foundations of Oral Communication" one of the best courses she's taken.

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Writing a New Future

Our Stories — Esther Kuhnert wanted to become a makeup artist and, after graduating high school, completed a five-week beauty school program. After working two years in her field as a freelance makeup artist, she realized she didn’t want to open a shop of her own. Uncertain about her future, Kuhnert turned to AACC.

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From Sarbanes to…Sarbanes?

Our Stories — When tasked with finding a service-learning volunteer opportunity as part of an AACC business course, Ramses Gerais chose a unique path: volunteering with the Sarbanes Center that was connecting his classmates with their dream gigs. His time with the Sarbanes Center made him realize how important investing in the community was to him and how his time there had equipped him for his next step.

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Jason Burkholder and the Search for Quality Water

Our Stories — Many students take on summer jobs to help pay for school, but AACC alumnus Jason Burkholder doesn’t spend his summers serving fast food or working retail. He’s a lab technician for Operation Clearwater in the Environmental Center at Anne Arundel Community College.

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Meet the Road Hawks

Our Stories — Have you met Swoop, our beloved mascot, and his feathered fleet of Road Hawk student drivers? If you’re out bird watching, you might spot a Road Hawk in a neighborhood, shopping center parking lot or on an AACC campus.

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Navy midshipmen and AACC students in Russian course.

A Class of Their Own

Our Stories — Midshipman, Community College Students Learn Russian Together — AACC’s Morgan Hinrichsen took a Russian course last year just because she needed more credits to be full time. Though the beginning was less than auspicious, Hinrichsen discovered a fondness for the language – a fondness that landed her at the Naval Academy for four weeks.

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New Student-Athlete Success Coordinator Helps Students on and off the Field

Wingspan — Fall 2019 — Trey Anderson, AACC's new student athlete success coordinator, understands the challenges of handling the multiple commitments that come with being a student and an athlete. His experience as student and coach makes this new Riverhawk Athletics Department position a natural fit.

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Sabbatical Achievements

Wingspan — Fall 2019 — Sabbaticals allow AACC faculty to further pursue their professional expertise and passions and revitalize their teaching with advanced skills and experiences. Afterward, they bring what they learned back to the classroom to the benefit of their students.

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Cyber Pilot Program Offers Big Benefits

Wingspan — Fall 2019 — One new student is a Coast Guard veteran, another is an event manager and yet another is re-entering the workforce after raising children. Now they’re all part of the first cohort for the Community College Cyber Pilot Program: Scholarship for Service at AACC.

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Helping Student Businesses Soar

Wingspan — Fall 2019 — Small business owner and AACC student Heidi Pena knew a lot about interior design, but she wasn’t sure how to bridge the gap between her passion and a viable business.

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Finding a True Calling: from Assigning the News to Making it

Wingspan — Fall 2019 — Tiffany Boykin, Ph.D., Esq., AACC's Chief Compliance & Fair Practices Officer/Title IX Coordinator, was on track to the job of her dreams. She was studying for a master’s degree, aiming to become on-air talent after three years on the assignment desk of a Baltimore television news station.

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Becoming a Licensed Drone Pilot

Our Stories — Since starting his business three years ago while studying business at AACC, Nick Kiraly, owner and operator of Annapolis Ascents says he’s witnessing a major technological shift. “It's really an amazing time in the world right now with the rise of drones. I can't help but feel like we are writing history,” explains Kiraly.

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A Theme of Learning

Our Stories — Between classes, students could be on their phones, listening to music or doing homework alone, but in some classrooms, students chat and get to know each other and work together on assignments. The difference? Learning communities.

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Embracing Your Passions

Our Stories — Growing up with a family captivated by engineering and music, it’s not surprising Matthew Barzal embraced those interests as his own. So much so, that after spending the last two years studying Secondary Education with a focus in Spanish, he included Electrical Engineering in his list of majors at AACC.

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AACC Student Awarded Anna and John Dragun Memorial Scholarship

Our Stories — “The one question on my mind when preparing for college was how am I going to afford this?” wondered AACC alumnus, Chris Swift. Working full time and attending the college, Swift was thankful to be awarded the Anna and John Dragun Memorial Scholarship while at AACC.

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2018 Valedictorian Reflects on Time at AACC

Our Stories — Class of 2018 Valedictorian Olumide Fagboyegun didn’t plan on moving to Maryland from Nigeria at age 15, but to his surprise, it was one of the best decisions he ever made. After two years of high school in Maryland, Fagboyegun’s journey brought him to AACC where he excelled academically. “It would be an understatement to say that AACC has not had a profound impact on my outlook on life, on my ideology, and on both my professional and personal life,” said Fagboyegun.

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