翼展，2023年秋季
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 社区 Colleges? Maybe that’s why it’s no surprise when faculty and staff run across former students around the county. It’s not just AACC’s grads who are visible in the community, though. 通过它的项目, 支持服务和伙伴关系, AACC每天都与社区紧密合作.
护士, medical technicians and other health science students get hands-on training in area hospitals and clinics, 把他们放在社区的中心. Upon graduation, many students are offered employment and choose to stay. 的 next time you’re in the doctor’s office, ask if any AACC graduates work there.
“我认为最有帮助的事情之一是, especially with the program that I'm at right now, has been the amount of clinic sites that we get to go to. ... 这是一个非常多样化的过程, and it definitely helps you to get prepared for all sorts of different scenarios.”
- 奥利弗·桑托斯·哈默他是放射技术专业的学生
"I am proud of the work our students do in the classroom and in the community. Most of our Health Science programs have a clinical, practicum or fieldwork requirement. This means our students apply what they learned in an agency or health care facility right here in Anne Arundel County.”
- 伊丽莎白Appel, M.S.W.健康科学学院院长
的 萨班斯职业和公民参与中心 与雇主合作, 非营利组织, schools and government organizations to enhance student learning beyond the classroom and to help students apply what they have learned to real-world scenarios. Service-learning and the career center help meet the community’s workforce and volunteer needs.
"When working with the community, the first thing we do is listen. We can only collaborate and respond appropriately when we truly understand the needs of nonprofit organizations and employers from their perspective.”
- 凯茜柯南道尔, director, 萨班斯职业和公民参与中心
"Service Learning helped me utilize my research and communication skills when it came to reaching out and connecting with various organizations. 作为未来的公共卫生专业人员, this experience will be similar to the experience and work I will do for local communities.”
- 艾莉森·布什，服务学习学生，好邻居小组
One of AACC’s biggest partnerships is with Anne Arundel County Public Schools, 这种伙伴关系是双向的. 事实上, 2022年底, the Education Foundation of Anne Arundel County Public Schools recognized AACC as a "Partner of the Year." AACPS and AACC continue to work together to provide even more opportunities for high school students to test the waters and prepare for their future careers at no cost through the Maryland Blueprint and the 早期大学入学计划(ECAP). Some students even come full circle to live, work and teach in the county.
“我会永远珍惜当老师的时光, but my favorite achievement stems from my work supporting AACPS Signature 项目, a unique program that develops college and career experiences for high school students, 通过特定社区的视角. ... We were able to bring college-level courses such as BIO-215 (Restoration Ecology) to high school students, targeting our outreach to first-generation and underserved student populations. 作为STEM/SI协调员, it is my plan to expand and strengthen the bridge between AACPS and AACC, channeling high school students toward undergraduate research, 指导和实习机会.”
- 马特·本, STEM/SI coordinator, former Broadneck High School science teacher
“从我还在上高中的时候, it was probably the best way for me to actually figure out what college looked like and how that was going to look like for me. I think it gave me a good understanding of what to expect once I went off to the university.”
- 得托马斯, former ECAP student, current PIO for the Anne Arundel County Office of Emergency Management
每年春天，AACC都会举办一次 志愿税务援助计划(VITA) 帮助社区成员报税. VITA是免费的, volunteer-based program through the IRS that supports individuals and families with an annual income of less than $60,000. 去年, 协会的志愿者, 由学生组成, 教职员工和社区成员, 完成并提交了255份纳税申报表, 结果是288美元,联邦退税496美元和109美元,540 in state tax refunds for members of our community.
"VITA is a great resource for our students as it allows them to practice skills they develop in classrooms, as well as the community who appreciate the support our volunteers provide. 除了报税, our volunteers explain returns to clients and help them understand what each number on their tax return means. 我们的客户代表的是得不到充分服务的群体, 我们社区中最脆弱的成员, those who are affected by increasing prices on goods and services the most. 我们想让他们知道我们在这里支持他们, 我们在这里支持他们，回馈他们, in the way that we can – with the free preparation of their tax returns.”
- 无人看管费舍尔, CPA, MBA, assistant professor of business administration, VITA program coordinator
"I think having a program like this is wonderful and fantastic for the income level of clientele, 尤其是学生和退休公民. 关于学生, 他们在支付大学学费, 或者是他们的家人, so it’s vital that they have this opportunity to get their taxes done without charge. It's also a wonderful way to impart financial literacy knowledge to folks.”
- 迈克尔Stolarczyk2023年VITA志愿者
的 partnerships and actions highlighted here are just a fraction of the ways AACC serves the community. 从设施(来校园跑步), services (Truxal 图书馆 is open to Anne Arundel County residents) and programs (AACC credit courses are tuition free for seniors), AACC strives to live up to its title of “the community’s college.