AACC students won prizes including gift cards and sweatshirts yesterday at a Riverhawks game against the Baltimore City Community College Panthers in the I Love Athletics Pre-game Bash event.

Students entered in a raffle before the game in the Student Union building. Second-year transfer studies student Mariyah Alexander won a sweatshirt at halftime.

“I feel very happy,” Alexander said. “I was surprised [and] I didn’t think I’d win, but I’m happy.”

Dean of Student Development Deneen Dangerfield and the Athletic Department hosted the event.

“I think it’s important to support our students and our student-athletes,” Dangerfield said. “It [was] Valentine’s day, we had a game [yesterday] and I just wanted to take an opportunity to show support to our student-athletes and … encourage the college community to just come out and cheer us on.”

Dangerfield said she would host this event again.

“We’re going to make this an annual event,” Dangerfield noted. “We just got to figure out what [Riverhawk] team we’ll be supporting, but yes, we’re looking at how to make this an annual event because I do want to make sure that this is not a one and done.”

Third-year animation student Shomari James, who won a Walmart gift card, said he’ll use it to buy wireless headphones.

“I know it’s not enough to get a flatscreen TV but hey, a boy can dream,” James said.

James added: “I’ve never felt this much joy since kindergarten.” 

Second-year business student Savanna Reitz won a gift card to Subway. 

It’s “really cool that I won,” Reitz said. “I’m definitely going to use it.” 

Second-year computer science student Yousef Abuzaie noted more students attending events is a good thing.