The Genders and Sexualities Alliance won the award for Outstanding Student Club or Organization of the Year at the 2023 Impact and Excellence Awards on Thursday. 

GSA President Grace Bourne, a third-year communications student, accepted the award for the club.  

“I’m ridiculously proud,” Bourne said. “I know how much work I put into the club to bring it back from nothing, and how my board rallied around each other and everything. We’re so lucky to have grown into what we grew into.”

The event, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Linthicum, was organized by several organizations at AACC, including the Student Government Association and the Office of Student Engagement.

SGA Executive Vice President Conor Curran,  who is the student member of the Board of Trustees, said the purpose of the awards is to “recognize, honor and celebrate the accomplishments of our faculty, staff, community organizations and most importantly, students.”

Professors Stephanie Goldenberg and Candice Hill won the Teaching Excellence award. 

The professors who won the award will deliver the commencement addresses at the college’s two graduation ceremonies on May 25.

Goldenberg, academic chair of the Entrepreneurial Studies Institute, will speak at the 6 p.m. commencement ceremony on May 25.

“What I aim for is to be an excellent teacher to be able to help students transform their lives through education,” Goldenberg, who has taught at AACC for 20 years, said. “To be acknowledged for the fact that I’ve accomplished that goal is pretty awesome. I’m really excited about it.”

Hill, an English professor, will speak at the 2 p.m. commencement ceremony. She also delivered the commencement address at the college’s 2022 graduation ceremonies. 

“I’ve got to come up with something new to say,” Hill said, laughing. “It was such an energizing experience last year. So I’m excited to do it again.”

She added: “I have never won a teaching award before. So this meant so much to me, especially because it’s coming from students.”

Super Science Club treasurer Bryant Pepe won Outstanding Club or Organization Member of the Year at the ceremony.

“I’m doing something right,” Pepe, a third-year physics student, said. “And that I should probably continue with exactly what I’m doing and find ways to do it better.”

Kaitlyn Evans, a second-year transfer studies student who plays soccer and lacrosse for the Riverhawks, won the award for best character on a women’s athletic team.

“I know we all put a lot of effort and attention to the athletics here at ACCC,” Evans said. “So it means a lot that they chose me this year.”

Deneen Dangerfield, dean of student development, organized the event. She said the event went “extremely well.”

Dangerfield added: “I’m proud of my team and what we were able to accomplish and students seem to be happy.”