AACC won a top award for innovation for the way it transformed in March from a mostly on-campus college to one that offered all of its classes online.

The League for Innovation in the Community College gave AACC an Innovation of the Year award after the college migrated 1,250 classes online and closed its campuses before spring break in response to coronavirus. College staff moved services like academic advising to digital platforms so students could still access them.

The League’s annual awards recognize innovation in learning, teaching and student success.

“The unprecedented times required unprecedented responses,” AACC President Dawn Lindsay said. “I thank our faculty and staff for their dedication, innovation and hard work, along with the students being so open to adapting quickly and moving forward with success.”

Nine faculty and staff members won the League’s Excellence award for their individual work.

One of them, Special Police Sgt. Stephen Shepet,  won the award for his charity work for the 2019 Maryland Special Olympics.

“I feel honored,” said Shepet, who works the midnight shift at the Department of Public Safety and Police. “I was very surprised that one of my officers actually nominated me. You know, working night shift … usually we’re the behind-the-scenes people. We don’t get a lot of notoriety and recognition. So yeah, it was a great honor to be selected.”