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Choosing a college can be one of the toughest decisions facing young adults. That wasn’t true for Abby Loftus. “I've known I was going to come to AACC since I can even remember, because my Mom's worked here for a really long time,” Loftus said. “So that was always the plan that after I graduated high school. I would come here for two years, get my associates and then transfer.”
Loftus was familiar with AACC, having visited the campus many times with her mother, Melissa Sumpter, executive assistant in the President’s Office, yet she still had attachments she wasn’t ready to relinquish. AACC has lacked a cheerleading presence on campus for many years, a high school passion for Loftus. Rather than find something new, Loftus was determined to bring cheerleading to AACC.
“And I knew that I wasn't ready to give cheerleading up after high school, and I wanted to find a way to keep going,” Loftus said. “I also really liked getting to create an environment for girls who have never even tried to cheer before.” She now has a whole new community at AACC, along with an abundance of school pride. The Loftus-founded Cheerleading club has roughly 18 students on the team, bringing energy and a deeper sense of community for participants and fans alike.
“I think some of my favorite memories are definitely getting to see the girls cheer for the first time,” Loftus said. “Our first game was really cool to see the team I built, seeing uniforms on them that I created and designed.”
Cheerleading isn’t the only time commitment Loftus has at AACC. She is also a Swoop Squad member, a student representative who is designated with showing highlights of our campus community to prospective students through tours and recorded videos while providing tips and insights along the way. “I think the most challenging thing I've encountered at AACC is balancing everything I have,” said Loftus. “I'm taking a full load of classes currently, and so I'm here Monday through Thursday and then Wednesday and Thursday I practice, and then we also have games on top of that, and then homework and studying for quizzes and jobs.”
“Before I came to AACC, I was unsure of my future. Then I found a community here, and now I'm really excited to see where that takes me.”