While Anne Arundel Community College was established in 1961, it wasn't until much later that it became the home of the Riverhawks. In 2014, the president of the Student Government Association and student athletes came forward to request a mascot that represented their school pride. AACC set out to develop a college mascot that athletes and fans could rally around during games and inspire a sense of community.
After nearly a thousand votes from the community of faculty, staff, students, alumni and fans, Riverhawks came out on top with 41% of the vote. This choice was particularly fitting. A nesting pair lives on top of the light poles over the athletic fields. They can often be seen or heard before games.
“There aren't too many mascots where you have the actual mascot alive and on campus, doing flyovers,” said Director of Athletics Duane Herr.
Then came the design process. Graphic designers at the college as well as an outside vendor submitted their interpretations of Riverhawks for a vote. The community’s favorite? A design that came from AACC itself! Ben Pierce, senior graphic designer at the college, created the iconography that can be seen across the college on apparel, signs and even the athletic fields themselves.
“The way that we just went through the whole process, I feel like we were very strategic,” he said. “We really made sure that we got the community’s buy-in. They had a voice. And so, I think all of that really contributed to the successful result.”
Finally, it was time to decide what the new mascot would be called. On Sept. 14, 2015, the AACC community chose "Swoop” as the name, winning out against other top name options including Razor, Johnny, Rowdy and Rundel.
Having a visible school mascot had the effect of providing a unifying identity for AACC students, faculty and staff. Integrating images of Swoop with those of students engaged in activities around campus reinforced the idea that “everyone in our community is a Riverhawk.”
“I was expecting a longer transition into that, but it just seemed instant,” Pierce said. “It's a really good feeling to see other people embracing something that you poured so much energy into.”
The Bookstore, Strategic Communications, Document Services, Student Engagement, Facilities and Athletics, among other departments in the college, have worked seamlessly together to provide a consistent image across campus.
“I think that really showcases when you walk into the Bookstore, you know that we have athletics and you know what our brand is,” Herr said. And if you stop by campus, attend a game or take part in commencement, you may even get to meet Swoop for yourself.
Dec. 7, 2014
The AACC community votes to change the college mascot to Riverhawks.
Spring 2015
The redesign process begins. Several concepts are developed for the Riverhawks logo.
May 8, 2015
Design concepts are voted on and the final logo is selected.
Summer 2015
Mascot character costume development begins. The new mascot is revealed at convocation.
Sept. 14, 2015
The AACC community chooses "Swoop” as the name of the new mascot.
Fall 2020
An 8-bit Swoop design is released.
Fall 2025
AACC celebrates 10 years of Riverhawk pride!
We're here to help.
Being a Riverhawk means more than wearing a jersey. It means belonging to a community grounded in school pride.
Meet Tina Tinelli
