AACC awards $75,000 to student businesses

Anne Arundel Community College awarded student business owner Michael Charney $15,000 in funds for his food service business, Chesapeake Charney's, during the annual Business Pitch Competition held April 29. The other seven finalists received amounts between $5,000 and $12,500 for their businesses. 

• $12,500 to Kenneth Thomas for Obsessive Custom Detailing (OCD) LLC 
• $12,500 to Abigail Foster for Simple Touches Hospitality 
• $10,000 to Lucas Panzer Valdivia for Amanecer Tours 
• $10,000 to William Sedgwick for 3D Nerd – Custom Cosplay Printing 
• $5,000 to Alyssa McDaniel for Pack Dynamic 
• $5,000 to Angelica Camarillo for 4Cycles LLC 
• $5,000 to Katherine Paunlagui for Techies for the Oldies 

“This annual event is a wonderful way to encourage students to work on their businesses while getting feedback and support,” Entrepreneurial Studies Institute Academic Chair and Associate Professor Stephanie Goldenberg said. “They win money, and they receive expert guidance and connections to launch or scale their businesses." 

Since 2023, Chesapeake Charney’s has served classic Maryland seafood dishes including crab cakes, crabby fries, Maryland crab soup and codfish cakes. 

Similar to the network show “Shark Tank,” finalists presented a two-minute pitch for their business idea and addressed questions from a panel of judges. They also provided a business plan and financial projections in their application. The competition was open to all students who took classes between July 1, 2024, and April 1, 2025.   

The eight judges included representatives from the Baltimore Business Journal, local small businesses, M&T Bank, SCORE and the Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation. The Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation provided the funds to make the competition possible.  

During the event, CEO Carlene Cassidy announced that the Ratcliffe Foundation will invest $1.68 million at AACC over the next three years.  

“As we look ahead to the next three years, we are grateful to the Ratcliffe Foundation for supporting our efforts to prepare future business leaders and workers in sectors facing critical labor shortages,” said Dr. Dawn Lindsay, AACC president. “We appreciate that they are expanding their partnership with us to prepare the next generation of workers and caregivers by funding scholarships for workforce development and allied health.” 

For information about AACC’s Entrepreneurial Studies Institute, visit the institute webpage.