Monday’s speech by DUI-convicted Mark Sterner was planned and supported by campus groups, city officials and Bowling Green High School, in what may have been the first collaboration of the three groups for a University program.

This raises the questions: Will the city, high school and University plan campus programs together in the future? And what types of University programs will the city support?

After the success of Sterner’s program, which drew a full house, future teamwork is not out of the question, city and campus, leaders said.

However these leaders refused to specify the topics of future programs that may see collaboration.

“We’re always supportive of programs that bring benefit to the community,” City Prosecutor Matt Reger said, explaining that city leaders will help with any clearly beneficial program the University brings to their attention.

The idea to work with the city and high school stemmed from conversations among Aaron Shumaker, USG president; Nora Solomon, Panhellenic Council vice president of programming and Paula Ribeau, assistant to the vice president for student affairs.

University Managing Attorney Rodney Fleming, a member of the University Committee on Alcohol and Other Drug Issues, offered to contact city officials about Sterner’s program when Ribeau mentioned the event at a Committee meeting.

Fleming later contacted Reger, and the two worked together to plan a meeting of city, campus and high school leaders.

“We met and discussed what we could do to bring out the community,” Reger said.

The main contribution of city leaders to the program was telling community members about Sterner’s speech, while campus groups funded the event.

Mayor John Quinn said he is interested in promoting good decision-making among the city’s youth. A group of local community leaders wanted Sterner’s program to reach high school and middle school students, he said.

“Our primary focus is on having young people make good decisions,” he said, adding that the topic of alcohol use commonly pops up in discussions of good decision-making.

In the future, Quinn said he would be interested in helping the University with alcohol-related programs like Sterner’s.

Shumaker said efforts from the city to work with the University and high school are encouraging, explaining that alcohol abuse, “is not just a college problem; it’s a high school problem, too.”

He said communication is ongoing among the University, City and high school regarding future programming, but was unwilling to specify what topics the programs will address.

Bowling Green High School Principal Jeff Dever said he would also be interested in encouraging his students to attend certain University events.

Regardless of what specific programs are presented in the future, Fleming said the collaboration for Sterner’s program was a positive move for all involved.

“I hope the city and University continue to work together on issues that affect both the University and the city,” he said.

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