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| 04-12-2004 | Previous edition: 04-09-2004 |
        
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Printer-friendly version Speaker will share ‘powerful lesson’ about drinkingBy Katie WallStaff Writer Grand Prix Convocations is sponsoring presenter Mark Sterner to speak tonight about the consequences of alcohol abuse and poor decision making. While he and his friends were on a Spring Break trip in Florida, an intoxicated Sterner got behind the wheel and had a fatal car accident, killing three of his best friends. After losing his friends and suffering injuries himself, Sterner received a 23-month sentence in a Florida prison due to three felony manslaughter accounts. He was supposed to be the first person in his family to graduate college. Since that fatal night, Sterner has been relaying his message to college students all over the country. He has now spoken to over a million students across the nation. "I saw him speak in Chicago earlier this spring," said Andy Byerly, graduate assistant in the Office of the Dean of Students. "And he gives a very emotional presentation." Although the issue of college students abusing alcohol is not a new one, students are shocked at the heartbreaking and compelling speech Sterner delivers. "You feel the pain that he went through," said Byerly. "He seems like such an ordinary guy; he could easily be you or me." Sterner relates a powerful lesson to students that he unfortunately had to learn on his own. The families of his three lost friends praise his efforts and encourage him to speak about the consequences of driving while intoxicated. They even supported a shorter prison sentence in order for Sterner to share his lesson with others. In his presentation, Sterner shows a video clip of the tape he and his friends made while in Florida. Pictures of the men laughing and taking shots of alcohol just before the car accident leave a tremendous impression on students. "It is something you really don’t think about when you are leaving the bar or a party," said Leah McComb, senior in the School of Liberal Arts. "But the more times you hear about an accident or listen to someone tell his or her story, those dangers become all the more familiar to you." Mark Sterner will present his story at 7 tonight in the Elliott Hall of Music. The speech has been brought to Purdue by the efforts of the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Association, the Cooperative Council and the Office of the Dean of Students. Printer-friendly version |
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