Mercy College Student-Athletes Attend “DUI: A Powerful Lesson” Presented by Mark Sterner

Thursday, September 13, 2007

On Tuesday, September 11, Mercy College student-athletes attended "DUI: A Powerful Lesson" presented by Mark Sterner.

Mercy College Student-Athletes Attend "DUI: A Powerful Lesson" Presented by Mark Sterner

DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. - On Tuesday, September 11, Mercy College student-athletes attended "DUI: A Powerful Lesson" presented by Mark Sterner.  The event was sponsored by Residence Life and held in the Rotunda at Mercy Hall with all resident students.

In his acclaimed program, Sterner discussed the bad decision he made to get behind the wheel after drinking at Spring Break in 1994, changing his life and ending the lives of his friends in a drunk-driving accident. Just a few months before he was supposed to become the first in his family to graduate college, he instead became the first to go to prison.

"This was one of the strongest presentations I have ever attended," said Assistant Director of Athletics Bill Sullivan. "Everyone that was here was truly moved by Mark's program."

During his presentation, students viewed a videotape that he and his friends made during their Spring Break, ending just a few minutes before the accident, and photos following the crash. Sterner left all those in attendance with a powerful story and message that pushes them to think about the choices they make. 

"It's good that he is spreading his story," said Karen Perrello (Fallsburg, NY), a junior midfielder on the women's soccer team. "It has to be difficult for him to do this day after day. He's very courageous for sharing his experience with so many people and we can all learn from it."

Mark Sterner has been a keynote presenter for the Northeastern Greek Leadership Association (NGLA), Western Regional Greek Leadership Association (WRGLA), the BACCHUS and GAMMA Peer Education Network's General Assembly and the Mid American Collegiate Health Association's (MACHA) conference. In 2004 and 2005, Campus Activities Magazine named him their "Speaker of the Year."

About Mercy College Athletics
Mercy College is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II institution and a member of the East Coast Conference (ECC). The College sponsors 14 men's and women's sports. To learn more about Mercy's Department of Athletics and Recreation, call (914) 674-7220 or visit http://www.mercyathletics.com/.