(Updated: 9:42am, 07-21-11)
Dr. Mary Ellen Mazey pledged Wednesday to build "on the already strong relationship and
partnership" between Bowling Green State University and Bowling Green.
In her third week at BGSU, Mazey was the featured speaker at the BG Chamber of Commerce Mid-Year Luncheon
at Stone Ridge Golf Club.
"I want that partnership to become even stronger. As one goes, so goes the other. That goes for
building Bowling Green State University’s relationships globally, nationally and statewide."
Mazey said her time in the city has been a whilrwind of new faces and places, not all of which have been
planned. She admitted to becoming good friends with the university police officers, once because she set
off an alarm in the president’s house and another time when she locked herself out of the house and
found help at the neighboring Stone Ridge Golf Club.
Mazey said she received her first BG city parking ticket Tuesday when she attended a downtown meeting
with local economic development officials. She said the meeting was scheduled for an hour but lasted
twice as long.
Mazey praised BG and the area for its "welcoming spirit" and made her glad she had decided to
come back to Ohio. Mazey spent several years in faculty and administrative roles at Wright State in
Dayton. She came to BGSU from Auburn University in Alabama, serving as provost and vice president of
academic affairs there since 2009.
With the university expecting its largest freshman class ever next month, Mazey said that won’t mean
anything if the university and community don’t do their best to engage and retain as many of those
students as possible.
She praised the university for being ranked among the top 100 public universities in the U.S. by U.S.
News and World Report, one of five from Ohio. The others are Ohio State, Miami, Ohio University and
Cincinnati.
"It is incumbent on us to retain and move up in those rankings." She said the university is
highly ranked for a number of programs, among them, biology, education, fine arts, fourth in industrial
psychology and among the top 50 in business.
"I always tell people that no matter where you are, you can always improve."
Mazey noted how the university’s $200 million building program has benefited students in construction
management with practical experience and the community with an estimated $1.5 million in tax revenue
from wages and other spending.
When being recruited Mazey said she was impressed by a WBGU-PBS program that focused on the contributions
of the arts to the economic well-being of Northwest Ohio. "I’ve told the mayor there’s no reason
that Bowling Green can’t become the Santa Fe of Ohio." Santa Fe, N.M., is a noted center for the
arts.
She encouraged people to work together, build relationships and build partnerships. Mazey mentioned a
recent meeting with the BG Hockey Alumni and Advocates as an example of the importance of building
community and partnerships.
Several awards were also presented:
• Broadcaster Dave Horger was the 22nd person to receive the "I Love BG Award. Horger received a
framed portrait of himself sitting in a broadcast studio done by Becky Laabs. Horger said he was
especially impressed by the work because Laabs had removed "the wrinkles on my face."
• The Copy Shop Inc. received the first Small Business of the Year Award. Van Spears accepted the award
on behalf of his business and staff.
• Chamber of Commerce $750 Scholarships were presented to Jordan Frobose, a graduate of Eastwood High
School; and Shawna McCullough, a graduate of Elmwood High School. Recipients must have an affiliation
with a chamber member, cannot be related to a chamber board member or employee, have at least a 3.2
grade average, plan on attending BGSU and write an essay on "Why Should the Chamber Invest in You?