BGSU, BGSU Firelands and Terra State Community College form tri-county consortium to strengthen interpersonal violence prevention education, resources

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FREMONT, Ohio - Bowling Green State University, BGSU Firelands and Terra State Community College have partnered to establish a regional consortium to strengthen interpersonal violence prevention, education and resources that support student safety and well-being in the greater region.

The three institutions, located in Wood, Erie and Sandusky counties, respectively, signed a memorandum of understanding on May 18 to formally establish the Tri-County Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Education Consortium.

Recognizing that students live, commute and access services across county and campus boundaries, the consortium offers a more coordinated approach while strengthening strategies to prevent and respond to interpersonal violence.

"As anchors in our region, Bowling Green and BGSU Firelands are so pleased to again partner with Terra State Community College to create this consortium, which will leverage our unique strengths to strengthen our communities," BGSU President Rodney K. Rogers said. "We want to thank the Ohio Department of Higher Education for recognizing the importance of this work through the Campus Collaborative Grant programs, and, as a public university and community college, we look forward to continuing to strengthen northwest Ohio through our robust educational ecosystem."

"At BGSU Firelands, we understand that student success is deeply connected to safety, belonging and well-being," BGSU Firelands Dean Allia Carter said. "This consortium reflects what is possible when institutions move beyond individual campuses and come together as regional partners committed to prevention, education and care for the communities we serve."

The consortium was established with support from the Ohio Department of Higher Education Campus Collaborative Grant program and creates opportunities for joint programming, shared expertise and greater collective impact.

The Tri-County Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Education Consortium has already begun work, offering training and learning opportunities for faculty, staff and students on interpersonal violence prevention, bystander intervention and trauma-informed care.

"Terra State Community College is excited to partner with Bowling Green State University and BGSU Firelands through the creation of this consortium," Terra State Community College Interim President Cory Stine said. "Working together allows us to better support students across northwest Ohio by promoting safer, more supportive campus communities. This partnership will have a positive impact on students both on and off campus, helping them feel supported as they pursue their educational goals inside and outside the classroom."

The consortium aims to create a regional ecosystem of care that supports student well-being and safety while also engaging community partners as well as city, county and state leaders in shared prevention and response strategies.

There are plans to build a centralized digital repository of prevention resources, expert contacts and referral pathways. Additional plans include developing shared data tools and evaluation strategies to measure impact and inform future best practices.

The consortium builds on an existing collaboration between BGSU and Terra State, established in 2025 to support Ohio's workforce needs in engineering through a 2+2 degree pathway.