Bowling Green Ambassadors hold mock trial at city hall
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The inaugural class of Bowling Green Ambassadors held its third monthly meeting as it visited the justice center, fiscal court and city hall, where it would hold its own city commission mock trial over the entertainment district.
And it’s safe to say things got pretty intense.
In the previous month’s meeting, the group visited small businesses in the downtown area, and now they get to see how the legal departments in the city operate.
The ambassadors got to engage in their own commission meeting, getting to see and practice the process first hand.
“We wanted the students to get a better idea of what it feels like to pass legislation or discuss city ordinances at an actual city commission meeting,” said Telia Butler, downtown development coordinator for the City of Bowling Green. “So we gave all of the students assigned roles like the mayor, city commissioners, the city attorney, chief of police, parks and recreation department head, like all of those city staff and elected officials.”
The program helps bridge the gap between college students at Western Kentucky University and Bowling Green and shows them what the city has to offer.
Each meeting gives them opportunities to network and build connections while exposing them to career options they may want to pursue.
After meeting with city officials, they will have an economic development day in February, giving them yet another chance to network with likeminded individuals.
“We’re going to have a panel of downtown business owners who are also Bowling Green young professionals at the chamber and have leadership roles there to show these students that once you graduate and you want to try to build more of your network outside of campus, these are the like minded young professionals that have some of the similar goals and values as you, and this is where you can find them,” Butler added.
With this being the inaugural class of ambassadors, the goal is to keep the program going and showing WKU students what Bowling Green has too offer.
They wanted to provide these students who are involved on campus a way to get more involved in the community and provide them with connections as they begin the next chapter in their lives.
“And the goal is to do this every year and build and build and build on it to encourage students to do more. And all of these kids are very, very energetic and inspiring in their own way,” Butler said.
