Wednesday – Deepening Connection – Community, Belonging & Peer Support
Today’s theme is “Cultivating Community and Strengthening Our Cores”
Focusing on connection, resilience, and well-being within recovery communities, emphasizing the strength found in shared experiences and relationships.
A strong recovery community is built on connection, support, and shared experiences. Just as a tree relies on a solid core to stand tall, individuals in recovery draw strength from their community. This day focuses on cultivating relationships, fostering resilience, and engaging in activities that nurture well-being.
Recovery is sustained in connection.
Midweek, we turn to the lifeblood of collegiate recovery: peer support and community. Today we reflect on how recovery thrives when students feel seen, heard, and held by others walking similar paths.
Whether it’s a recovery meeting, a one-on-one with a peer leader, or a supportive space on campus – belonging matters. As CRPs grow, they become home to students who may have once felt like outsiders in college life.
💜 How to Get Involved Today:
- Attend or host a student recovery meeting.
- Reach out to someone in your community to check in.
- Highlight the impact of your campus’ collegiate recovery program in a post or story.
Connection is the opposite of isolation—and it’s what sustains us.
Today, ARHE is excited to announce the recipients of the Collegiate Recovery Award Winners, alongside awardees from the Association of Recovery Schools (ARS) and the Association of Alternative Peer Groups (AAPG). All awards will be presented at the event on June 25 in New Orleans, preceding the annual conference.
- ARHE Lifetime Achievement Award – Lori Holleran Steiker
- ARHE Cornerstone Award for Student Support – Blake Schneider
- ARHE Community Member of the Year – Stephanie Lake
- Visionary Award for the Advancement of Collegiate Recovery – Jessica McDaniel
- Access, Belonging, and Connection Award – Chesley Kennedy
- Collegiate Recovery Staff Member of the Year – Chelsie Graham
- Collegiate Recovery Champion Award – Kristen Harper
- Collegiate Recovery Award for Outstanding Service – Annette Baldwin
- Collegiate Recovery Student of the Year – Bryan Sadler
- Collegiate Recovery Student of the Year – Megan Dobbs
- Collegiate Recovery Advocate of the Year – Onawa LaBelle
- Collegiate Recovery Staff Member of the Year – John Shiflet
- ARHE Community Organization of the Year – Imagine Recovery
- Visionary Award for the Advancement of Alternative Peer Groups – Mariah Fountain
- Visionary Award for the Advancement of Alternative Peer Groups – Becky Ahlgrim
- Jim Czarniecki Visionary/Pioneer Award – Ken Simon
- Stacie Mathewson Guardian Angel Award – Patty McCarthy
On April 15, ARHE was excited to officially re-launch of the updated Collegiate Recovery Getting Started Guide, published in collaboration with the Center for Addiction Recovery Support (CARS)! The guide is now available for download! You can access the updated guide on our “Starting a CRP” webpage or under the CARS resource page. In addition to updated information and statistics, this updated resource has new sections about starting and supporting collegiate recovery programs at community colleges and technical schools (CTS)!
The original version of this guide was developed in 2020 with support from the Independence Blue Cross Foundation (IBX), through a grant awarded to the Association of Recovery in Higher Education (ARHE).
The 2025 updated edition, including the new addendum addressing the unique needs of community colleges and technical schools, was developed through the Center for Addiction Recovery Support (CARS), funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Over the past 15 years, we’ve learned that no two CRPs are exactly alike – but there are some best practices and similar values, such as student empowerment, peer support, supported staff positions, and creating physical spaces where recovery can thrive. The updated guide honors those values while addressing the evolving needs of today’s students and campuses. Whether you’re at a small liberal arts college, private institution, or a large public university, this guide is your roadmap to building a strong, student-centered recovery community.
Join us for any of our virtual events this week – open to everyone! These are great events to involve your students and come together in celebration of collegiate recovery!
Here’s what’s going on today (be sure to register now!):
| Power of Authentic Connections (Interactive Session)
Presenter: Jason Parete, MSW Apr 16, 2025 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Jason Parete is a Registered Social Worker and Registered Yoga Teacher who administers programming at the University of Windsor and to youth at various community organizations. He incorporates creativity and somatic work with clients encouraging they make authentic experiential connections with their healing journey. This workshop will focus on mindfulness techniques while being curious about creative expression. Elements of this workshop can be applied to collegiate recovery programming or opportunities for personal self-care. Participants are encouraged to be prepared with several different paper textures and various mark-making utensils such as watercolor, markers, charcoal or pencils. The primary activity will be 60 minutes with an optional 30 minutes at the end to share and connect with one another. |
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Don’t forget to download our social toolkit – you can download our pre-designed graphics and copy/paste the corresponding text to save you time when posting to social media and spreading the word about collegiate recovery week!
Over 30 collegiate recovery programs were recently affected by sudden funding loss at the State level in several States. Please help us support our colleagues and students by supporting our Conference Scholarship Fund. We need each other more than ever and every dollar counts!