Augsburg College

About the Program

STEPUP® PROGRAM AT AUGSBURG COLLEGE

The StepUP® Program at Augsburg University was founded in 1997. StepUP has since grown and is now one of the nation’s largest collegiate recovery programs, hosting between 70 and 100 students working active recovery programs on our campus at any time. The majority of students in StepUP choose to live on campus in StepUP’s dedicated recovery housing. Living on campus is strongly encouraged as a way to build community with other students in recovery, but is not required: about 10% of our StepUP students are commuters. The StepUP office, housed in the division of Student Affairs, includes a program director, four licensed alcohol and drug counselors, and an administrative assistant. Students have the opportunity to meet weekly with their assigned counselors, who are equipped to help students in their recovery journey. Between the StepUP office, the Center for Counseling and Wellness on campus, and the Center for Learning and Adaptive Student Services, students will find ample support on campus to address their recovery, mental health, and learning needs.

Finally, Augsburg University understands that substance use can wreak havoc on a person’s GPA and thus takes a holistic approach when admitting students in recovery, meaning that time-in-recovery and personal journey are weighed alongside GPA. This holistic admissions process helps ensure applicants are not penalized for transcripts that might not accurately reflect their academic potential. To join StepUP, students need to be currently applying to or enrolled at Augsburg University and submit a StepUP program application, two letters of recommendation from people familair with their recovery journey, and a recent discharge summary (if applicable). Once these documents are received, an applicant will be invited to complete an in-person or phone interview with a counselor to determine their acceptance into the StepUP program. Students must have 30 days of sobriety to access StepUP’s programming and support, and 6 months of sobriety to be eligible to live in the recovery residence.