Southeastern launches first and only public university collegiate recovery program in Louisiana
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 
by: Tonya Lowentritt
LION UP RECOVERY – The Lion Up Recovery Advisory Council met for the first time recently to discuss Southeastern’s collegiate recovery program. Seated, from left are Vice President for Student Affairs Eric Summers, Coordinator of Collegiate Recovery Madison Evans, Dean of Students Gabe Willis, Greg Snodgrass of Cumberland Heights, Chris Flanagan of River Place Hospital, Angie King of Beacon Behavioral Health, Angela Tyrone of Florida Parishes Human Service Authority, and Donna Bliss of Child Advocacy Services. Standing, from left, are University Counseling Center Director Peter Emerson, Tom Bennett of Acadia Health, Assistant Director of the UCC Annette Baldwin, Dan Gilmer of The Grove, Southeastern Reference and Instruction Librarian Ben Bell, Licensed Professional Counselor Stuart Carpenter, Andrea Peevy of the University Health Center, student Alaina Fontenot, Madison Nyquist of St. Christopher Addiction Treatment, and student William Sadler. Not pictured are Emily Meyers of LongBranch Treatment Center, Emily Simcoe of St. Christopher Addiction Treatment, community member Chip Thirstrup, and Felicia Kleinpeter of Imagine Recovery.
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University will soon host the first and only
collegiate recovery program at a public institution in the state of Louisiana. Launching
this fall, “Lion Up Recovery” is recognized by the Association of Recovery in Higher
Education and is a voluntary program to help students in recovery achieve their higher
education goals.
“This new program as a resource for our students is an extension of Southeastern’s
core values,” said President John. L. Crain. “Not only do we provide an exceptional
education, but we also care about our students and their collegiate experience.”
The National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health reports 37 percent
of college students have used an illicit drug and abused alcohol on a regular basis.
Approximately 6.64 million college students meet criteria for excessive substance
use, approximately 1.26 million meet criteria for substance dependency, and approximately
315,000 are actively seeking help from substance dependency.
“There is a close relationship between the use of alcohol and drugs and the number
of those who start but then fail to graduate from college. More importantly, we are
aware of the huge risks and all of the associated problems that go along with early-age
drinking and other drug use,” said University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors
member Dr. Pam Egan. “I am delighted to hear of Southeastern’s success in developing
Lion Up Recovery to provide support to students who encounter such problems.”
ARHE is the only association exclusively representing collegiate recovery programs,
the faculty and staff who support them, and the students who represent them, said
Southeastern Interim Coordinator of Collegiate Recovery Madison Evans. The organization
provides the education, resources and community connections needed to help change
the trajectory of recovering students’ lives.
“Lion Up Recovery was established to help those students who identify as being
in recovery. Southeastern staff trained in substance use disorders and recovery will
lead the initiative,” Evans said. “Lion Up Recovery is a program that offers specialized
and strategic support to help students achieve growth and success in their recovery
and academic journeys.”
The program offers students on-campus support groups, sober tailgating for select
Southeastern football games, academic advising and counseling, accountability, and
staff intervention, if needed. Also offered are leadership and civic engagement opportunities,
studying and sober socials, service opportunities through recovery-oriented support
groups, and participation with ARHE regional and national events.
Requirements to participate in the program include, but are not limited to, attending
weekly seminar classes, attending at least two recovery meetings per week, attending
monthly “Southeastern Recovery Night” meetings, and meeting with an academic advisor
each semester.
By applying and choosing to participate in Lion Up Recovery, Evans said, students
recognize the support provided by the program is essential to their efforts to sustain
recovery while undertaking academic challenges. Expectations are geared to help enhance
students’ ability to maintain recovery, achieve academic success, complete degree
requirements, and continue to develop as individuals and leaders.
“Lion Up Recovery provides a supportive environment within the campus culture
that reinforces the decision to engage in a lifestyle of recovery from substance use,”
Evans said. “It is designed to provide an educational opportunity alongside recovery
support to ensure that students do not have to sacrifice one for the other.”
For more information on Lion Up Recovery, email recovery@southeastern.edu or go to southeastern.edu/recovery.
