Kansas State University

I am currently studying to become an addiction counselor, and my studies have made me really passionate about recovery. Many of my family members have struggled with addiction, and I know some of them would not have survived if they did not have a strong support system to rely on. I want to provide that same kind of support for others so they can recover!

University of Washington Bothell

My personal journey has shown me how deeply stigma and judgment can wound the recovery process, inspiring me to create spaces where people feel free to be themselves. I believe healing can be joyful experience, and I hope to make room for creative paths, through modes of art and self-expression, that allow people to reconnect with themselves and discover their own way forward.

University of Washington Bothell

A world that is safe for our most vulnerable people is a world that is safe for everyone.

University of Utah

I myself am a recovering alcoholic, and I want to help others at my school.

University of California, Santa Cruz

The deeper understanding of addiction and how these people are in need of love, understanding, and support. Not judgment; that only makes them hide and makes them think something is wrong with them, which creates a cycle of addiction.

University of South Florida

My passion for recovery, harm reduction, and anti-stigma work comes from how deeply my life has been shaped by substance use within my family. These experiences motivate me to support individuals and families with compassion, understanding, and respect. I also want to continue examining my own beliefs and emotions so that my personal experiences help me connect with others without making assumptions about their lives. By strengthening my knowledge and using sensitive, recovery-supportive language, I hope to help create spaces where people feel valued, supported, and comfortable seeking help.

Boston University

Harm reduction is one of the most evidence-backed areas of public health, and I believe reducing stigma around use and recovery is going to help people get the help they need without judgment. I want to remove the barriers between access to care and those who need it.

Centralia College

I am a recovering addict myself who was heavy into opioids and want to help save lives.

Aims Community College

Anti-stigma will help with both of the other things, and if people know about the other two, it will help with stigma, helping the cycle end even just a little bit.

Seminary of the Southwest

My passion for recovery, harm reduction, and anti-stigma work comes from how deeply my life has been shaped by substance use within my family. These experiences motivate me to support individuals and families with compassion, understanding, and respect. I also want to continue examining my own beliefs and emotions so that my personal experiences help me connect with others without making assumptions about their lives. By strengthening my knowledge and using sensitive, recovery-supportive language, I hope to help create spaces where people feel valued, supported, and comfortable seeking help.

Colorado State University

I am passionate about recovery, harm reduction, and anti-stigma work because recovery completely changed the direction of my life. Through my own recovery, I have learned that people do not need more judgment when they are struggling—they need connection, support, resources, and people who believe that change is possible.

Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Because these processes were less stigmatized in my younger years, I would have had many less negative life experiences. My kids and family wouldn’t have suffered because of my choices. And I could have started working to help others even sooner.

Pacific University

As someone who identifies as being in recovery myself, and who has people in their life that are, too, I care about supporting others who are affected by addiction and who are in recovery. It can be an alienating and isolating battle, and can be filled with shame and hopelessness. People in recovery and people who use drugs are just that: people. They have rights, they deserve love, and they deserve to feel even some semblance of hope.

University of Windsor

I’m passionate about this work because I have seen how shame and stigma can push people away from school, support, and the people who care about them. Through my personal experiences and my work with Lancer Recover, I’ve learned how important it is to meet people where they are and support them without judgment. I want students to feel safe asking for help and to know they are not alone.

Kansas State University

I am passionate about helping people struggling with addiction because I know firsthand how difficult addiction can be and how much courage it takes to choose recovery. My own recovery has given me a sense of purpose and a desire to use my experiences to give others hope, reduce the stigma surrounding addiction, and remind people that their past does not have to determine their future.

Austin Community College

This work is deeply meaningful to me because I lost my mother to an overdose when I was young. I have seen how addiction can tear families apart and affect entire communities. I believe everyone deserves support, and someone who believes in them. My goal is to meet people where they are, remind them that they matter, and support those who are ready and willing to take steps towards recovery. I truly believe people deserve compassion and the opportunity to rebuild their lives without being defined or held back by their past.

University of California, Santa Cruz

I am passionate about recovery because I have seen it through my peers in high school and now in college using varies of substance such as nicotine, marijuana, alcohol, and more. I also have seen it firsthand through my first boyfriend who I slowly saw going into substances, and I made it my mission as to help my peers by build my knowledge and skills through the CRLA Program.

UNC Chapel Hill

Substance misuse is not a moral issue, and overdose can happen to anyone. Providing harm reduction resources, and meeting people where they are saves lives. There is a saying in the recovery community that “the opposite of addiction is connection,” and I strive to be that point of connection for those who need it.

Mt. San Antonio College

I’m passionate about recovery because I’ve lived it. I know what it’s like to struggle with addiction and have people judge you based on your past or the worst things you’ve done. I also know how much life can change when someone gets the right support and is given another chance. Recovery completely changed my life and today I get to be a father, go to college, mentor other students, and work toward becoming an addiction counselor. I want to help break the stigma around addiction and show people that someone can have a rough past and still go on to do something meaningful with their life.

Central Connecticut State University

My community (LGBTQ Community) is at an increased risk for substance abuse – I want my campus to know I care and to provide support to my peers.

California State University, Sacramento

I know what it feels like to need support and be judged instead. I want people to feel respected and know that help is available wherever they are in their journey.

Centralia College

I have personal lived experience with addiction, mental health, and in recovery for both. I have lost many people I love to overdose, and I want to see a change in the way that we deliver treatment to people. I think that every one person who sees people as people and spreads love and education truly saves lives.

Stanford University

I’ve seen how much the right support can change someone’s experience with substance use and recovery, especially in college, where stigma can make it incredibly difficult to ask for help. I’m passionate about harm reduction and anti-stigma work because I believe people deserve support wherever they are, not only once they reach a particular definition of “recovery.” Reducing barriers, meeting people with compassion, and giving people the tools to make safer and healthier choices can be incredibly powerful and effective.

Southeastern Louisiana University

I am an addict, and I’m majoring in Social Work.

University of California, Santa Cruz

Substance abuse is something that has been very prevalent in my family history, and recovery has become a big focus for me personally. As someone who got sober on a college campus, I have experienced the difficulties of trying to recover in a place where there is little space held for sobriety. I also hope to become a counselor in the substance use field and eventually do research on addiction in marginalized communities. Overall, I know awareness, harm reduction, and anti-stigma work are the first steps in helping others that may be struggling with substances.

Mt. San Antonio College

I’m passionate about change and recovery because I’ve experienced the power of change in my own life, I want to help others feel supported instead of judged and show that our past does not define our future.