From acceptance to graduation: Supporting students in recovery throughout their college experience

Abstract

Students entering universities while in recovery from addiction face unique challenges, such as transitioning from a high school to a university, adapting to life after treatment, and/or transferring from a junior college or different university setting. Students in recovery also encounter challenges upon graduation including addressing gaps of employment on resumes, interviewing skills, and general professionalism. Cougars in Recovery offers support to students in recovery at the University of Houston in their academic journey through the use of programs including Source of Strength, offering peer to peer mentorship within the community and Career Ready Coogs, providing support for students approaching graduation with professional development resources. Longitudinal data is still being collected to demonstrate the influence of Source of Strength on Cougars in Recovery member retention and how Career Ready Coogs influences professional growth and preparation for graduation. Peer mentorship and professional development programs can help students in recovery navigate the challenges of the collegiate experience and entering the professional world.